"PLACES WE REMEMBER"
Featured Mixed Media Art Exhibit
by Menka Desai
On Display August 2026 at Sevigny Studio PDX
First Friday Opening Reception
August 7 · 6–9 PM
Live Music • Light Refreshments • Artist in Attendance
Experience “Places We Remember,” a new collection of mixed-media landscapes by Portland artist Menka Desai, opening this August during First Friday at Sevigny Studio PDX.
Inspired by both real and remembered places, the exhibition includes recognizable Portland destinations such as Lan Su Chinese Garden, Portland Japanese Garden, and Forest Park, alongside dreamlike landscapes drawn from the artist’s memories—including distant lavender fields and a remembered desert scene that continues to live vividly in her mind.
Some of the works are presented as connected triptychs, while others stand alone as individual views. Together, they explore how places remain with us through memory, experience, nature, and personal history.
Each original artwork combines gouache and hand embroidery on colorful handmade paper. The pieces are mounted in custom float frames, hand-built by the artist in her home studio. Framed and unframed prints will also be available, individually embellished by hand with gold ink.
Meet the Artist: Menka Desai
Coming from a background and culture in which art was not always viewed as a practical career, Menka took time to recognize and pursue the creative path she needed.
Her artistic skills were nurtured from childhood and passed down through her family. Over time, her practice evolved into a merging of mediums, inherited traditions, and experiences from two different societies: the one in which she was born and the one in which she now lives.
Three years ago, she began incorporating embroidery into her artwork. As an important part of Indian culture and her own family history, embroidery became a way to bring a piece of her past into her present-day practice.
Her subjects are primarily inspired by nature. Birds, flowers, trees, gardens, and landscapes reflect the places she has lived, hikes she has taken, plants she has encountered in her neighborhood, and cultural shifts she has experienced.
Since 2021, gouache and embroidery on colorful handmade paper have become the defining materials of her work.
Event Details: First Friday Art Opening
Sevigny Studio PDX, 3576 SE Division Street
Friday, August 7 from 6–9 PM
Artist in Attendance
Light Refreshments
Live Music by DJ Ayatollah
Come experience this thoughtful collection in person, meet the artist, explore original artwork and hand-embellished prints, and spend the evening immersed in Portland’s creative community.
About Sevigny Studio PDX
Located in SE Portland, Sevigny Studio PDX is a boutique art gallery and creative gathering space founded by artist Katie Sevigny. The gallery features original artwork, curated exhibitions, local makers, and thoughtfully crafted goods, with an emphasis on supporting independent artists and meaningful creative experiences.
On the First Friday of every month, Sevigny Studio opens its doors to the community for an evening of art, conversation, music, and connection. More than a traditional gallery opening, the series has become a welcoming neighborhood tradition—bringing together artists, collectors, travelers, and curious passersby in an intimate and inspiring setting.
Each month offers a new featured exhibition and a fresh opportunity to experience Portland’s creative culture firsthand.
Interested in becoming a First Friday Featured Artist?
Fill out our Featured Artist Application Form.