Oregon painter Aimee Erickson says she’s hung almost 170 paintings in her show on view at the University Club of Portland through August 12. Many are miniatures. How did this come about?
Erickson’s exhibition is the culmination of her yearlong artist-in-residency at the institution, which is located in downtown Portland. Actually, it’s a little more, too. “I applied for the residency last year and am preceded by artists such as Eric Jacobsen, Eduardo Fernandez, and Thomas Kitts,” says Erickson. “The club is housed in a Hogwartsian 1908 brick building in downtown Portland, and there’s a room on the fourth floor (with a view of Higgins, no less — one of the best restaurants in town) that is designated as the studio for the artist-in-residence. During my residency I organized tours to the Portland Art Museum, luncheons for club members with guest artists, and set up demos in the lounge adjacent to the main dining room. Many members are interested in art and have been appreciative of my work — for the duration of the residency my paintings have been displayed throughout the club.”
One of the walls filled with Erickson’s work
Another piece by Erickson
She continues, “For this show I wanted to display not only paintings I’ve done in the past year or so, but also the collection of miniatures and small plein air studies that I have accumulated. These are some of my favorites, and I’ve done them for years just for myself. It was a huge project to organize and frame them — the show has 170 pieces in it —but seeing this much of my work in one place is a first, and well worth it. The paintings talk to each other, and stories develop just by groupings.”
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