PDX Contemporary Art is pleased to present Dismal nitch polyphemus moth, an exhibition of new paintings by Justin L’Amie.

The works in this exhibition are inspired by a gift to the artist of a Polyphemus moth. The moth was found at the Dismal Nitch rest area, a cove in Washington along the lower Columbia River, notable as the Lewis and Clark Expedition’s last campsite before sighting the Pacific Ocean.

Over the next couple years, L’Amie made many drawings of the moth and credits these drawings in helping him find excitement, meaning, and inspiration from the natural world. Also during this time, he began falling more in love with different kinds of art and artists: Japanese prints, Morris Graves, Odilon Redon, naturalist drawings, folk art, early manuscripts, and codices. These artistic influences have shaped L’Amie’s practice through the years as he renders flowers, moths, birds, insects, and creatures of all kinds into his compositions with a dexterous hand and gentle sensibility. The works are a reflection of his fascination and adoration with the natural world, capturing its tender resilience in both beauty and darkness.

Now living and working in Portland, Oregon, Justin L’Amie was born and raised in the Northwest and draws on the tremendous wealth of natural resources that characterize this region. Justin L’Amie received his BFA from Cornish College of the Arts. In 2016, L’Amie was awarded a residency at the Morris Graves Foundation, a private retreat that invites select artists to live and work at Mr. Graves’ final home. In 2018, L’Amie had a solo exhibition at the Morris Graves Museum of Art in Eureka, CA. L’Amie’s work is held in the collections of the Portland Art Museum, Oregon Health and Science University, Cleveland Clinic, Portland Community College, Fidelity Investments, and City of Portland Portable Works. His work has been featured in Willamette Week, The Oregonian, Art & About PDX, The Buckman Journal, and HIPFISH Monthly.