Grey Raven Gallery’s November 2025 showcase is all about printmaking. Along with Grey Raven Gallery printmakers, and the eighth annual Emerald Print Exchange (made up of 200 artists from around the world), a unique printmaking project from Print Arts Northwest will be on display.
The exhibit will be up until November 29th, with regular gallery hours (Tues – Sat 11am – 5pm).
Naturally Northwest
Naturally Northwest: Prints and Poems brings together two of the Northwest’s
richest artistic traditions—printmaking and poetry—in a collaborative exhibition that celebrates the shared landscape, language, and creative community of the region.
In this one-of-a-kind project, 26 of the Northwest’s most celebrated poets joined forces with many
of the region’s most accomplished printmakers to create collaborative hand-pulled fine art
prints—pairing image and word—through the environmentally friendly medium of Solarplate©
etching.
A Collaboration Rooted in Innovation
The project began when Solarplate pioneer Dan Welden approached Barbara Mason, longtime member and past president of Print Arts Northwest (PAN), Portland’s printmaking guild, with an idea to honor both poetry and printmaking. With Welden’s donated plates, Mason’s connections to Oregon printmakers, and poems curated by Oregon Poet Laureate Emerita Paulann Petersen, artists from across the Northwest joined forces to create works inspired by natural themes. Together, they celebrate the landscapes, voices, and collaborative spirit that define the Pacific Northwest.
Naturally Northwest underscores the remarkable creative depth of the Northwest
when visual and literary arts intertwine. Each piece is at once a standalone
artwork and part of a broader dialogue, embodying two artistic traditions that
share in curiosity, reverence for nature, and the impulse towards creative
expression.
A Cross-Disciplinary Gathering of Northwest Voices
The exhibition features 26 printmakers and 26 poets—25 from Oregon and one from Washington
in each group. Participants include four Oregon Poets Laureate, multiple Oregon Book Award
winners, and an extraordinary range of artists and writers representing diverse cultural and
regional backgrounds.
“Each piece stands as both an individual artwork and part of a larger conversation,” says
Mason. “It’s a true dialogue between image and language—between ways of seeing and
ways of saying.”
First Friday Reception Kicks Off Showcase
Grey Raven Gallery’s First Friday reception on November 7th (5 pm-8 pm) starts the showcase off with a night of community and art. Refreshments will be provided along with music by local harpist Tracey Rose Brown.
We invite you to experience this rare intersection of poetry and printmaking, a
celebration of image, language, the enduring power of collaboration—and the
power of art to flourish in dialogue.
all about printmaking
About Solarplate Printmaking
Developed by Dan Welden, the Solarplate© process revolutionized printmaking by
eliminating acids and solvents, offering artists an environmentally safe, UV-based technique
for etching.
Welden’s technique catalyzed the shift to non-toxic printmaking, inspiring artists
globally while ensuring greater safety, spontaneity, and creative freedom in their
printmaking practices. The Solarplate process continues to develop new avenues
for fine art and educational collaboration such as this exhibit.
Welden’s innovation has been adopted by studios and museums worldwide, from
the Smithsonian American Art Museum to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Solarplate’s
“green” approach reflects the same reverence for the environment that inspires much of the
poetry and imagery in Naturally Northwest.
About Print Arts Northwest (PAN)
Founded in 1981, Print Arts Northwest is a nonprofit guild dedicated to advancing fine-art
printmaking in the Pacific Northwest through exhibitions, education, and artist collaboration. PAN’s
members include printmakers, educators, and collectors united by their passion for the
printmaking arts.
