President’s Message – Sept. 2025

I love fall. The shapes and colors of a changing season. The relief of cooler nights. The energy of kids at bus stops, backpacks nearly toppling over the smallest children.

The sense of a changing – molting? – world gets me every time. And in the fall particularly a sense of melancholy slips in behind the beauty. A sense of loss and forced letting go of the summer sunshine and verdancy.

It suits me now as some hard losses hit. The personal loss of a family friend. And, sadly, the death of PNWS treasurer (and treasure) Bill Leigh.

Others who knew him better pay tribute elsewhere on the website, and we will celebrate his life and contributions in the days and weeks to come. For now I’ll just add that I miss his clear, bold spirit and wish he was still with us.

We all deal with loss. With change. With disappointment.

For artists, it’s a blessing and a curse. Feeling deeply and being brave enough to share emotion through our work is the most powerful thing we do. Sometimes it’s unconscious. Sometimes it’s a roaring fire we struggle to guide. But at its best, the emotional spark of our art reaches out and connects. It shouts, “I know you! I SEE you!”

At Art in the Pearl this year I got to see this over and over as our demo artists mesmerized thousands of people with their work.

It’s a bounty of rich conversations, appreciation and admiration for our artists. I’m so grateful to see humanity alive and well in the heart of Portland, a reminder of what remains constant.

Our season of summer shows has drawn to a close, with help from many members and friends. The distractions of summer are fading, and I wish for you intense art time.

For our art appreciators, I wish you time truly seeing the art around you. Not just a second or two on the fly, but sitting down and really absorbing what the work has to say to you personally. Slow down. It’s worth it.

For our artists, I wish for you productive studio time. Time with your art that taps into your spirit. That connects your heart with the work that flows from your hands.

Be brave, my friends. There is only now.