This was such a lovely store to stop into while walking up and down Alberta. My partner and I…read morehappened to stop in on a weekend where they were holding a major sale, so there was a ton of stuff on clearance as an added bonus. The store itself is cute and cozy. I would warn folks that it is very tight navigating in places-- I am petite and still felt a little claustrophobic. A lot of that is likely the crowds on sale day, but isles are narrow and there are a few places where you can get "trapped" if other customers don't see you standing behind. I absolutely love stationary, and this place scratched my letter-writing itch. I ended up picking out a couple of sets of cards + envelopes to add to my collection. These are BEAUTIFUL and well made. Prices were reasonable, and the clearance items were an absolute steal. The staff were super friendly and attentive and they seemed to be doing a good job keeping everything in order even though there were a lot of people here.

Definitely stop here before going Michael's. Support local…read moreWonderful spot for art supplies. I didn't find the oil paints but tons of great prices on brushes and painting materials/utensils. It's a great place with inspiring art supplies in NE Portland.

I made my first paper with Jenn and Gary at WildCraft Studio School in White Salmon, WA. I had lots…read moreof fun, learned a lot and made lots of paper. Recycled, abaca, denim and hemp, plant fiber that we prepared. Sign up for one of their workshops or look for their mobile studio, soon to be on the road.

From the owner: Pulp & Deckle is a studio located in Portland, OR that is dedicated to sharing the art, science,…read morehistory and craft of handmade paper with others. We teach workshops, make custom paper goods for retail and wholesale, and operate a papermaking artist residency program.

Ninety Twenty Studios is a wonderful gem! This is my first time ever working with metal, and I love…read moreit. The faculty I am working with, Tayja Danger, and owner Christine Clark are awesome, and I hear great things about the rest of this vibrant art community. The MOST important thing to me is communication and accessibility, and Christina was wonderful in responding to emails and she ANSWERED the phone when I called. Twice! ;-) If you're interested in MAKING, check this place out!

From the owner: Ninety Twenty Workshop offers a craft education through jewelry making and metalsmithing, to a…read morediverse range of students at many skill levels. Learning through hands-on making, students are provided with tools and materials, varied subject matter, and highly skilled instruction for personal and professional growth and in the field. The workshop is located within Ninety Twenty Studios. Book for class times!

Elise's work feels both celestial and terrestrial. Her work transitions well from large canvases to…read morepost cards to even delightful, decorative scarves. Elise is an exceptional teacher who selflessly inspires the artists who attend her various workshops, be it in her creative Portland, OR studio, or abroad. I personally come from modest Appalachian roots, where I've only possessed prints of artists whom I admire. I can honestly say that it is my desire to own a Wagner encaustic painting or three one day whenever my stars should align.

From the owner: Encaustic and printmaking workshops. Encaustic paintings and prints for sale. Studio events and…read moreprivate studio tours available to purchase art or attend workshops. Offering specialized instruction in Encaustic Painting and Collagraph Printmaking throughout the year in my studio. Sessions are designed for all learning levels and tailored to your creative goals and needs. I have been painting with the encaustic medium since 1993 and bring over two decades of experience as an exhibiting artist, innovator, paint maker and educator to my studio classes. Studio events and private studio tours available to purchase smallworks and prints. I have been painting with the encaustic medium since 1993 and bring over two decades of experience as an exhibiting artist, innovator, paint maker and educator to my studio classes.

Last Minute Camp Opening for Queer Rock Camp (FREE!) Aug 11-15th. Check out their website for…read moreregistration link. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeNGenOscpCRUxwaNXiFs2T2eFX_CYtZLn0L1OffcvpKqwHmQ/viewform Building community through music is Ethos Music Center's mission. It's such a cool space offering Youth Theater Camp throughout the year with scholarship! I came for the first time on Saturday, August 9th for the adaptation play of Cesili Williams, author of the book, Umi, Rainbow River's Great Inventor. The kids and families got to meet the author at the end of the play. My friend's daughter and son attended their theater camp and both in the end of year production, UMI AND THE GREAT STRAWBERRY MYSTERY. Now I want to be a green unicorn! Corner building with access from both Killingsworth and Williams. Two story building with restrooms on both level. Free street parking. https://www.ethos.org/ https://www.cesiliwilliams.com/umi

ethos Music Center, has to be one of the most perfect place for any new practicing and I like that…read moreit's a nice place with good instruments and everybody's having a lot of fun with so much to do you'll never ever wanna leave and also the staff is really nice. They also sell instruments and it's really cheap and fun.

I came in to buy one item. What I accidentally purchased was an immersive performance art piece…read moreexploring the concept of waiting. When I arrived, there was one person ahead of me and two employees behind the counter. Foolishly, I assumed this meant I would be helped sometime before the death of the universe. Instead, I was treated to a masterclass in non-transactional retail. Over the next 15+ minutes, I watched employees engage in several fascinating activities, including: * Petting dogs * Discussing classes * Conversing with customers about topics unrelated to purchasing items * Walking away * Standing around * Almost helping customers At one point I made the mistake of expressing that I was in a hurry and would like to purchase my single item. This was apparently a shocking and unreasonable request in a store that sells things. My favorite moment was when a customer who had occupied a register for roughly the length of a feature film turned around and made "deep breath" gestures at me as if I hadn't already done the daily Calm three times in my head. Thank you, sir. I had incorrectly assumed the purpose of a checkout line was pay for something. I now understand it was a mindfulness retreat. By the end of my visit, one customer had been processed, several dogs had received excellent service, and I had achieved a higher state of unconsciousness. If you're looking for clay, I can help you! Go to Blick's since their clay is a quarter of the price and it won't make you wait in line while it dries. If you're looking for an opportunity to contemplate the passage of time while observing casual conversations unfold at glacial speed, this establishment is second to none.

Everything is super organized and tidy, the staff are amazing and they even have a precious cat…read morethat wonders the warehouse.

To wrap up the final week of my critical art theories class at Portland State, I visited the…read moreBiennial to connect the ideas explored this past Spring. As I enter, the first thing I see are three questions in red: What was the price our ancestors paid to call this nation home? What did they sacrifice for the American dream? What was promised to them for their blood, sweat, and tears? As I abstracted my time with DeepTime Collective's wall of many clocks, I walked along various artworks that caught my eye. Gabby Severson, Jaleesa Johnston, and Ebony Frison were a few of my favorite artists from this show. The artworks are powerful and imposing. They catch you and keep you in. The artists speak from places of nostalgia, memory and lived experience. However, I couldn't help to think that the works respond to questions that have already been in conversation for a while. 250 years, who doesn't know what the price is? And so, as Bayo Akomolafe has asked about the Black Lives Matter movement, to whom would this matter to? This certainly is nothing new for marginalized folks who live with those questions everyday, whose ancestral histories on this stolen land is defined by sacrifice, blood, sweat and tears. From struggle to preservation to perseverance, the artworks are analyzed by folks who beg for answers to questions they created.

To finish our Critical Theories course we visited the 2026 Oregon Contemporary Artists' Biennial,…read more"The Price of the Ticket". Reading the Biennial through Lorde, hooks and Akomolafe, I found myself questioning if representation alone is enough, who carries the burden of explanation and what it means to be visible. While most of the work pinpointed popular progressive words, critiques, and symbols it felt like just a critique. Some works felt like acts recovery while others pushed the boundary of visibility. I left with more questions than answers in a good way. The Center of Injustice stuck out the most to me, not only the size and familiarity of design but the archival history of police violence and the ongoing conversation around it was provoking. Some of the work felt crowded together but overall the work succeeded in prompting reflection.