Bug and Necklace

Lovebugs. Hilary Pfeiffer

Did you see Hilary Pfeiffer’s wall sculptures she calls “lovebugs” when they swarmed the Museum of Contemporary Craft in its former space on Lair Hill? Masses of the little wood and found object sculptures were affixed straight to the wall, making it almost vibrate with almost-life (they’re sometimes bugthropomorphic, sometimes just graphic).

The Portland-based artist has just begun making necklaces (below) inspired by her wall sculptures made of wood and mixed media materials. On April 5, she’s hosting an online studio sale of the necklaces beginning at 9 AM on her etsy site. Currently you’ll find an assortment of her awesome bugs (that are only $45!) on the site. Go see.

Necklace. Hilary Pfeiffer

Lovebugs. Hilary Pfeiffer

Lovebugs. Hilary Pfeiffer

Brittany Powell & Jill Bliss in Califoregon

You got your chocolate in my peanut butter! You got your peanut butter in my chocolate!

Artist Brittany Powell is a native Oregonian while Jill Bliss is a native Californian. In a two-great-tastes-that-taste-great-together moment, Powell and Bliss, who now call Portland home, collaborate on a project they call Califoregon. An exhibition at Office PDX (2204 NE Alberta) of their drawings, cut-outs, gocco prints and more celebrate points of interest in and interesting points about the two states opens tonight, March 27 with a reception from 7-10 PM.

Tonight: PDXPO, Portland 2008 Design Expo

For the third year, the AIGA’s Portland chapter brings Portland’s design community together for PDXpo tonight, Thursday, March 27 from 5:30-9 PM at the Portland Center for Performing Arts: The Winningstad Theater (1111 SW Broadway). The main event is the keynote address by former Portlanders Alicia Johnson and Hal Wolverton (Johnson + Wolverton), currently Executive Creative Directors at Euro RSCG in New York who will reflect on Portland and present the work their firm created for Amnesty International, the Sundance Channel, and perhaps their current work for Jaguar, among others. Keynote begins around 8 PM. PDXpo showcases Portland-based graphic arts vendors and service providers with a side of social and snacks (the price of admission—$12 AIGA members and $17 non-members—gets you a drink ticket at the no-host bar). Exhibitors at the event include Aquent, The Art Institute, Dynagraphics, FILTER, City of Portland Office of Sustainable Development, Pro Photo Supply, PNCA, SMART Papers, and Unisource.

ReBar Lecture

PICA and ORLO are welcoming San Francisco’s arts group ReBar for a lecture and Q & A tomorrow night, Thursday, March 27 at 6:30 PM at AIA Portland (403 NW 11th). Admission is free at the door. Reserved seating tickets available online at www.orlo.org.

ReBar probably got the most notice for projects like Park[ing] Day where they transformed metered parking spots into temporary public parks with sod, tree, and park bench. Perhaps more interesting is their COMMONspace project, an exploration, cataloguing and interaction with (performance action) San Francisco’s increasing number of privately-owned public spaces addressing questions surrounding just how public they are and which of our fistful of rights we can claim (free speech?) when we’re in those spaces.

This is their first visit to Portland. PICA hopes to see the visit “energize the Portland design community to challenge current ideas of public space and discuss issues concerning our built environment.” Hear hear.

Call for Entries: Independent Handbag Designer Awards

design: Nina Rosen, Nina Perrera Handbags, finalist 2007 Independent Handbag Designer Awards

To all of you Rocky Balboa’s in accessories design, here’s a competition for you. Website Handbag Designer 101 has opened submissions for its Second Annual Independent Handbag Designer Awards™. There isn’t a monetary prize, but the overall winner gets a free booth at the WWDMAGIC Accessories Show in Vegas in August ($6000) and finalists can offer their bags on the website Bag, Borrow, or Steal and will have their work displayed in a window at Henri Bendel.

The website provides detailed requirements for each of the following categories of the competition: Best Student Made Handbag, Best Handmade Handbag, Most Socially Responsible Handbag, Best Green Handbag, Audience-Selected Handbag, Best Handbag in Overall Style & Design. There is no application fee, and entry is as simple as uploading a jpeg of your design. Deadline for entries is 11:59 on April 18.