In 2012, I had just ended a long-term relationship and was barely able to keep myself housed and fed. I was living in Portland, OR at the time: home to a diverse array of subcultures and talents that I was eager to explore! Inspired by my time on the road, I came up with a plan to barter with the creators and producers that interested me - in exchange for free tickets I would give them observational drawings made by me, of the performances. The response was overwhelmingly positive, and for a couple of years I had access to some of Portland's most sought after shows and talented artists.
During this time, I began developing an idea to organize live events that would bring together a diverse array of Portland's talent to one place for the general public to experience and enjoy. JerseyBoyPDX was born!
View more photos from each of these live events HERE!
Last Thursday was a world-famous, all-day, open-air, community event where artists, crafters, and vendors lined Portland's NE Alberta St on the final Thursday of each month during the summer. It was an excellent launchpad for my JBPDX events! Each month I showcased several of my observational drawings alongside performances by the "models" themselves, wowing crowds of onlookers from around the globe.
Event: Animated Arts PDX
Through my work as a freelance Storyboard Artist in Portland, OR, I was introduced to many talented and accomplished visual artists who inspiring me to expand the scope of JerseyBoyPDX events. I gathered several local animators, illustrators, and designers to feature their creations (some of whom had never displayed their art to the public before) at a popular venue, and participate in a live-drawing session that showcased performances by dancers, hoopers, and others I had collaborated with in the past. Opening night was a great success with over 100 people in attendance, several art pieces were purchased, and everyone involved had a lot of fun!
Event: UNPUB Portland
Event: Portland Protospiel
Portland, OR is home to a vast landscape of tabletop game related businesses, clubs, and events. Many locals have their own titles in development, and they're often starved for critical playtesting feedback. As a gamer with many fond experiences playing with strangers around town, I was inspired to offer a platform for burgeoning tabletop game developers.
UNPUB and Protospiel are popular sites within the board game design community: each supports creators' efforts to find playtesters by promoting public events. Prior to my involvement, no one had ever coordinated a playtesting event through either group, making the UNPUB and Protospiel events I produced in Portland, OR the first of their kind. Both events generated a great deal of excitement from the local tabletop gaming community, and I got to meet many well-known game designers, publishers, and artists from around the world!
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