William Rihel’s installation, life + boat, might just be the best solo show in Portland this month. Twenty-eight abstracted lifeboats made out of plaster and papier mâché hang from tree branches, which in turn are suspended from the ceiling at varying heights. The sculptures are uniformly saturated in chalky red-orange, creating a monolithic presence that fills the gallery and the viewer’s imagination with forms rich in metaphor. 323 NW 6th Ave., Closes Dec. 20