https://www.joshgatesart.com/gallery daily 1.0 2025-08-22 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/596d088c197aea41b736f010/1501022288530-OCTH9RZ1GWIJJK3DHT7Z/freehand1.jpg Gallery https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/596d088c197aea41b736f010/1564497951651-EJV04V6DWAQBHH8OUZPP/go.jpg Gallery - Go Oil and acrylic on canvas 16” x 20” 2018 I’m captivated by fleeting conditions of weather and light. As an Oregon-raised longtime Portlander, I find the pervasively rainy climate here beautiful and inspiring. The vibrant colors of trees, moss and bohemian houses pop against the greys of drizzle and fog, and the moisture keeps this valley magically fertile and alive. A lot of people complain about the weather here, but I want to celebrate it. I think we need as many words for rain as some cultures are said to have for snow, and I want these paintings to speak those words. Image description: Painting of a traffic light and bus seen through a raindrop-covered window. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/596d088c197aea41b736f010/1614449863564-L26L56EBO14AO4773BJ3/image-asset.jpeg Gallery - City of Books Oil on canvas 14” x 18” 2021 Image description: Painting of the corner of 10th Avenue and Burnside in downtown Portland, with Powell’s Books at right. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/596d088c197aea41b736f010/1564500534588-EAD0MKEBEABPH4YRAMIU/jane.jpg Gallery - Jane Oil on canvas 12" x 12" 2017 Image description: Painting of a white woman’s profile, with a muted green background https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/596d088c197aea41b736f010/1564499458040-HILBKS84BZI3YRUH5Q0Z/n_williams_and_russell.jpg Gallery - N. Williams and Russell Oil and acrylic on canvas 20” x 16” 2018 The corner of N. Williams and Russell in Portland, where the historic Hill Building stood at the hub of what was once a thriving African-American district with renowned jazz clubs and deep community roots; after it was demolished in the 1970s to expand Emanuel Hospital, the vacant site was never developed and sits empty to this day. This painting is part of a series called Ghosts of Albina, about Portland's history of racial displacement and the mass destruction of homes and community through urban renewal over the last century. This may be the whitest big city in the country, but the popular refrain that "there are no Black people in Portland" dismisses both a community that very much exists, and the stories behind a neighborhood perennially in danger of disappearing from the map. 100% of sales of these paintings (after venue commission if applicable) are donated to the Urban League of Portland, an African-American civil rights and advocacy group whose headquarters still stand across the street from this vacant lot. Image description: Painting of a street corner with overlapping imagery of a large domed commercial building and a vacant grass lot and sidewalk. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/596d088c197aea41b736f010/1675290090498-XN86RERXU79B5QMGLP1X/calla_lilies.JPG Gallery - Calla Lilies Oil, acrylic and graphite on canvas 20” x 16” 2023 Image description: Painting of a green vase holding two calla lilies. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/596d088c197aea41b736f010/1642112836550-FM5LLRMH44N9OIG8F3SF/girlfriend.JPG Gallery - Girlfriend Oil and acrylic on canvas 10” x 8” 2021 Image description: Painting of a rusty-orange dog against a dark brown and black background. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/596d088c197aea41b736f010/1644875669922-13K7HD4JNIRFQPPE0IIE/waterworks_hill.JPG Gallery - Waterworks Hill Oil and acrylic on canvas 20” x 30” 2020 Image description: Painting of a grassy hilltop landscape under dramatic grey-blue clouds, lit by golden-hour sunlight. