As part of the Portland Art Museum, the Rental Sales Gallery nonprofit continues its tradition this Spring of showcasing the Pacific Northwest’s creative talent. Beauty may be in the eye of the beholder, but several caught our interest during the April 25 opening.
Even though it is an often-painted subject, City Glow by James Minden requires considerable skill. The orange glow of a contemporary urban street scene by James Minden seems exceptionally well executed. This painting is more about the lights than the street scene and while it’s full of life, there isn’t a human in sight. The glow of the streetlights hugs the metallic curves of the automobiles as shapes begin to suggest the form of buildings above. The title reference isn’t clear – it could be personal. I might suggest as an alternative, Stop, Stop, Go, referring to the traffic lights. Though it could be anywhere, America, I’m guessing this is a Downtown Portland scene – the street lamps seem to match.
Scott Anthony Ewert reveals he is a swing dancer and has long been a fan of Jazz, particularly from the Big Band era. There are three examples of his jazz figures paintings in the gallery depicting greats including Billy Holiday and Duke Ellington. Scott says Bluenote may be the best painting he’s ever painted, but the dynamic flow of C Jam Blues is also energizing. Holding a phone in his hand, Scott showed us the original historic composition with Ellington playing the piano in the foreground. It would be interesting to see compositions from contemporary jazz scenes or even swing dancing.
Carolyn Cole’s Untitled abstract painting makes an immediate impression at the entrance, drawing viewers into its quiet complexity. The palette—mossy green, creamy white, muted coral, and washed blue—evokes the natural splendor of the Pacific Northwest in spring. Soft, impasto-textured color patches float across the canvas, coalescing without defined boundaries, like fragments of memory awakened by other senses—hearing, smell, or touch. Broad, gestural scratches run across the surface, their mix of spontaneity and intention suggesting a tension between instinct and deliberation, revealing glimpses of the layered thought beneath.
Wayne Jiang’s Night Work marks a striking departure from his more familiar genres of still lifes and restaurant interiors. As a longtime follower of his work, I was immediately struck by the uncanny parallel between the luminous contrasts in this scene and the palette of his flower paintings. Here, a bright yellow bulldozer stands out starkly against a purplish, unlit road, while a standby truck, half-subsumed in darkness, loses its detail beneath a blazing work light. The painting is steeped in translucent layers of shadow, yet it’s the thick, tinted white paint—smeared with confident precision across the limited surface—that delivers the most tactile satisfaction.
Located at 1237 SW 10th Ave in downtown Portland, the Rental Sales Gallery is open Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visitors can rent or purchase artwork, supporting local artists and the Portland Art Museum. The Spring Member Artists Show 2025 runs through June 21, offering ample opportunity to experience the latest in Pacific Northwest art. For more information, visit rentalsalesgallery.com.
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