• orinocowomble

    Is it more artistic to write it on an old bit of cardboard? Or is that how broke he is?
    I have a friend who dropped everything and moved to Portland, halfway across the US. No job, no nothing. Brave, or stupid? I guess it depends on how positive the change turns out to be.

  • Librarian in the Woodwork

    I’m just generally more cautious than to just up an move somewhere without a clear and dependable means of support (e.g., a paying job) before making the move. This person is planning on “making art” while she still admits to needing to “learn art”. What happens to your need for groceries, rent money, ART SUPPLIES, and so on in the mean time? Someone with a reliable income or savings account wouldn’t have used such fancy stationery. Count the cost, child. Working long hours at Walmart or McDonald’s for living expenses will kill your artistic soul. Living on the streets will kill your physical body. And the public library is good for writers, readers, and internet users, but generally not set up for artists.

  • Chrome Toaster

    I love the Finder’s Blurb, Sam. Perfectly Portland, indeed. I see no mention whatsoever of VooDoo Doughnuts. This is a horrible oversight. it should definitely be part of ANYone’s plan to ditch everything, jump ship and head for PDX.

    Oh yeah.. and the sensible stuff that Librarian said. (sadly, Portland has a large number of street denizens- many of whom I’m sure headed out there for the artsy scene, the broody weather that “suits their artistic soul,” the glory of it all.)

  • Clover_in_the_Lawn

    Once again Found Magic strikes. I cannot tell you precisely why (it’s a secret), but I can tell you this much: I’m going to Portland tomorrow. I cannot share more details than that. Except that I grew up in Portland and its artistic soul is legendary. Ironically, when I was growing up in there, I couldn’t wait to move to San Francisco and live the artist’s life. Which I did, or tried to do. But it was so disappointing. Portland is like this rich soil for artists and musicians. Didn’t know until looking backward that the real heart of art was right where my roots were…

  • Guest
  • Librarian in the woodwork

    Do we get to find out eventually why you went to Portland? Are you re-connecting with the “heart” of your art? Secret trip because you’re in the Secret Service? Should we watch for you on the evening news? Do we get photos later? Hope it was a good trip in every way for you.

  • Clover_in_the_Lawn

    Dear Librarian, not really a secret, just wasn’t something I wanted to post about at the moment. The trip was to help my daughter find a new living space in Portland – and within 3 days she found the perfect place for her, with a fantastic roomie (artist, writer, creative designer of course!), and moved most of her stuff over there. Miraculous, actually. And let me tell you we did meet some extreme people as we made the Craigslist rounds! I felt like I was living in the TV show Portlandia! Seriously. Portland is an interesting city. The sad part for the 99% is that gentrification has swallowed up so much of the funky, old, affordable neighborhoods I knew growing up, so there’s not as much diversity as I would like to see. On the other hand, there are so many nodal neighborhoods that seem safer now than back in the old days, and the old refurbished houses are so beautiful. A person can survivie at a job earning $10 an hour, and just step out and walk down the street for cheap and free entertainment, and meet like-minded liberal, artistic souls. It’s a great place for people in their 20s and 30s – or anyone for that matter! I’d go back but i have ties in my current city and it’s beautiful too. And not too far to visit Portland from time to time.

  • Clover_in_the_Lawn

    And I did come across a couple of interesting finds – one on the street in front of Junior’s Cafe, and one on a table at Powell’s Books. Maybe I’ll get around to scanning them…

  • Clover_in_the_Lawn

    You got it, Guest! I almost posted this link..

  • Hiplainsdrifter_HPD

    I find all this West Coast Portland offense – seeing as how I live in Maine where we have a city called Portland as well. It’s always just and assumption that the Portland is the Oregon one. lol whatev’s

  • tignor

    I’m from Roanoke, VA and every time I go on a trip and meet someone and they ask me where I’m from, they say “Oh! The island where everyone disappeared from!” Roanoke, VA is much, much larger than that island and it’s sad that there is that association, but I usually set them straight. You can say, “No, Maine. And it’s beautiful there and there are lobsters and moose and lots of trees and fresh air.” and maybe that will change their minds. :)

  • http://www.jeremymeyers.com/ Jeremy Meyers

    Signed, every 29 year old who moves to Portland thinking they’re going to be the only one trying to sell art on the streets, not realizing that there are way more people selling than buying because everyone in Portland is 29 and just so, SO artistic.

  • Clover_in_the_Lawn

    Hey, and our Portland’s Rose Festival Parade is always overshadowed by the Southern California Rose Parade at Rose Bowl time. Like ya say, lol whatev’s

  • Chrome Toaster

    I was reading an article about the karaoke scene in Portland, and it was absolutely bizarre.

  • Clover_in_the_Lawn

    How so? Do tell… I saw a couple of karaoke signs on places when I was up there and thought of you, Chromey!