Opening Reception: Saturday, May 2, 2026 - 3:00pm - 5:00pm — Please RSVP to info@pdxcontemporaryart.com
when once our shadows touched, moving gently on this wide path
new paintings by Jenene Nagy
In this exhibition, sweeping, gestural strokes of blue gouache and silver mica on handmade paper evoke an expansive sky scape with small graphite marks, creating an atmospheric depth and tension. The painted ground results from a different physical engagement with the work. This surface is built from a more distant perspective and made with the whole body, followed by the opportunity to look closely and quietly.
The paintings are laborious and contemplative, their meaning centered in process. Each small gesture gently accumulates, demonstrating a steadfast dedication to stillness, a welcoming of silence, a landscape of peace.
Developed while in residence at Yaddo in New York, the works are a continued practice of present mindfulness. Having been deeply moved by the 2025–2026 Walk for Peace, a 2,300-mile pilgrimage by Buddhist monks from Texas to Washington D.C., I use the time in my studio to cultivate gentleness and goodwill. Similar in spirit to the walk led by Venerable Bhikkhu Paññākāra, the work promotes kindness and compassion, serving as a reminder that small, sincere actions can change the atmosphere around us.