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/596d088c197aea41b736f010/1617726276866-FS7XSHW8YOL1NA61E7X1/image-asset.jpeg Gallery - Mirage Oil and acrylic on canvas 24” x 30” 2020 In the months leading up to the COVID-19 pandemic, I’d started expanding from a focus on the ever-changing temperate rainforest climate in Portland to explore other kinds of fleeting moments—like floods, and the interaction between natural and artificial light. An unplanned motif of liminal spaces emerged, the most surprising pattern being near-empty parking lots, lending the new series a distinctively eerie sense of quiet even before the COVID-19 crisis began. In March 2020, as the world changed and life shut down, I was invited to join the New York-based Socially Distant Artist Residency program, connecting virtually with other artists around the country (and a few outside the USA), making work and sharing thoughts related to solitude and social (dis)connection during the pandemic. I completed some of the paintings in this ongoing series in the Before Times, others as part of this residency and beyond, fortunate to be able to continue painting at home in the garage under shelter-in-place orders and letting the work reflect the shuttered cityscapes around me. The common thread is still unexpected transitory moments. The term "fleeting" can be applied on different scales: a sunshower may last minutes, a flood weeks, a pandemic months—but each is unique, and temporary. Image description: Painting of a flooded parking lot next to a building that is grey with red and orange stripes. https://www.joshgatesart.com/purchase daily 0.75 2025-09-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/596d088c197aea41b736f010/1634142514109-I7WN5M39JOAOE3ESXM4M/dan.JPG Purchase https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/596d088c197aea41b736f010/1609525717617-L460LIVNAJSW6RWI85DK/wayan.jpg Purchase Painting of a young Balinese man with a wide grin. He is positioned to the right side of the composition, with an abstract green and purple background at left. He is wearing a magenta collared shirt, his hair is short and dark, and his eyes look off to the right of the image. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/596d088c197aea41b736f010/1649349383496-TDQH8ZNVA75ET0WPCEGE/girlfriend.JPG Purchase https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/596d088c197aea41b736f010/1649349478975-DJCR5LXDL3GZ6YLYOJ05/iris.JPG Purchase https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/596d088c197aea41b736f010/1609626013285-BURX2P2KODGTZMVOB8BB/lola_holly_carlos.jpg Purchase Painting of three dogs in a grassy landscape. Two are Bernese mountain dogs—one lying down at left, one seated upright at right—and one is a beige pug, standing in front of the others. The landscape behind them is hilly, with tall grass and trees, under a partly cloudy sky. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/596d088c197aea41b736f010/1609626019067-2DMSEJHPTRGS7XNZ39NN/manx.jpg Purchase Painting of a grey tabby cat wearing a Victorian style ruffled collar, sitting on a table surrounded by fruit and other items in the style of a baroque still life, in front of a dark brown background. Included are a vase of flowers, a bowl with grapes, peaches and plums, a lemon with half of the peel cut off and hanging down in a spiral shape, a loaf of bread, a wheel of cheese on a round wooden plate, a toy mouse, and a candle with smoke drifting from the wick, all on a patterned purple tablecloth. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/596d088c197aea41b736f010/6ad59647-ee38-442a-93e1-75b8e7cf92cd/burnside_bridge.jpg Purchase - Commission a painting! I love doing custom work, and am always accepting commissions! Most popular are cityscapes—the examples shown here range in size from 16x20” to 30x40”, and pricing will depend mostly on size. Message me on the contact page with your idea and we can discuss composition, reference photos and a quote! Maybe you’d like a painting of your home, or a particular street scene that holds special memories. I’m open to all kinds of projects! For all commissions, I will have you sign an e-contract and collect half the agreed total as a deposit before work commences. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/596d088c197aea41b736f010/1649350164980-CG9GI5WGXE8EFEGTAJTP/wisteria_house.jpeg Purchase https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/596d088c197aea41b736f010/1649350148114-F0EBZL14S6LUJJHD4D4G/moonstruck.JPG Purchase https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/596d088c197aea41b736f010/1651537109137-E1SE5P0GCUY8W40LI5S8/laurelhurst_theater.JPG Purchase https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/596d088c197aea41b736f010/1649350186050-2HWXKET4F1TR00DP71FT/fair_haired_dumbbell.JPG Purchase https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/596d088c197aea41b736f010/1609525986579-FZQ5CWTFG9GGW1426AXB/interzone_shirt.jpg Purchase Ink drawing in black on white, of a cartoonishly grotesque male figure wrapping one hand around the back of his head to pull his lower eyelid to the side while the other hand pours coffee from a cup into the eyelid. He wears a t-shirt reading “Interzone” in uneven typewriter-style lettering. