Portland Design History Project
Founder, Writer, Researcher, 2014- present
Portland Design History is a curated showcase of the people, brands and organizations in Portland’s design scene with a focus on the ’60s & ’70s. I founded the project in 2014 with an event at Design Week called, Portland Designers of the Mad Men Era. That event featured the work and stories of Byron Ferris, Charles Politz, and Bennet Norrbo. Since 2014, I have worked independently and with PSU students to conduct over a dozen interviews with designers who were prominent in the era, as well as with spouses, children, friends and colleagues of prominent designers. The project now has 12 biographies written, as well as many more visual collections. It is a work in progress, and I hope the community can help contribute!
Within 1 Mile
Illustrator, ongoing
Within 1 Mile is an occasional walk and draw project that allows me to explore small and large details of the North Portland Overlook neighborhood I call home.
Our Portland Story
Founder, Creative Director, 2008-2014
Our Portland Story (OPS) was a community story project that celebrated Portland and its people through story and design. As OPS, I published two books featuring hundreds of local authors and designers. OPS collected stories about Portland by Portlanders from all walks of life, and paired those stories with local designers to create artful snapshots of the city. In addition to the published books, we hosted events and experimented with new ways to engage with the community, showcase stories, and create unique connections.
Prototown
Project Director, 2014
Together with The Right Brain Initiative and Museum of Contemporary Craft, my AIGA Portland volunteer team inspired kids to build the ultimate prototype for a new city. We asked kids: “What kinds of places do you like to go?” “What place hasn’t been invented yet?” “How will people get from place to place?” Using scrap materials and art supplies, museum visitors made their own creations and added them to our evolving proto-city.
This experiment in city creation resided at the Museum of Contemporary Craft for a three month period.
Brain Food
Team Lead/Creative Director, 2013 - 2014
As a part of the AIGA Portland's Design for Good Committee, I led and creative directed a collaborative project with The Right Brain Initiative. The result of our three year partnership is Brain Food, an exploratory activity deck for kids. Brain Food is a tool to help teachers and parents ignite creative thinking. It challenges young minds to be curious, to dig deeply into subjects like visual art, performance, and design right alongside math, science, and social studies.
Brain Food benefits The Right Brain Initiative’s arts education programming in Portland area public schools.
Cut & Paste
Team Lead, 2007
I initiated and led a team to bring the global design competition, Cut & Paste, to Portland in 2007. We had over 700 creatives turn out at the Wonder Ballroom to watch and celebrate live action design. Competitors illustrated on the spot, within a time limit and under a theme. DJs spun, judges judged and design heroes were crowned.