Blue Sky’s first exhibition, 1975
Our History
Founded as the Oregon Center for the Photographic Arts by a group of five young photographers in 1975, Blue Sky quickly established itself as an important venue for local photography. In a short period of time, the organization expanded its offerings to include national and international artists, many of whom exhibited at Blue Sky early in their careers.
Blue Sky’s special endeavor continues to be the exhibition of emerging and established artists that exemplify the finest in photographic vision and innovation. As such, Blue Sky has earned the accolade as having “the best record of discovering new photographers of any artists’ space in the country.”
Today, from our 3,700-square-foot facility in Portland’s historic DeSoto Building, Blue Sky presents 20 - 25 exhibitions annually, maintains a public research library, showcases regional photographers in an annual juried exhibition of original works in its Pacific Northwest Drawers, and offers artist talks and programs — all free to the public.
Our Mission
Blue Sky’s mission is to inspire and build community between contemporary photographic artists and our audiences through exhibitions, publications, and dialogue.
Our Vision
Photography’s power to show the world through someone else’s eyes comes with great responsibility. Our vision is to embrace that responsibility and serve as a welcoming gathering place to connect with each other to advance a more vibrant, just, and equal world.
Staff Team
C. Meier (they/them/theirs)
Exhibitions Director | exhibitions@blueskygallery.org
M Prull (he/him/his)
Gallery Manager | bluesky@blueskygallery.org
Yuyang Zhang (he/him/his)
Communications Manager | communications@blueskygallery.org
Kristin Solomon (she/her/hers)
Executive Director | kristin@blueskygallery.org
Board of Directors
Teresa Dooling | Treasurer
Kris Graves | Board Member
Craig Hickman | Board Member
Charles F. Hudson | Secretary
Mercedes Jelinek | Board Member
Christopher Rauschenberg | President
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Statement
Blue Sky is committed to advancing a more just and equal world to positively impact our artists, staff, board, volunteers, members, visitors, and community. With our dedication to bringing forth visual stories from a range of voices, we recognize we can all learn from the richness of diverse perspectives and histories. As an organization, we examine all our policies through an equity lens, find ways to be more responsive, and continually pursue ways to maximize inclusion.
Blue Sky is generously supported by its many members and donors, including:
