Every time I pass the ReBuilding Center in my Portland, OR, hometown, I smile.
They are the center for creative reuse of building materials in Portland and also offer deconstruction services. Interior woodworking, windows, metal details created by artisans of the past are being salvaged and reused today. Don't 'cha like that? If you'd like more information click on the link above. Writing about my own experiences as a maker of things I thought about the small but meaningful hand-made gifts I received as a child. A hand-tooled child-size leather bag made by my grandpa, a hand-painted cloth doll from mom, a goofy toss-toy from an aunt and uncle. With dad we brewed our own root beer and hammered and nailed odd bits of this and that together to make unexpected "somethings" that could be a wagon, a boat, a railroad car...whatever we imagined it was. All of those hand-made things were unique, down to the one-of-a-kind labels on the root beer bottles. A good thing to do every so often. So, I've designed a newer, simpler website to share work and stay in touch with you. Welcome to the new! Life is often filled with unexpected challenges and sometimes the outcomes are surprising.
Recovering from a dislocated hip, I practiced with a new tool. . .yah, OK. . . It's the I-pencil. I usually render pencil drawings by hand, then color manually or digitally. Surprised how flexible a tool it is, I was able to render character sketches with a pencil setting that have the feel of actual drawings. Here's a spirit being in digital watercolor who visited while my hip was mending. |