We make Portland awesome: Board Games

"We make Portland awesome" is a weekly series. I’m interested building our community of artists by helping us all find out more about each other.

This week: Jason of Board Games

Who are you?
Jason Greene

What do you make?
I make toys from recycled skateboards.

Besides making things, what do you do?
I skate, paint, paddle, fish, and play drums in a few bands (Yoyodyne, Johnny&Jason).

What inspires you?
I'd have to say my 3 yr. old son inspires me a great deal. Childhood in general inspires me. I've worked with young kids a lot in the past several years.

Where can your work be found?
Redux, Crafty Wonderland, Tender Loving Empire, Trillium Artisans, Spielwerk Toys, and Cal Skate. Oh, and of course on Etsy.

What do you love about Portland?
I must say, the summertime in Portland is outstanding - the food, the markets, the festivities, the woods, the weather, and the fact that everybody seems to be in a good mood. Also, the skateboarding in Portland is legendary.

Lessons

I learned two things over the weekend:

1. I can fit my entire shop display/canopy set-up in my little car. This includes: a 70-lb canopy bag, two chairs, two tables, two little logs, a wooden crate, three fake pine trees, my needle-felting supplies, my sign, and a big bin of felted things.

2. Sometimes, it's okay to leave early from a show.

We make Portland awesome: Finka Studio

"We make Portland awesome" is a weekly series. I’m interested building our community of artists by helping us all find out more about each other.

This week: Ann-Marie of Finka Studio

Who are you?
I am finka! That means "Finnish girl" in Russian, an early nickname from my husband. I'm half-Finnish, half-Bolivian, born in Canada, and grew up in Malaysia and Indonesia. However, I've lived in Portland for 14 years, so I'm a Portlander, too.

What do you make?
I make design prints. I have a background in Psychology and Communication Design and never thought of myself as an artist, so I feel more comfortable calling them design prints! I opened up my shop to have a place to share and explore my personal work. Essentially, they're large posters of cheerful, colorful mid-century-influenced art and maps, with most of them aimed to live in children's rooms. My love for geography comes from my international background and love of travel and cultures. I have lots of plans up my sleeve for new prints as well, just need to carve out the time to make them.

Besides making things, what do you do?
My day job is being a designer at Roundhouse, a really fun, amazing agency I'm happy to be a part of. I also try to make time everyday to just relax at home with my husband and 2 cats, and travel whenever I can swing it. I was just in Australia this January for a close friend's wedding — I love how a change of scenery gives me the perspective I need to stay grounded.

What inspires you?
I'm very inspired by Scandinavian mid-century design and art. Growing up, Finland was my home base and where I spent all my summers — my love for Marimekko fabrics, Iittala glassware, and Arabia ceramics began at my grandparents' home. I'm such a fan of the illustrators coming out of Finland right now: Sanna Annukka, Sanna Mander, Maija Louekari, Lotta Nieminen, just to name a few... I get to visit Finland about twice a year, and I always make sure to go to Helsinki because the city itself is a big inspiration.

Where can your work be found?
My work can be found at Etsy (finkastudio.etsy.com) and Society6 (society6.com/finka).

What do you love about Portland?
Portland has really grown on me. I love the size, the friendliness of strangers, the sense of pride in the city, and how progressive it is. It's laid back and cozy, and I love how close the ocean, mountains, and forests are to downtown. Everyone says this, but it's true!

We make Portland awesome: Love To Love You

"We make Portland awesome" is a weekly series. I’m interested building our community of artists by helping us all find out more about each other.

This week: Love To Love You

Who are you? 
Hi, my name is Loni. I live in Portland with my boyfriend, his daughter and a three legged cat. I moved here from Virginia soon after college where I studied art and photography. I've been an artist and crafter as long as I can remember.

What do you make?
I make women's clothing for my line Love To Love You. I design skirts, dresses and shirts for quirky girls who are looking for a splash of color and whimsy in their wardrobe.

Besides making things, what do you do?
When I'm not sewing (and I'm almost always sewing) I love scouring thrift stores for vintage fabrics and treasures. I take lots of walks around the neighborhood to clear my head and get new ideas. I work a couple days a week at Powells Books and have an apprenticeship at Pinkham Millinery with the amazing Dayna Pinkham, with whom I am learning to make hats. In the summer, I play softball with the Mississippi Wreckers and love to take road trips and go camping up on Mount Hood.

What inspires you?
I am inspired by Portlanders' unique sense of fashion, vintage clothes, art, architecture, photography, nature, movies, books and magazines and beautiful fabrics. Designers and labels that I admire are Elsa Schiaparelli, Alexandra Mcqueen, Miu Miu, Manish Arora, Rodarte, Zandra Rhoades, Ossie Clark and Biba. I also admire Isabella Blow, Anna Piaggi and Iris Apfel for their fearless fashion sense and the photography of Tim Walker.

Where can your work be found?
Love To Love You is available online on Etsy.

What do you love about Portland?
I love everything about Portland- except the weather. I love Portland summers, the food, the beer, the colorful houses and flower filled yards, the one hundred shades of green, the parks, the cats and crows, the fascinating characters, and it's proximity to the mountains and the coast....and so much more.

We make Portland awesome: Betty Turbo

"We make Portland awesome" is a weekly series. I’m interested building our community of artists by helping us all find out more about each other.

This week: Agnes of Betty Turbo

Who are you?
I'm Agnes, also known as Betty Turbo, a nerdy, tattooed wrestling fan and dessert expert, trying to bring you as much goofiness as possible from my very tiny (but chock full of radness) hot pink studio in Corvallis.

What do you make?
I make drawings and deliver them to you as art prints, greeting cards, plush toys, tea towels, and limited edition wearable items.

Besides making things, what do you do?
Sorry, what? I'm supposed to do something else?! In all truth, "making stuff" is pretty much my entire life. I stop for a popsicle or a dance party from time to time, but making art and being crafty is what I love and spend most hours of the day on. I do love cooking and baking, riding my bike everywhere (yay Oregon!), and running. But running for hours and hours is really my mental time-out to plan out art projects in my head, so I think it's all ultimately part of my creative process.

What inspires you?
ICE CREAM. Dessert. Okay, food in general. Wrestling, muscles, geeky tv shows, outer space, wild animals, words and typography. I am never short on inspiration. I want to squeeze all the juicy bits out of every day.

Where can your work be found?
In Portland, my work can be found at Powell's, Tender Loving Empire, Mag-BIg, Icon Tattoo, and ZimZim. I also sell at about a dozen other shops across the country. My Etsy shop is always the biggest selection of my current work, but I also show in galleries, and enjoy debuting new products in person at craft shows like Portland's super fabulous Crafty Wonderland sales.

What do you love about Portland?
FOOD TRUCKS. Crepes in the middle of the night. Portland is such a jackpot for vegetarian food, too! Prior to moving to Oregon, I had been living in Tennessee for several years, where most vegetables were either deep fried or cooked to mush with a ham hock. I am constantly in awe of Portland's food offerings. I like that it is big enough to have lots going on, but still small enough that you can easily connect with other art weirdos and find the funky places where you fit just right. SO many awesome artists and creators, and a great support community of art fans and people who are eager to support creativity and small businesses. Also, how rad is Powell's? I would like to build a tiny fort in the stacks and live there forever.

Acorns of the summer

Who cares if real acorns could never be flourescent pink! My little shop needs some color!