Saturday, February 25, 2012

A Very Good Time

Wow! Thanks to everyone who braved the wet and the cold last night. What a GREAT time!

Thanks to all our volunteers. We couldn't have done it without you.

TREMENDOUS thanks to the artists, bands and performers. We couldn't have done it without you, either. Obviously.

Thanks to Chef Berk and Saint Cupcake. The prevailing sentiment was "Yum!"

Thanks to all the gorgeous attendees. You know who you are.

A special thanks to Mary Snow, who created our lovely, hand-lettered event poster and signage.
More of her beautiful work can be seen (and purchased) here:

Friday, February 24, 2012

Works Happening Tonight!


Schedule of Events
(approximate)
7:00 - DOORS OPEN
  7:30 - Kelly Masigat
 7:45 - Bryan Free and the Lost Cells
 8:30 - Jeff Hardison, spoken word 
9:00 - Purse Candy
 10:00 - AgesandAges

Saturday, February 18, 2012

Interview: Tim Perry of AgesandAges


Tim Perry is the founder, lead singer, and song writer for the Portland-based band AgesandAges. Many talented music writers have tried to describe their sound – The Partridge Family, Jack White and Rumors-era Fleetwood Mac have all been mentioned. So basically, you should just go listen for yourself. Several tracks from their album “Alright You Restless” are streaming at http://www.AgesandAges.com.
 AgesandAges will be performing at Works, an Art Happening, on February 24, 2012 at The Old Church in downtown Portland on SW 10th and Clay.


 Q:  AgesandAges songs feel like an antidote to irony. They’re joyful, sincere, hopeful. In general, what has been the audience response to the “heart-on-sleeve” approach AaA has taken both lyrically and in your performances? Any positive responses that have been especially memorable?
Once somebody said to me (as though it were fact): "Well, obviously you made a conscious decision at some point to sit down and write some 'feel good' music." It caught me off guard, because it was so far from the truth. Yes, the ultimate message in this music is one of hope and joy, but it originates from what I consider to be a pretty bleak reality (uh oh, here comes a metaphor): The ship is sinking and only a few people seem to notice or care. That's the bad news. But I think that most people just pick up on the good news, which is that there's hope for those of us who do notice and care...and furthermore, it's okay to wear that on our sleeves! I guess this resonates with some people, which is pretty cool. When people sing our songs with us, or clap along at all the right parts...it's the best.

Q: The following theme runs through “Alright You Restless” (AYR): Rules made by authority figures are arbitrary. You should ignore those rules and go your own way if you want to flourish as a person. How does that idea intersect with your experience of life?
Well, first I'd like to get a little more specific: the message in AYR is not so much to go your way, but to go our way; to come with us. And by "our," I am not referring to the people in this band. I am referring to the people singing these songs; our alter-egos. We are summoning other people to leave the old world behind and join us in our secluded place. Pretty self-righteous actually. But establishing this alter-community provided some voices, through which we could express all of these things bluntly. How does this idea intersect with my life experience? Well, I have noticed that so much of what I do or don't do is based on fear, in one way or another. There's really too much fear to even talk about right here, but the one I refer to most is that fear we have of doing the thing we know we should be doing but aren't. The fear of taking that first step; of making that first move; of taking our apron off, plopping it on the floor, and saying "I can do better than this." We make threats. We imagine these scenarios. But usually, the uncertainty of what lies ahead is enough to scare us into not actually doing it. So these songs address the exact moment when the action is finally taken. The feeling of freedom, relief, weightlessness, and the urge to convert others once you've crossed over.  

 Q: What are the best conditions for you for songwriting? (Where/when/tools/mood/etc.)
So much has come from showering, I can't even begin to express. I can literally name various parts of the record that were conceived while cleaning myself. Is that gross? Probably. But the truth usually is. Also, long car rides tend to bring out the ideas. It's like Jim Morrison said: ride the snake to the lake. It doesn't matter how late, how inconvenient, how inappropriate - if ideas are flowing, then you have to give in. I've walked out of movies before. I've snuck into the bathroom on dates to record something into my phone with other people peeing beside me. I've done worse. And it's never not been worth it.

