By Marsha Sandman | Contributing Writer
On a quiet alley off of NE Killingsworth St. and behind 5516 NE 27th Ave., you will find a world of wonder. As a painter, writer, poet and educator, Anne Jennings Paris has graced the outside wall behind curator Jennifer Jones’s home with her writing and painting in an art exhibition titled “Memories of the Kingdom”. The exhibition incorporates poetry and acrylic paintings in four future “retellings” of the Concordia neighborhood’s recent past.
The Allery, a play on the words “gallery” and “alley,” is the brainchild of artist Jones, one of the owners of the residence. Combining her love of public art and engaging her neighbors and friends, she decided to start The Allery. Exhibiting large scale framed paintings, it has become a popular summer locale in the Concordia neighborhood.
Paris is also a Concordia resident and makes art in her backyard studio. She is the third artist to grace the outside wall behind Jones’ home and is a two-time recipient of an Academy of American Poets Prize. Paris has created works for the Portland Japanese Garden, Cedarwood Waldorf School, and the University of Portland. Originally from Florida, she is a graduate of Wesleyan University and received her MFA in Creative Writing from San Jose State University.
“Traveling around the world is inspirational. I treat the world around me as an art school. Places tell stories,” says Paris. Paris’ current project will be joining the team at Tyler FuQua Creations to build a large metal sculpture at Burning Man, a weeklong large-scale festival where extreme creatives gather in a remote desert in Nevada. This October, she will be offering a poetry workshop at The Omega Institute in upstate New York, as well as teaching how to use AI ethically in writing and art.
To enjoy the artwork and writing of Anne Jennings Paris visit the Allery and to learn more about her go to her Instagram page @PDXPOET.
“Alleys are special places,” Jones says. “They are public right-of-ways, but they feel private. I wanted to create a place where magic can happen through surprise encounters with art.” Most of the exhibit will be open through November and two 4’x 8’ large-scale panels are up all year.
After living east, south, north and west, Marsha Sandman is home at last. And she wants to hear your story. Contact her at MarshaJSandman@ gmail.com.