Recently I joined my ol’ pal David Gracon for a bike trip to the coast. It was great! It was like our Tough Stuff bike/ film from last summer, all over again. Speaking of which, my essay about that tour was recently published in Jump Cut: A Review of Contemporary Media. Check it out here.

I’m working two days a week at the farmer’s market for Groundwork Organics. Contrary to the picture on their homepage, they do not endorse child labor; they are great people! Excellent produce too!

I’m busy up to my ears with the Dill Pickle Club. In fact, most of my creativity is going to that organization, so if you want to keep up to date on stuff I’m up to, head here and sign up on the e-mail list.

Come the fall, I will be working on a new project with the Mental Health Association of Portland, administering a public art work dealing with mental health and criminal justice…a sore subject for the City of Portland these days.

Besides that, livin’ life. Who’s got time to blog when there’s so many things to do?

Where does energy come from? from In The Can Productions on Vimeo.

This past year I made a T-shirt as a tribute to James and the mistreatment of a 12-year girl who was shot with a beanbag gun for not paying her Trimet fare. Sales from the shirts raise funds for the completion of ALIEN BOY, a documentary Brian Lindstrom is making on the life and death of Chasse. You can still support this noble cause and purchase a T-shirt; however we are running out and will not likely print more.

What we’ve got left:
8 Small
14 Medium
1 Large

Pitch in and pick one up here.

Sarah Mirk and I recently made this short vid for Oregon History Comics. The video is to raise money to print a series of 10 comics telling little-known stories from our state and city’s history.

We’re using the social networking site Kickstarter to make the project possible. If you are unaware, Kickstarter is sort of an all-or-nothing fund raising site for grassroots projects. We have until May 31st to reach our goal of $2500 and we’re off to a good start — but we’re still about 25% off the goal with less than 2 weeks to go. We need your help in raising the remaining amount. If we fail to hit $2500 we sadly we get none of the money people have pledged!

Help out by contributing, re-posting and sharing with your friends! Check out the full details, along with updates, photos, a PDF of the first comic and full details here: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/dillpickleclub/oregon-history-comics/

Together, we can make this happen! The future thanks you!

I have a new T-shirt project I’m doing in conjunction with the Mental Health Association of Portland. A portion of proceeds from the sale of these shirts goes towards funding the completion of Alien Boy, a documentary on the life of James Chasse. Order shirts and more info here: http://iamjameschasse.wordpress.com

Check out the Alien Boy teaser:

Have a cause or project you need to promote and market? I’m pounding the pavement, looking for freelance gigs. Just finished designing a series of posters for the Northwest Institute for Social Change, and will be soon at work on a promotional vid for Team Colors’ Uses of a Whirlwind: Movement, Movements, and Contemporary Radical Currents in the United States (AK Press, 2010).

More than just a freelance designer, I am available for consultation, planning and implementing targeted media campaigns for individuals and non-profit, grassroots, social justice and community organizations. Services I can provide:

• Project planning and event management
• Marketing and media outreach
• Strategic communications
• Graphic design and video production
• Writing and editing
• Social media campaigns
• Fundraising campaigns
• Program evaluation

Click here for more on my past work experience; I’ll also be expanding an online portfolio for my freelance work soon.

Have a project in mind? Get in touch!

1. I’m back in Portland after 10 mind-numbing days of meditating. Hurrah!

2. Dara Greenwald and Josh Macphee have an incredible exhibition of activist art at PNCA (pictured above) that opens tonight, Feb. 4th. I had a chance to preview it; it’s mind blowing! The show is sprawling, staggering and looks something like a student occupation of the commons. Highly recommend.

3. Excited to check out Museum of Contemporary Craft’s Gestures of Resistance tonight. The exhibition “examines work by contemporary artists who focus on craft actions and create works that use craft to agitate for change”. It should be interesting to see how the show evolves over the course of its run, as the Museum will host seven artist residencies between now and June.

3. I’m giving a short presentation on a new T-shirt project this Sunday, Feb 7th @ Research Club. The event meets @ the Tribute Gallery (328 NW Broadway #117) at 1PM. The brunch intends “to create a context where active and interesting people can meet each other and talk about what they’re doing while having a little something to eat.” More on the T-shirt project in a bit…

4. Missed Ivy Lin’s film on the first Chinese burial ground and her search for missing remains of Chinese Laborers? There’s another one happening next Tuesday, Feb. 9th at UO White Stag Building (70  NW Couch St). 5:30PM reception, 6:00PM screening.

I will not be checking e-mail or voicemail during this time period. Please leave me a message and I’ll get back to you when I return to civilization!