Art Beat

Though he died nearly 10 years ago, Oregon artist Rick Bartow may be more celebrated now than ever before. His work is in the collections of over 130 museums across the country.

Novelist and screenwriter Jon Raymond writes in a style he calls “literary regionalism.” His collection Livability inspired Kelly Reichardt’s films Old Joy and Wendy and Lucy. His new novel, God and Sex, is earning wide acclaim, with The New York Times praising its “profound, ancient questions.”

A viral video catapulted her into the spotlight, but Melissa Monroe is still creating art on her own terms and flipping the script on traditional women’s crafts.

Founded in 1942 by Portland’s Chinese immigrants to raise funds for China’s defense in World War II, the Yat Sing Music Club perseveres in preserving Cantonese opera through ongoing rehearsals and community outreach, despite declining membership and limited interest from younger generations.

How one Egyptian-American, Amirra Malak, uses art to express liminal space in Hood River and across cultures.

April 30, 2025 will mark the 50th anniversary of the Fall of Saigon, and for Van Le and Allen Luong, it’s the perfect time to acknowledge an important moment for the Vietnamese community, and also looking forward to a brighter future.

Renowned contemporary artist Lillian Pitt creates art for public installations and galleries in clay, glass and mixed media, informed by the stories and iconography of her ancestors.

Pfeifer delights in the aha moment when someone recognizes a familiar object cleverly integrated into her wood sculptures.

Portland artist Sa'rah Melinda Sabino explores what it means to be mixed race in America. Her work is at the intersection of basketball, Moroccan culture and worlds that don’t yet exist.

In its 17 years, "Oregon Art Beat" has traveled all across the state to profile some of the many Native American artists creating work right here in Oregon. Here are just a few artists you should know about.