Q: Writing the songs, practicing the songs, recording the songs, performing the songs: are there parts of the job you enjoy more than others?
All of those things have their shiny (and dark) moments. I'd say I like to perform mostly, but not so much for the "performing" aspect. More because that's when those times (potentially) occur when everyone you're playing with is on the same exact wavelength and people out there are on it too – when all at once, the past and the future disappear and there is only the present and I truly believe that nothing in the world matters as much as those rare moments. I repeat: nothing in the world matters as much as those rare moments.

Q: In an interview, you mentioned your Episcopalian background. Has the experience of communal singing influenced your approach to AgesandAges – either putting the band together or in performances?
Absolutely. The music is not religious at all, but it has sort of a "churchy" vibe to it in the sense that the people who wrote these songs are proselytizing their way of life and encouraging others to join them. It's inclusive music...and celebratory. Girth has a lot to do with it too. There are seven people in this band. We all sing and clap and shake things. So it's pretty communal feeling.

Q: Do you remember the first song you ever wrote? What compelled you to write it? Did you know you were going to write more?
Yes, I remember the first song I ever wrote. It is still unfinished. Maybe finishing that song will be the last thing I ever do. It's a sort of tongue in cheek song about a person who spends what little time they're not at work or in traffic, watching other people act out their lives on television. Ya know...like in place of living their own lives. I was seventeen.

Q: Is there one album or band that’s been a long-term touchstone for you – something you’ve listened to more than any other album over a long period of time?
There have been a lot of albums over the years that have reached the "touchstone" realm in my life. And usually, it's not just one album, it's a collection of albums from particular artists. To name a few: David Bowie, Brian Eno, Lou Reed, Iggy Pop, Talking Heads, Neil Young, Graham Nash (Songs for Beginners), Willy Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, Grateful Dead (Workingman's Dead, among others), Kinks, Rolling Stones, Beatles, Black Sabbath, Bob Dylan, Can, Neu!, etc. I like some newer stuff too, but I come back to all of these bands again and again.

Q: Anything else occupying your mind at the moment you’d like to share with the group?
We are really looking forward to playing this show! It's going to be fun.
Email interview by Jessica Poundstone.

Artist: Jessica Poundstone

About the Artist
Jewelry maker Jessica Poundstone is a returning Works artist. For the past seven years, Poundstone has made jewelry primarily using shrink plastic. This year she is debuting new designs in clay at Works.
"After so many years drawing and painting on two-dimensional plastic, it's been really fun to work in 3D with these clay pieces," says Poundstone. The overall feel is more primitive, raw and obviously hand-formed than my plastic work – but the strong color and design elements are still front and center."
Poundstone will also be featuring her first series of small, sculptural Bowls for Two or Three Small Things. Envisioned as a place to hold two rings and pair of earrings, the bowls are works of art in and of themselves. Each one-of-a-kind bowl is hand-formed, imprinted and painted.
"This year's event is going to be amazing – I'm so excited to be part of it!"

Websites
Jewelry By Jessica on Etsy: www.jessicapoundstone.etsy.com
Jewelry By Jessica Shop: http://www.jewelrybyjessica.com/

Friday, February 17, 2012

Kickstarter Update: Only $450 To Go!!!

We are thrilled to be so close to our goal! We only need $450 to be completely funded.

First
THANK YOU to all our funders. Thank you, thank you and thank you.

Second
We'd love to be thanking YOU as well, whoever you (you wonderful person, you) happen to be.

Please go to our Kickstarter page to learn more about Works and how you can contribute:
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1728327166/works-an-art-happening

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Artist: Brin Levinson



 About the Artist
Combining fragments of realism and imagination, Brin’s compositions create a world balanced on the edge of familiar and foreign. His paintings create a heightened reality instilled with nostalgia and deja vu.
Brin is largely inspired by industrial areas and old architecture. He finds the juxtaposition of urban landscapes and nature much more interesting than either one element on its own. There is a luring mystery in a moment recorded by only one picture.
What I love about painting is the ability to build a visual image completely from scratch. There is no limit to what the painting can become.”
Brin’s current works are acrylic and oil paintings on canvas.  His grandmother, Dagmar Wilson, was a landscape painter in Loudoun County, Virginia.  Being surrounded by her work has influenced Brin’s vision, especially his paintings of buildings and cityscapes. His artwork can be seen in galleries, art venues and events in Portland, the Northwest and California.
Brin lives and works in Portland, Oregon.  His work will be featured on Oregon Art Beat (Oregon Public Broadcasting) in 2012.
Website