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/596d088c197aea41b736f010/1609525989517-HL0UCXFUINC1WU7I9ZX5/wheee.JPG Purchase Ink and watercolor painting in a cartoonish style, depicting the Grand Canyon, with two figures in the foreground at lower right: And elderly white woman pushes an elderly white man in a wheelchair off the edge of the canyon while he yells “Wheeeeee” impassively. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/596d088c197aea41b736f010/28f9d3a4-9afd-4f6a-8b00-23c9212fafcf/declan_with_portrait_1.jpg Purchase - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/596d088c197aea41b736f010/1609625815261-KVP7WH5WVTYJUYD5W0R0/scout.jpeg Purchase - Pet portraits! I also offer pet portraits in a full range of sizes, which can include detailed backgrounds and multiple pets if desired. I’ll work with you to select the perfect reference photos and composition; turnaround time is typically one to three months. Your friend will be painted with love, and a commitment to capturing just as much personality as a human portrait. Click here for details on commissioning pet portraits! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/596d088c197aea41b736f010/4627c75e-921c-4008-8e3a-fee294a5e17d/family_tree.JPG Purchase - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/596d088c197aea41b736f010/1564591489617-YH6TRYIU69A8W6ZQN5P5/jane.jpg Purchase I love portraiture, and strive to capture the spark of individuality with expressive paint handling and a distinctive personal touch. Size, pricing and shipping will vary according to your project; expect to invest at least $800. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/596d088c197aea41b736f010/1609526059941-66NLF8O1ADF23RI7G08E/lachlan.jpg Purchase Painting of seven hands arranged in a horizontal row, rendered in blue and orange in a loose painterly style on a white background, fingerspelling the name “Lachlan” in ASL. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/596d088c197aea41b736f010/2501954f-d5d2-4d9e-b44c-c832734fa41a/IMG_0626.JPG Purchase - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/596d088c197aea41b736f010/a449559f-a37b-4a94-a3e1-f5ffd905d6e3/IMG_2589.JPG Purchase 1000-piece and 500-piece jigsaw puzzles of my artwork, printed and cut locally in Portland, can be ordered on Portland Puzzle Company’s website! They can also be found in regional stores including Powell’s City of Books, Made in Oregon and Cloud Cap Games. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/596d088c197aea41b736f010/1649348137328-ST90X3FB6V9K3UX1GYFT/hollywood-theater-box-1500x1500.png Purchase https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/596d088c197aea41b736f010/1649348136208-VI4UUJH4HS5VHY9M5K6W/E2C9FEC6-B11F-4D32-A735-7F7AACE8DD9E.jpg Purchase https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/596d088c197aea41b736f010/c0d5cbbb-dd26-4f26-bc47-caffc54abcfb/technical-difficulties.jpg Purchase - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/596d088c197aea41b736f010/1609614569933-VTH3N88E9D6PP6A9L55D/tiny_pets_size_chart.jpeg Purchase Image shows examples of each size of pet portrait: 2”x2”, 2”x3” (horizontal), 2”x3” (vertical), and 3”x3”. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/596d088c197aea41b736f010/1609546312485-609QW3XFVCY1RCDA4NF4/IMG_5730.jpg Purchase Can’t wait to hear from you! – Josh https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/596d088c197aea41b736f010/926ffbfd-76e0-4645-9c38-06afc1e5afae/IMG_0399.JPG Purchase - But what if I want my pet portrait to be extremely small? