THE NEW OREGON INTERVIEW SERIES:
ARTISTS AND OTHER INSTIGATORS LOOK AT OREGON'S EVOLVING CREATIVE CULTURE WITH HOST NORA ROBERTSON
COMING IN FEBRUARY: LIVE INTERVIEW AND DISCUSSION WITH MAYOR SAM ADAMS, BRAD CLOEPFIL AND RANDY GRAGG. MORE INFO HERE. UP NEXT: LIVE INTERVIEW AND DISCUSSION WITH ADAM ARNOLD, RYAN CHRISTENSEN AND ELIZABETH DYE. URBAN GRIND EAST, WED JANUARY 27TH, 7PM, DOORS OPEN 6:30PM, MORE INFO HERE.
"Portland is on everybody's mind these days. Portland's a drawing card."
Sound familiar? Over the last decade, Portland has bloomed into a top destination for creative culture. Media from the New York Times to MTV tout our city's creativity, sustainability, and livability. Yet the Beats thought Portland was about to "blow up" in the 1960s and Raymond Carver wrote the above words back in 1984. Where are we heading now?
The New Oregon Interview Series investigates with the help of Michael Brophy, Naomi Pomeroy, Diana Abu-Jaber, Randy Gragg, and forty others. Live public events occur monthly at Urban Grind East, and online interviews are published regularly at www.2GQ.org. Nora Robertson and friends conduct candid, intimate conversations with natives and newcomers alike for their unique perspectives on the creative process and Oregon's ongoing transformation. “A lot has changed in the past decade,” Robertson says. “The best perspective comes from the artists themselves—and the designers, writers, chefs, and venues who make things happen here.” The Oregonian's Barry Johnson remarked in Portland Art Watch "at this point, we don't know whether we're headed back where we left off 18 months ago or whether we're going somewhere completely new. That question is at the center of the New Oregon Interview Series." Presented by 2GQ/New Oregon Arts & Letters.
JOIN THE DISCUSSION
We welcome your questions, too. Come to our live events (schedule below), or email us your questions.
MAILING LIST
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SELECTED INTERVIEWEES:
Diana Abu-Jaber • Sam Adams • DJ Anjali • Adam Arnold • Linda Austin • Andy Blubaugh • Arthur Bradford • Michael Brophy • Brad Cloepfil • Larry Crane • Alissa Nicole Creamer • Ryan Christensen • Mic Crenshaw • Monica Drake • Elizabeth Dye • Chloe Eudaly • Adrienne Flagg • Nicole Georges • Shawna Gore • John Gorham • Leanne Grabel • Randy Gragg • Beth Harper • Greg Higgins • Tahni Holt • Linda K. Johnson • Matt Love • Matt Lounsbury • Frayn Masters • Slim Moon • Ben Moorad • Allen Nause • Blake Nelson • Naomi Pomeroy • Jon Raymond • Patrick Reuter • Alicia Rose • Stephanie Snyder • Holly Stalder • Kathryn Towers • Shannon Wheeler • Lidia Yuknavitch
LIVE EVENT SCHEDULE
Join us for coffee and conversation at Urban Grind East, 2214 NE Oregon Street in Portland (phone 503 546 0649; map here). Discover more about Portland in a relaxed atmosphere; you don't have to be an expert to be part of New Oregon. $5 admission and $30 season pass.
- June 24th, 2009: Music
- July 29th: Film
- August 26th: Books
- September 30th: Performance
- October 26th: Food
- November 11th: Visual art
- January 27th, 2010: Fashion
- February 22nd: Urban planning
CURRENT WEB INTERVIEWS
INDEPENDENT FASHION: The Seaplane Interview
Seaplane played a seminal role in developing Portland's independent fashion scene from its launch in 2000 by house designers Kate Towers and Holly Stalder. In addition to showcasing their own lines, Stalder and Towers provided a regular platform for more than 60 designers. By 2005, the Portland Mercury reported that “Portland has been building momentum towards national and international recognition, the attention being mainly focused on Seaplane," a sentiment echoed by magazines like W, Women’s Wear Daily, Elle, and Bust. Nora Robertson corrals two fashion dynamos and asks them how it all began.
AN EVENING OF CONVERSATION WITH THREE PORTLAND MUSIC-MAKERS: Alicia Rose, Slim Moon and Mic Crenshaw
The New Oregon Interview Series brought three influential Portland music-makers together for an evening of intimate conversation. Said interviewee DJ Anjali, “It’s still like the Wild West here. People are coming from other parts of the country to live here because they might be able to do what they want to do.”
Kill Rock Stars founder Slim Moon, Mississippi Studios co-owner Alicia Rose, and rap artist Mic Crenshaw sat down to discuss their work and how our music culture is evolving. Check back to read the Q&A—or get a sneak peek with audio podcasts of the goings-on.
MTV's How's Your News? director Arthur Bradford, cultural/human interest documentary maker Alissa Nicole Creamer and experimental filmmaker Andy Blubaugh discussed film culture locally, nationally and abroad as well as directions in their own work. Get a sneak peek of the Q&A with audio podcasts of the goings-on.
Fiction and screen writer Jon Raymond, Write Around Portland co-founder Ben Moorad and novelist Monica Drake sat down to discuss their work and how our book culture is evolving. Get a peek at the Q&A.
IFCC creative director and actor/director Adrienne Flagg, Performance Works Northwest founder/director and dancer Linda Austin, and Portland Actors Conservatory founder/artistic director and actor Beth Harper sat down to discuss their work and how our performance culture is evolving on September 30th at Urban Grind East. Get a peek at the Q&A. Higgin’s Restaurant chef/owner Greg Higgins, Stumptown director Matt Lounsbury and Beast chef/owner Naomi Pomeroy sat down to discuss their work and how our food culture is evolving on October 26th. Get a peek at the Q&A. Painter Michael Brophy, Cooley Gallery director Stephanie Snyder and Dark Horse Comics editor Shawna Gore sat down to discuss their work and how our visual art culture is evolving on November 11th.
Listen to the Q&A.
AN EVENING OF CONVERSATION WITH THREE PORTLAND PERFORMERS: Linda Austin, Adrienne Flagg and Beth Harper
AN EVENING OF CONVERSATION WITH THREE PORTLAND FOOD ARTISANS: Greg Higgins, Naomi Pomeroy and Stumptown's Matt Lounsbury
GET INVOLVED
Help make it all happen. Volunteer with our organization or donate products, services, and financial contributions. New Oregon Arts & Letters (formerly 2GQ) is a 501c(3) non-profit organization and donations of all kinds may be tax deductible.
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