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Artist: Katie Prentiss


About the Artist
Katie spent her childhood playing in the corn fields of rural Ohio, moving on to spend her teen years near the Chattahoochee River in Georgia. Many moves later, she currently resides in Portland, Oregon with her dear husband and four children.  
A portrait photographer by trade, she currently focuses her non-portrait work on the simple things that we forget to see. She desires her images to encourage you to see more hope in this world – whether it be in the eyes of those you love, or beauty in unlikely places. 
Website
www.katieprentissphotography.com

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Musician: Purse Candy

We have Purse Candy! Super excited!


French horn player and conductor turned electronic composer and producer, Purse Candy is a one man project by Portland producer Matthew Ellis. Conceived in 2007 in the northwest rainy city, Ellis takes advantage of long winters and wet surroundings by playing inside, keeping dry, drinking coffee and producing dark 80’s dance pop.

Website
http://pursecandymusic.bandcamp.com/

Monday, February 13, 2012

AgesandAges: The President's New Favorite Band?

AgesandAges will be performing at Works, An Art Happening on February 24. We approve of them wholeheartedly and, according to Rolling Stone, so does the President.

AgesandAges: The President's New Favorite Band?
Portland band pops up on Obama's Spotify playlist
Tim Perry, the founding member of Portland's AgesandAges, was just waking up when he learned that the lead track from his band's debut album had been included on President Obama's Spotify playlist. Half-awake, he felt like he was being punked. "I kept searching for all the ways I was mistaken," he says, "but it just kept being true."
 "No Nostalgia," a full-throated choral pop song about "the feeling of weightlessness" that comes after making a big decision to leave a bad situation, according to Perry, was chosen among 29 songs that will be used at Obama's reelection campaign stops. The mix is eclectic, ranging from classic R&B (Earth, Wind & Fire), pop (James Taylor) and rock (Bruce Springsteen, U2, Arcade Fire) to new country (Dierks Bentley, Sugarland) and lesser-knowns such as Ledisi and Nicole Willis and the Soul Investigators. Unsurprisingly, there are lots of songs about triumph and perseverance – "Keep on Pushing," "Keep Reachin' Up," "Raise Up," "Stand Up."
The AgesandAges song is a little more ambiguous. It may be about an imagined relationship, says Perry, but it's also "oddly political. It almost fantasizes about what it would be like if you could completely remove yourself from a negative climate and invent your own."  In other words: Hope.
 Though he admits he doesn't know too many Republicans in Portland, Perry says, the song was partly inspired by the sense that the whole country is living in a series of bubbles, where groups of people on either side of the political divide are closing themselves off from other points of view. It's about transcending "the way things can get dark and you can feel claustrophobic, unsatisifed with the status quo," he says.
 Though Perry says he's been "a bit of a recluse lately," he went out last night in Portland and got "a lot of back-slaps. People are as weirded out as I am. It's great to be on anybody's playlist, and this happens to be the President. If this isn't the most random thing that's happened in my life, I don't know what is."

Saturday, February 11, 2012

Artist: Tim Combs





About the Artist
As The Reclamation Project, Tim makes art out of reclaimed materials in an attempt to save the universe one piece of art at a time.  As he’s progressed with his craft, he finds himself influenced by Japanese and Chinese painting and woodblock design – the spontaneity of Zen ink washes, the textures of Japanese woodblock prints, the inherent beauty in decay and weathering. For this collection Tim carved slightly abstracted nature scenes on reclaimed wooden “canvases” in order to examine beauty in the inevitable processes of decay and rebirth, forgetting and discovery.
Tim got into art as a way to do social activism after years of working in non-profits. He uses the art as a focal point, a node of intersection, for messages of reuse, sustainability and community connection. Tim like to remind the audience where the materials come from in effort to show them that aesthetic beauty is everywhere, all materials can be shaped into art. And to that end, he shows his work at art fairs, coffee shops, boutiques, non-profit fundraisers and galleries throughout the Pacific Northwest so he can discuss these issues and themes with an ever-widening audience.
Remember – Reclaim – Restore
 
Website
www.reclamation-project.com

Friday, February 10, 2012

Musician: Bryan Free and the Lost Cells

The the always amazing musical chameleon Bryan Free will be performing at Works this year. He brings along the Lost Cells and Kelly Masigat.


