Over the weekend, the home and studio of Portland painter Michael Brophy went up in flames, destroying personal belongings, paintings, the building itself, and it is feared, his pet cat. Brophy is one of the most beloved artists in town, as well as one of the most respected. A vigilant explorer of the Northwest landscape, history, and mythology, Brophy creates smart and stunning paintings that hit your gut first, before working their way to your head, where they refuse to quiet down or go away. He’s been in countless gallery and museum exhibitions, including a fantastic retrospective at the Tacoma Art Museum two years ago. (He might, however, be best known for his cover art on Sleater-Kinney’s The Woods.) But now Michael and his partner, writer Holly Cundiff, are in a really bad position, and could use a good old fashioned barn raising. A rebuilding fund has been set up through RACC:

Checks should be made payable to:
Regional Arts & Culture Council
Memo: for Michael Brophy studio rebuilding fund
108 NW 9th Avenue, Suite 300
Portland, OR 97209-3318
(Contributions are tax deductible.)

That small yellow square on the second floor is Mike and Holly’s bedroom. Photo from KATU.