"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: Kendra Binney
Who are you?
My name is Kendra Binney. I speak mostly through pictures, and spend
most of my time painting, daydreaming, and wondering about small
insignificant things.
What do you make?
I paint imaginary worlds of dripping landscapes and insecure, vulnerable
characters covered in shiny candy coatings of resins. I sometimes turn
these paintings into limited edition art panels, pendants, and other
small things.
Besides making things, what do you do?
I spend a lot of time driving around in an ugly van with my dog -
occasionally stopping to hike or camp or discover new things. I play a
lot of sports in the summer, and also spend a strange amount of time
reading about bugs. For someone who's normally very quiet, I tend to
be very talkative when it comes to politics or social issues - probably
breaching the tolerance of friends who are busy trying to watch a movie
or something.
What inspires you?
Everything? I think painting is my way of processing the world around
me. I’m often struck by the importance of fleeting moments , the
perpetuity of their impermanence, and my inability to understand any of
it. The world can be often despairing, and fiercely cruel....and then I
see somethi
ng to make it all completely endearing regardless. For me,
painting is a way to grasp what can't be caught, and to express what I
can't quite articulate.
Where can your work be found?
In rotating shows in random galleries all over the place. I currently
have work up or shows scheduled in L.A., New York, and Manchester,
England. - as well as locally. Information on upcoming and current
shows can be found at
www.twitter.com/kendrabinney ,
www.facebook.com/kendrabinney Work is also available online at
www.kendrabinney.etsy.com
What do you love about Portland?
I was young when I first moved from Arizona to Oregon with my family. I
remember taking a drive off the main road - sitting in the back seat
with my face against the window - completely awestruck by how beautiful
it was - the tangled masses of moss covered trees, the hazy fogs and
streaks of rain mixing with the millions of colors of green. Until
then, I thought those types of places only existed in fairy tales. I
clearly remember thinking to myself that Portland was magic . . . which
I'm still apt to believe is true.