Art Box

Greetings one and all,
I hope everybody had a great summer and that all your wishes and dreams came true.
At the tail end of summer this year I have been working on self portraits and had the good luck to find a free news box. I have painted it and place it between NW Glisan and NW Hoyt in front of Cannibals Gallery in Portland, Oregon. I am calling it an “Art Box”. In the tradition of Mail Art I am hoping other artists will drop off their postcards, Xerox’s, creative media and art works that they want to share and in turn take artwork someone else has left to share. I believe this has the potential to be fun, surprising and enjoyable for a wide variety of people. If you are in the northwest district in Portland stop by Cannibals Gallery at 518 NW 21st and look for my Art Box, take some art and drop some off. I am in the market for more Newspaper box’s so if you know of some for free drop me a line at ( jasonberlinart@gmail.com )
Wishing you all the best,
Jason Berlin

Wrestling

Greetings from Pump House Studio
Wrestling is at lest 4,000 years old and has been written about in the Iliad, the Odyssey, the Epic Gilgamesh, the Old Testament book of Genesis 32:22-32.and in Greek mythology. A form of hand to hand combat, wrestling is still popular today as it has been throughout human history. There are many different types of wrestling in the world such as the classic Greco Roman, Freestyle, Submission, Combat Grappling, Beach, Sambo, Turkish Oil, Collegiate, Folk, Sumo and the world of TV Professional Wrestling. Like all sports and human interaction there is a push and pull of dominance and submission in wrestling and to not mention the homoeroticism inherent in wrestling is to pretend there is no elephant in the room. I have wrestled in the past and found the sport to be fun and vigorous and the singlets amusing to wear. I hope you enjoy the four wrestling painting I was requested to paint.
Wishing you all the best in life
Jason Berlin “ I gave as good as I got” Jason Berlin on Wrestling

Revolutionaries

Greetings
I hope this finds you the art lover being treated well by life.
Last week my friend Quiche delighted me with a night out on the town in downtown Vancouver, Washington to view the “Windows Into Art” exhibit. This exposition of contemporary art in vacant buildings and in storefronts was conceived by artist K.C.Madsen as a way to exhibit contemporary art in the Pacific Northwest in a new way making it accessible to a wide range of people. Viewable at all times of day and night this show is comprised of twenty one different artists and takes place in seven different buildings all within walking distance from each other. The show runs from June 4th to July 5th. Look for postcards in the local business in downtown Vancouver or print your map from the web. I believe there is something for everyone to enjoy and if you can’t find something you like you might consider seeing a psychologist for some mental help.
http://www.windowsintoart.org/
This month, June I finished my spring term at Portland State University. I am working on a group of paintings for Cannibals Gallery for the July show on the theme of “Revolutionaries”. I find it interesting to think about who is a revolutionary and why. Has a person affected you? Do you live your life by their example or a quote they made?
I personally have many different people who have inspired me or given me something to strive for. One of my favorites is Johnny Cash, the Man in Black.
Wishing you all the best
Jason Berlin

Dim Sum

Greetings
I first tried Dim Sum when I was twenty and I have been a fan ever since.
I have eaten dim sum in London, New York, San Francisco, Vancouver BC, Seattle and Portland, Oregon. My two favorite places for Dim Sum are both in the Pacific Northwest. Number one on my list is the Chinagate restaurant in Seattle, Washington. Dim Sum is served daily and on the weekends it is packed with locals families from Chinatown and Seattle it self. On Saturdays and Sunday there can be a bit of a wait to get a table around lunch time but I find it never is that long. This is a fun place to take friends and family. http://chinagate.cwok.com/ 516 Seventh Ave S Seattle, WA 98104. (206-624-1730)
My second favorite Dim Sum restaurant is House of Louie in Portland Oregon at 331 Northwest Davis Street (503-228-9898) in OldTown. This is the spot for Dim Sum in Portland period. On Sundays around two in the afternoon you can find your self waiting up to twenty minutes to get a table. The wait is worth it just for their paper ginger chicken. It is a constant stream of stainless steel Dim Sum carts full of mouth watering goodies all hiding under metal steamers. Both restaurants offer a Dim Sum menu that can be ordered off any time. I hope you enjoy my new Dim Sum paintings from the House of Louie.
Wishing you all the best and I hope happy Dim Sum eating.
Jason Berlin.