Bryan Free, "The Mirror" from inger klekacz on Vimeo.

Bryan Free does what he wants with music and will keep it that way. For over ten years, Free has written, arranged, recorded, and performed in more varying capacities than most artists do in a career.
Raised in the artistic hotbed of Portland, Bryan Free doesn’t just stand out, he glues varied scenes together. His six solo albums employ a wide variety of musicians, from Portland’s classical chamber music community to its electronic and ambient art circle, to Portland’s nostalgic '90's hardcore scene. Free has written for ballet, modern and aerial dance, film, visual art, and personal performance. The latter is clearly his love.
Those who attend Bryan Free performances testify to his charisma. His is a born performer. Yet there is an immediacy—a sincerity—to Free’s work that belies any inclination to label him a mere pop performer, a collaborator, a writer. “I want to create great things without legislation and without fear,” Free says. And he does this prolifically, bucking the trends in what seems most natural fashion.
Free’s 2012 projects include a piano + string quartet combo, known as Bryan Free & The Lost Cells, a power-pop rock band known as Top Hat, and an electronic project known as Country Of Marriage. Free is currently recording and performing with all these projects.

Websites
http://www.bryanfree.com/
www.soundcloud.com/country-of-marriage
http://marmosetmusic.com/music-licensing/kelly-masigat/

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Kickstart Us!

We believe that celebrating the arts in our community is vital to keeping them strong, that's why we could think of no better way to do just that than to throw a huge party, and showcase as much amazing local talent as possible in one night! Works also helps out the hungry in our community as well by asking for cans of food at the door for the Oregon Food Bank.

Now, obviously putting on an event like this is going to take some funding, and we are almost there...but we need just a little bit more to cover some of the added costs. That's where you come in. If you can help out in any way to get Works up and running by contributing a small or large financial investment, we will be so very thankful and appreciative! And to show our appreciation, we are offering rewards for being a financial backer...at the low end, free admission and an artist and musician autographed poster, and at the high end, commissioned artwork and other fantastic incentives!

Check out our video and more information at our Kickstarter page. Thank you!

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Artist: Sam Arneson


About the Artist
Sam Arneson is a cartoonist from Southern California. He has earned a living as a caricature artist over the years but continues to explore the boundaries of his creativity in all mediums and styles, from painting to murals and collaboration with other artists. His current medium of choice is acrylic on wood.
He lives and works in Portland, Oregon.

Websites

Sunday, February 5, 2012

Words: Jeff Hardison

Jeff Hardison is from Kentucky, and he tells stories.  Jeff has worked his magic at local storytelling and performance venues such as BackFencePDX, Ignite Portland, and at a series he co-founded, Blather
Jeff was also picked to tell a story at the recent Louisville stop of The Moth’s live event. He somehow manages to squeeze in time for a day job with a mobile-software company.
Jeff will be onstage at Works, and agreed to answer to a few questions for us via e-mail.

