Blog Posts

The Art of Motherhood

4/3/2017

This month, my kid-inspired art was featured on the Community Gallery of Family Heirloom Arts.

I had many fears when I got pregnant, but the biggest and scariest was this: I thought a baby would usurp my creativity. Not in the practical sense of taking up my time and energy — more that the process of birth would shift something inside, and I would trade some essential part of my artist soul for motherhood. I didn’t tell anybody about this fear, but I carried it around with me those eight months. Read the Post here.

"Scribble Painting" drawn by my daughter, age 2

A celebration of SMART's (Start Making a Reader Today) 25th anniversary, this new anthology features 25 read-aloud stories by Oregon authors and illustrators, about Oregon places, people and events. Like Sasquatch, and swifts, and rodeos and evergreens and volcanoes. And my contribution Go, Bikes Go! Did you know that Portland is considered the bike capital of the country? During the three years I commuted solely by bike, I happened across all of the strange and useful bicycles featured in my story. Can you find some of these in the drawing below?

Big bikes
Small bikes
Extra tall bikes

Old bikes
New bikes
Built-for-two bikes

Bikes with three wheels
Bikes with four
Doesn't that bike need one more?

Toddler Art

1/9/2017

What age does drawing start? I have always admired the art of young children, and consider age 5 the creative peak of life. This is when kids start drawing people with big alien eyes and stick arms coming out of their cheeks. But while watching my daughter grow up, I've found that creativity starts even earlier than I imagined. Since she tried painting at 18 months or started scribbling around age two, I have watched quietly as she learns and invents --without censor or fear. Her "loose" style of drawing gets harder to create the older and more experienced I get -- though Picasso and Seuss retained the ability. For myself, I am stealing lines from my daughter and turning her scribbles into large full-color paintings, which remind me of a child's reality-- abstracted, joyful, unbounded.

Student Art Show: April 26

4/19/2016

Please join us at this public art show! My adult students have been channeling modern artists like Picasso, Matisse, Kahlo, and Rothko to make their own renditions of portraits and still-lives. Enjoy art, activities, and snacks with fellow art lovers!

100 Years of Beverly Cleary

2/18/2016

"HOORAY!" says Ramona. Beverly Cleary was born and raised in Oregon, and we are especially excited to celebrate her 100th birthday with lots of book-loving fun at the library. My art classes (listed at right) are inspired by Ramona, one of my favorite literary characters and a true creative. Since Ramona always made art and adventures from things she found around her house, we will make tin-can stilts, tambourines and shakers, ring-toss toys and more from completely recycled materials.There are many more free events at all the Multnomah County Libraries this spring, including a big party at Central Library on April 9th. Don't miss it!

Visit the Tool Library

1/12/2016

The Southeast Portland Tool Library (SEPTL) recently moved into a new space. Like me, you can become a member and borrow free tools like shovels, belt sanders, and biscuit joiners all year long. My latest mural, titled "DIY Portland", graces their front wall with a creative Northwest landscape. You'll have to get close to see the people spackling the mountain, pressure washing the sky, and painting the flowers in.

OPEN HOUSE: Saturday, January 16, 11-4 pm
SE Salmon and 20th (at Hinson Baptist Church)

Before & After

Art on the Street

11/10/2015

Have you noticed anomalies popping up in the bike lanes of Portland? Some of these designs may be mine! This is collaborative public art at its best: artists create stencils for the transportation department, and city workers get to mix and match as they create new sharrows in the bike lanes.

New Painting Class at the library

11/10/2015

Beaverton City Library will offer free professionally-taught, art instruction through a grant from Creative Aging. The grant is to foster meaningful creative expression for adults 55+. Professional teaching artist Addie Boswell, who teaches similar classes for Multnomah County Libraries will teach an 8-part series, followed by public art showcase event. Registration is required and participants are expected to attend all of the classes. Call 503-644-2197, option 2 to register.

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