May

Greetings from Pump House Studios.
It has been some time since my last blog, I find my time limited with working, going to university, painting for Cannibals Gallery and the day to day chores we all have to do.
I hope and always plan to write more frequently. So with out further ado I give you my latest musings about some highlight of my life that I have enjoyed the last few months. In April I had the chance to go see the Pacific Northwest Coast Kwakiutl ceremonial Indian dance and story telling at Lelooska’s Cultural Center thanks to my friend Larry Cwik.
This was an amazing night and brought back fond memories from my childhood when my parents where studying Northwest coast Indian art at the University of Washington with Bill Holm in the 1970s. I found the night to be entertaining and enriching. We are lucky to have this cultural treasure in our back yard so please take a look and go to one of their presentations. http://www.lelooska.org/
On May 1st I went to the Cascade Aids Project 21st annual Art Evening and Auction at the Bison Building with my friend Quiche. The party has been happening every year since 1990 to raise money to help fight HIV and AIDS. I find it outstanding to see so many diverse people coming together to do good. I was very pleased that my painting sold again this year. http://www.cascadeaids.org .AIDS Walk of Portland this year is October 3, 2010.
On May 21st Tess Morgan and I went to see the Rose City Rollers VS the Rat City Roller Girls at the Expo Center in Portland. If you haven’t gone to a Roller Derby you need to go, this is one hell of a good time, and as they say, it’s a game Brutal Beauty. Web sites are
http://www.rosecityrollers.com and http://ratcityrollergirls.com
I believe that one page of text is more than enough to subject you to. That being said I hope that all is well with you my dear reader and that life is smiling at you with loving eyes. Your artist in the pump house.
Jason Berlin

March 2010

Greetings to one and all
It seems that spring is showing its first buds of life so I thought it was time to get busy and write something new.
I am a featured artist at Cannibals Gallery on NW 21st for the month of March so please go take a look and drop me a note. I appreciate your feed back.
Also showing at Cannibals in March is the Octogenarian show with the work of Selma Grossman.
Grossmans takes her clues from her rich Jewish heritage, her many years living abroad, pattern and line. I also had the pleasure of seeing the Portland Art Museums show “Disquieted”
Well known contemporary artists investigate the world we live in and deal with the issues of war, sexism, race, class, and the horrors of the modern age. I enjoyed the show and was taken in by the small sculpture of Ron Mueks, “Crouching Boy in Mirror” and the two paintings by Takashi Murakami and his team. The Disquieted exhibition runs from Feburary 20th to May 16th, 2010.
On view from March 4th to 27th at Laura Russo Gallery are paintings by Lucinda Parker and Rene Rickabaugh. I enjoyed Parkers smaller works the best and found them more intimate. Rickabaugh work is fanatically detailed. It is as if he has gone down to the subatomic level for his inspiration in his jewel like creations. All this great art can be seen at the following places.
Cannibals Gallery 518 NW 21st Portland, OR. 503-224-2663
Portland Art Museum
1219 SW Park Ave Portland, OR. 503-226-2811 info@pam.org
Laura Russo Gallery
805 NW 21st Portland, OR. 503-226-2754

Shoes and boots have been around since man wandered out across the savanna and began his migration across the face of earth. Evidence and records from early civilizations around the globe all show evidence of foot covering. The shoe is mentioned several times in the Bible and the Hebrews used it in binding a bargain or a deal. The shoe and foot has been altered, bound, fetishsized, painted, tattooed, and worshiped. Shoes and boots represent rank, social class, and career. Shoes have influenced culture. Corporations like Nike and Adidas have made fortunes from the manufacturing of shoes. I prefer a good old work boot. Generally made from sturdy leather uppers and non-leather outsoles and sometimes with steel toes, they provide heavy wear and high traction. Work boots are commonly used for protection in industrial settings, construction, mining, logging and other workplaces. My painting is of a pair I own and wear quite often. They compliment my levi 501’s, tux pants and a kilt.