The Tribune will highlight some gallery openings and other arts happenings in the first edition of each month, coinciding with First Thursday (Jan. 6). Galleries have reopened, but they may have limited hours and/or online presentations and visitor restrictions. Please check individual websites for info.
• Reminders: The Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education at 724 N.W. Davis St. features "To Bear Witness — Extraordinary Lives," through May 15. It's a partnership with The Immigrant Story, in collaboration with Jim Lommasson and NW Documentary, and it's a multimedia exhibition focused on the lives of 14 refugees who rebuilt their lives in Oregon. There are photographs, profiles and short films, featuring people from Austria, Bosnia, Myanmar, Cambodia, Germany, Hungary, Rwanda, Sudan, Syria and Tibet. Each story tells of survival of the individuals and generosity of others. The title "To Bear Witness" comes from Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel.
The exhibit of prints "Ukiyo-e to Shin Hanga: Changing Tastes in Japanese Woodblock Prints" is available to see from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Wednesdays-Mondays at Portland Japanese Garden, 611 S.W. Kingston Ave., through Jan. 30.
• Elizabeth Leach Gallery, 417 N.W. Ninth Ave., features "(Extra)ordinary: Reimagining the Everyday" with a variety of works by Nari Ward, Louise Bourgeois, Isaac Layman, Malia Jensen, Mario Gallucci, Claire Cowie and Leo Berk, and Chester Arnold's "Survivors" new paintings, Jan. 6 to Feb. 26.
• Sherrie Wolf's "A Closer Look," comprised of paintings that combine still life and art history, shows at Russo Lee Gallery, 805 N.W. 21st Ave., Jan. 6-29. Also at Russo, there'll be an Early Northwest Masters survey of works from painters, printmakers and sculptors from decades ago.
• Kensuke Koike, a photographer and collage and sculpture artist, is featured at Blue Sky Gallery, 122 N.W. Eighth Ave., Jan. 6-29. Koike deconstructs vintage photographs or postcards to create new images by cutting, pasting and reassembling by hand. In addition, Jana Sophia Nolle shows with photo exhibit "Living Room: San Francisco & Berlin," which concentrates on the ever-growing rift between rich and poor.
• Starting Jan. 18, Waterstone Gallery, 124 N.W. Ninth Ave., will present works from five Pacific Northwest ceramic artists — political figurative images by Patti Warashina, sensual flora by Lisa Conway, abstract pieces by Natalie Warrens and Jan Hoy and porcelain pieces by Kate McDowell. The show goes through Feb. 27.