From Afra to Iris: A Journey Into the Third Age
A 2025 retrospective at the Multnomah Arts Center
Portland, Oregon
Enjoy this 3D walkthrough of Jere’s exhibition.
From Afra to Iris: A Journey into the Third Age gave visitors a rare opportunity to trace continously evolving vision of an artist who, now in her nineties, is entering what she calls her “third age.” With a career that spans seventy years, Jere’s arts practice encompasses works in ceramic, textils, pen and ink, and the written word. This exhibition reflects not only a singular artist’s voice, but also a lifetime of inquiry, activism, and devotion to “art’s ability to connect the personal with the ancient and universal.” Her artistic journey is inseparable from her life partnership with husband and collaborator Ray Grimm. Together, the Grimms built an artistic legacy in the Pacific Northwest. While making art and raising six children in northwest Portland, they also pioneered new arts programs and produced collaborative works that remain cultural landmarks to this day.
Central to Jere’s work is an ongoing exploration of the sacred feminine, matrilineality, and humanity’s relationship with the natural world. Jere has exhibited both regionally and nationally, garnering critical recognition and numerous awards.
A transcript of Jere’s talk at the opening reception can be viewed here.
About the making of the 2025 retrospective
A conversation with Jere M. Grimm about creating her 2025 retrospective.
I have been fascinated by connections for as long as I can remember: human to human, human to natural world, human to cosmos. This art exhibition includes a lifetime of relationships and connections with materials: clay, fiber, paint and the written word.
Now in my 90’s, I am grateful to have spent my life in community with both human and more-than-human relatives. It is from this “third age” perspective that this show has evolved.
Through it, I share my exploration of the sacred feminine, matrilineality, and ancient ways of knowing and being. I believe it is in this knowledge that we will find a way forward on this precious earth we all share.
—Jere M. Grimm