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/596d088c197aea41b736f010/1724094108170-C9PYV8PVDS02QXQL2DM1/IMG_1194.jpg Purchase https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/596d088c197aea41b736f010/1724093941210-J3OH1PSZ4I1WGCF2QPEK/IMG_6156.JPG Purchase https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/596d088c197aea41b736f010/1724093906389-NM8HXFS2SIYWH05VX1FV/IMG_1271.JPG Purchase https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/596d088c197aea41b736f010/1724093942762-FQAFW2PN3Y83NYBE31YJ/IMG_5540.JPG Purchase https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/596d088c197aea41b736f010/1724093958932-OBCZL7S03EJEU365T4HL/IMG_1295.JPG Purchase https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/596d088c197aea41b736f010/1726263629614-K3T3JVF0GB9P2L2FJR8Z/angel.JPG Purchase https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/596d088c197aea41b736f010/aa1f8885-1864-433e-ad1a-b2805814745a/IMG_3671.jpeg Purchase “Picking out a special gift for someone who doesn’t value material things is a difficult challenge. For my partner Daniel’s 50th birthday, l commissioned a pet portrait from Josh Gates. Daniel said it was ‘the best gift I've ever received.’ Nailed it! This portrait makes us smile every time we walk by it hanging on the wall. Josh captured the sparkle in Angel’s eyes on canvas. We hope to have another decade with Angel before she crosses the rainbow bridge and I imagine that, after that time, this portrait will become even more special than it already is to us.” — Elie (Angel’s human) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/596d088c197aea41b736f010/1724172137598-B5BRGDLAQHRYO3SGWWJJ/pippa.jpg Purchase https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/596d088c197aea41b736f010/1724171117004-WLVYGSFYF5S6Q0YCH5DS/Screenshot+2023-01-04+at+4.28.12+PM.JPEG Purchase https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/596d088c197aea41b736f010/1609546745659-3E7K4N0CEAB4JXBOC5N7/IMG_0594.JPG Purchase Photo of a grey cat https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/596d088c197aea41b736f010/1724172550557-ASXKCABK41MOVA26CNLF/IMG_6552.jpg Purchase https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/596d088c197aea41b736f010/65686beb-f446-4092-93a0-e0876d3e4290/IMG_5146.JPG Purchase - Commission an oil portrait of your cherished friend! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/596d088c197aea41b736f010/1501025544093-397S6DDR262KS0TEM37E/jane.jpg Purchase https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/596d088c197aea41b736f010/1614462811259-SF2T2MSWMKBC8QDUYOAW/postcard_view_both.jpg Purchase https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/596d088c197aea41b736f010/1614462870643-OZFF51OLSAZAG1CDAS6G/resist_shirts.jpg Purchase https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/596d088c197aea41b736f010/1614466751535-IY0QLNRIO05CFPEAYHJ8/prints_wrapped_image_2.jpg Purchase https://www.joshgatesart.com/curriculum-vitae daily 0.75 2025-12-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/596d088c197aea41b736f010/1564591453331-8YZ49R36AJ8HOQETDXO7/wallsandwindows1.jpg CV The artist, a young white male with sandy hair and a teal shirt, stands smiling with arms spread in front of a wall hung with paintings. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/596d088c197aea41b736f010/1501022520817-53EOELCRR3ICCVHD3H0M/freehand1.jpg CV https://www.joshgatesart.com/contact daily 0.75 2024-08-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/596d088c197aea41b736f010/1609548505886-FOGHUSUQOJJ7R54OXY2B/me_dreaming_is_free.jpg Contact - For purchase inquiries, commissions, exhibitions, or anything else—message me here! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/596d088c197aea41b736f010/1501022540166-2EY4VSL9OJ8HSE80BSNB/freehand1.jpg Contact https://www.joshgatesart.com/about daily 0.75 2021-03-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/596d088c197aea41b736f010/1562255061475-1SYV2S15CAE881NY3Z34/blackbird_selfie.JPG About I’m captivated by the ever-changing temperate rainforest climate of the Pacific Northwest. As an Oregon-raised longtime Portlander, I find the rain and the vibrant spectrum of greys here beautiful and inspiring. I’m also interested in capturing other kinds of unexpected or fleeting moments, dreamlike luminosity, and the interaction between natural and artificial light. In addition to cityscape painting, I also specialize in portraiture and hands. I’m always taking commissions for both animal and human portraits! As a deaf artist, I want to share the expressive beauty of American Sign Language. My various bodies of work serve as channels for activism, humor, and simple aesthetic wonder. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/596d088c197aea41b736f010/1501022219001-ZRVBA5IYUW9IU7BLN2Z1/1501021996071.jpeg About