Michelle Blade X Le Oui

Michelle X Le Oui, 2019, limited edition 3 color silkscreen print, 20 x 16”, $50

Today is the last day of Michelle Blade's exhibition, Pansy. Fortunately, Blade collaborated with Le Oui on a new silkscreen print, which we will continue to have on view at Nationale.

The 20 x 16” print was adapted from a rainbow colored pencil drawing in which five androgynous figures explore a watery oasis. Something about it is magical, perhaps the unconventional use of color, or the way a floral border adds to the atmosphere of the scene.

Taken from the pages of Blade’s sketchbook, LEOUI—011 features a drawing inspired by the tide pools of the Solana Beach, CA, an area Blade endlessly explored throughout her childhood. Within the drawing Blade encapsulates her love for the natural world through the unexpected color trajectory of a rainbow pencil. The figures and burgeoning landscape are joined through undulating and psychedelic lines, ultimately highlighting the spirit of their oneness. 

Throughout the year, Le Oui (an offshoot of Nationale) commissions work by artists to produce limited edition silkscreen prints. Each participating artists chooses an organization to receive 10% of proceeds. Michelle Blade chose Planned Parenthood to benefit from the sales of her print. And if $50 isn’t enough of a bargain for this gem, know that your purchase will give a little support to one of our community's vital health providers.
—Jess Mcfadden

PRINT RELEASE THIS WEDNESDAY, MAY 17

Annie McLaughlin, Untitled, 2017, silkscreen print (ed.100), 24 x 18"

Please join us on Wednesday, May 17 (6–7:30 p.m.) for the print release party and closing reception for Annie McLaughlin's solo exhibition, Brushing Out the Brood Mare's Tale. Annie collaborated with Nationale's offshoot project, Le Oui to create a unique, limited edition silkscreen print.
For this piece, we wanted to keep some of the elements from the current series of paintings and also play around with the more abstract images & ideas found in Textures of Paradise, the artist book accompanying the exhibition. As with our other Le Oui releases, 10% of the proceeds from this print will benefit a non-profit organization. Annie has chosen to support the Center for Reproductive Rights. If you can't join us on May 17, you can now pre-order this limited edition print HERE.

ANNOUNCING LE OUI

Back in early December, gallery artist Carson Ellis approached me to see if we could help her with an idea she had: she had just finished her family's holiday card and thought the design would make an amazing poster. Since the elections, she'd also been wanting to do a benefit for the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). Putting the two ideas together, together we produced ONWARD, silk-screened locally here in Portland. The first run sold out in just a few days raising $5600.

The experience of producing Onward with Ellis led to many sleepless nights with fast running thoughts about the state of the world; the madness & challenges of running a small art gallery in Portland, OR; and on a more personal level, what I love most doing: working with inspiring artists whose work is not only beautiful but also thought provoking.

And so with the second printing of Carson's Onward, we launched Le Oui, an offshoot of Nationale. The first batch of prints sold out within a few hours on Inauguration Day, but you can sign up to be on the alert list HERE (leoui--001 will always be an open edition so we can raise more funds for the ACLU).

With Le Oui, our goal is to closely collaborate with established and emerging artists to eventually release limited edition silkscreen prints and donate part of the proceeds to organizations fighting for social justice and equality.