Q. A Google search has revealed the following facts about you: Fact #1: You registered for a Soda Stream for your wedding. Fact #2: You know Britt Daniels. Fact #3: You are the grandson of a preacher. Fact #4: You hate mayonnaise.  Can you give us a fifth fact that will make our understanding of Jeff Hardison complete?   
A. Yikes. Fifth fact: We are not our search engine results. Let's talk about one of those results instead. I love me some Soda Stream action. Push hard on that button until it sounds like it's going to blow up. Then, keep pressing about nine more times until there's enough carbonation in that water that you get indigestion from drinking it – even five days later. Creating your own soda is a childhood dream come true.
Q. Your persona as an elementary school kid: Clown? Troublemaker?  The shy one? Other?  Do you still identify with your kid-self, or is everything all different now?
A. Today, I feel similar to the elementary school kid. Shy in situations with new people. Troublemaker once I get comfortable.
Do we ever change, really? Perhaps our strengths and weaknesses--our light and darks sides--wax and wane depending on how much self-control we want to exert.
Q. How did you come to stand on stages and tell stories – and why do you keep doing it?
A. I grew up in theater and chorus and all of those performing arts. But there was something about the act of interpreting someone else's work that fell short for me. About the same time I had that falling out with theater, I fell in love with literature: Nothing makes me feel less alone than a good book. In college, I majored in literature, yet missed interpreting the written word on stage.
Storytelling offers me the opportunity to wed two artistic endeavors I love, theater and writing, in a way that feels very comfortable.
Regarding what keeps me going, I guess the popular thing to say is "Because I have to--I must express myself." But that's not the case for me. I'll only tell stories for as long as event organizers ask me to do it. Whether it's playing drums in a band or writing or telling stories, my worst nightmare is to be that person begging to be noticed.
Q. Many of the stories you tell are unrehearsed. Have you ever been really surprised by something you said on stage?
A. In day-to-day life, I say inappropriate things all of the time. Therefore, I never feel shocked by anything I say in the moment. However, looking back, I'm often surprised that I had ever thought something would be taken as funny or poignant. When, in retrospect, it wasn't.
I must say I do enjoy making people feel slightly uncomfortable – without going too far. Whatever the fashionable ideology is at the time, I enjoy messing with it.
Q. Can you give us a little preview of the story you’re planning to tell at Works?
A. Many of my stories are about forgiveness. Offering it and withholding it. This story will be another one about that value.
Photo by Inger Klekacz 

                                                                       

Saturday, February 4, 2012

Artist: Jenn Feeney



About the Artist
Jenn Feeney’s childhood was spent around a commercial print shop her parents acquired from her grandfather. She always had reams of paper to play with and would spend hours drawing and making things like play money or little flip books. She supposes one could say there is ink in her blood. By chance, when she joined the working world, she ended up working in print – first in corrugated and then in business print and promotions, which is true to this day. 
Currently, Jenn is working at a printmaking studio. Most of her prints are one-of-a-kind monotypes, also known as painterly prints. They are created by applying ink to a smooth plate, and then transferring the image to paper by means of pressure through a press. Jenn finds the process of making a monotype intriguing and exciting. She uses everything she can get her hands on as a tool for making marks, adding or removing ink, spreading, thinning, stamping, stenciling, just to see what kind of effect it will produce. Then she layers the ink – color over color, texture over texture – every time it’s a thrill and a surprise to peel the paper from the plate.
Painting has taken a back seat to Jenn’s printmaking, but when she does paint she primarily use acrylic on wood or canvas. Her approach painting is the same as her printmaking – trying different approaches to achieve interesting textures and colors.
Jenn lives and works in Portland, Oregon.
Website
info@jennfeeney.com

Friday, February 3, 2012

Artist: Emily Bates

About the Artist
Emily Bates, an oil painter originally from England and now residing in Portland, grew up on an estate in the English countryside. After moving to America in her late teens and obtaining her bachelor's degree in Art and Art History, she began more conscientiously incorporating her interest in the Victorian era and the English flora and fauna into her paintings.
Textural backgrounds and demure subjects are reminiscent of her childhood memories on the estate, when she would wander in the woods, hoping to catch a glimpse of a secretive fox or deer and would take refuge in the stately house, creeping around its many corridors and grand rooms, thinking of the original family that lived there in a time long-passed.
Website

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Musician(s): AgesandAges

We are thrilled to have Portland's beloved AgesandAges at Works this year!


"AgesandAges didn’t start as a cult, but there’s a pretty good chance it’ll grow into one." Knitting Factory Records

"It’s not too often that an album sinks its teeth into a listener within the first five seconds. AgesandAges’ debut, Alright You Restless, does just that—the clap-along hick-funk beat and folk-rock licks of opener “No Nostalgia” seem pulled straight out of the Band’s playbook...Fifteen seconds into the track, the group’s thick, tight-but-exuberant vocal harmonies have entered the picture, and it’s almost too cool, too perfect to stand." Willamette Week