A preeminent Portland painter, Henk Pander is well known for his unorthodox subject matter and large-scale landscapes. Growing up in Amsterdam, his received his technical training in Holland where he was influenced by the historical aspects of European painting. With this background, he combines current events as his subject matter with poignant interiors, portraits and still life to create compelling and contemporary narratives. A consummate draftsman, he uses plein air and studio still life as the basis for his physical and commanding work. This exhibition presents a stunning selection of large-scale oil paintings with depictions of a variety of subject matter including a series of haunting interiors.
Henk Pander studied at the Rijksacademie van Beeldende Kunsten in Amsterdam before moving to Portland in the 1960s. He has worked extensively in theatre set design beginning with the Storefront Theatre in the 1970s-80s and numerous projects for the Portland Center for Performing Arts, OR. His work is well collected privately in the Northwest and is represented in many public collections including; City of Amsterdam, Netherlands; Oregon Historical Society, Portland; Portland Art Museum, OR; Seattle Convention Center, WA; and University of Oregon Museum of Art, Eugene. Pander has been the recipient of many awards and commissions. He was honored with a retrospective at The Frye Museum in Seattle, Spectacular Requiem, in 2004-2005.