Vocab lesson! A “meme” is a “theoretical unit of cultural information” (sez Wikipedia), which spreads from one mind to another in the same way genes propagate from one organism to another as their own units of information. It’s a word I think of constantly, when a thing or idea I’ve never considered before suddenly manifests itself in various ways. For example, last year seemed to be the year of “deer” bands in rock and roll, and the year before that it was all horses. Sometimes a cultural meme isn’t as obvious as that, but in themes you see recurring in all kinds of art. Right now, I think people are fascinated with outer space. Many of this winter’s most chill-tastic albums evoke feelings of floating through it, and frequently in our local galleries, space-inspired art pops up. Take Deanne Belinoff’s Oort Cloud and Pulsar, large mixed-media works on paper that conjure cracked galaxies and the mysterious things inside them. Paired with Jane McGehee’s paintings and paper works that bring to mind sumptuous sunsets and faraway landscapes, the mood their “Atmosphere” (show running through March 8) creates is sure to be something you’ll want to pass along. Patricia Cameron Gallery, 234 Dexter Ave. N., 343-9647. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Fri.; noon-5 p.m. Sat. Show ends March 8. RACHEL SHIMP

Feb. 6-March 8, 2008