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Category Archives: CNA

Faces of Concordia – Creating Community in a Little Irish Pub

Posted on July 23, 2025 by Web Manager Posted in CNA, Local Businesses
T.C. O Leary’s pub owner Thomas O’Leary says the pub is “a place of community development.” Photo submitted by Thomas O’Leary.

A Conversation with Thomas O’Leary

By David Corby | Contributing Writer

On the wall of T.C. O’Leary’s hang black and white photos that represent the history behind the establishment. The framed photos honor previous generations of friends and family members who have invested, supported, and celebrated the existence of NE Alberta’s “Little Irish Pub.” In this way, you’re surrounded by community from the moment you walk through the pub’s doors. For owner Thomas O’Leary, that connection is deeply intentional.

“A pub can be a lot of different things,” he shares with me. “It’s a room that you can tell stories in. A room that you can have music in.” He looks around the room thoughtfully, breathing in the history of the space. “What it’s really become is a place of community development.”

In 2009, O’Leary moved to the United States after a lifetime spent in Ireland. He and his wife Siobhan spent time living in New York and Los Angeles before ultimately landing in Portland. An actor by trade, O’Leary spent part of his time during those years working in the bar scene, and he gradually began to fall in love with the setting. When the owner of the Branch Whiskey Bar decided that it was time to pour its last drink in 2016, Thomas took the risky leap to transition from bar manager to bar owner. Thus, T.C. O’Leary’s was born.

Like many great suggestions, the name was Siobhan’s idea. “She said you can’t go wrong with putting your own name over the bar, because you can’t limit that. It can be anything you want it to be inside the door.” Nearly nine years later, what it’s become is a true place of community and connection. A small escape to Ireland under the familiar grey skies of Portland. “An Irish pub is somewhere you go to let everything else go,” he says. “Somewhere to just escape and have fun. We have literary groups, music, sports—generally all these people will get to know each other and help each other. That’s the feeling around the pub.”

The power of that sentiment was most apparent during the early days of the pandemic, when T.C. O’Leary’s was forced to close its doors while the global restaurant industry faced an uncertain future. During that time, community members would come by and implore the pub to stay open, emphasizing how important the space was to the neighborhood. Thinking back on those years, O’Leary’s expression is quietly reflective. “That’s always been the value of what this place is to me,” he says.

Through the efforts of his staff and the collaboration of the community, T.C. O’Leary’s adapted its business model to prioritize takeout orders and expand outdoor seating. “We were constantly trying to innovate and give an opportunity to come out,” he explains. “The first time that someone played live music here again, it was quite emotional. You forget how important that is.”

In the alleyway next to T.C. O’Leary’s is a chalk calendar that lists all of the events happening in the pub throughout each week. Live music, watch parties, reading groups—the list goes on. The calendar serves as an open opportunity for engagement. An invitation to step inside a warm Irish pub and escape the world outside. Sometimes, we forget how important that is.

David Corby is a poet, essayist, and professional overcommunicator. When he’s not out exploring the neighborhood with his wife and dog, chances are high that you can find him wrapping thoughts in words at your favorite local coffee shop.

NE Farmers Markets Kick Off Neighborhood Food Sharing Partnership

Posted on June 11, 2025 by Web Manager Posted in CNA

By Joshua Lickteig  Contributing Writer

This year’s summer season will see a joint effort by the farmers markets of Cully, Woodlawn, and Rocky Butte to bring a new food sharing program called pahtl o’-pekwan, which means “full basket” in Chinuk Wawa, the native trade language of the Pacific Northwest. The goal of the program is to ensure communities in the NE quadrant are closely working together to disperse locally grown food and also showcase the need for access to fresh, healthy options. Each market will allot $50 in tokens (that can be either spent or combined at any of the three participating markets), for those in need, or through a “one time hardship application”, with priority given to minority group members and seniors over the age of 65.

“Grassroots efforts are the catalyst to change,” says S.A. Lawrence-Welch, manager of Cully Farmers Market (CFM) for the past two seasons. “Let’s advocate together for safe community spaces, push for access to fresh produce and other things people need. Let’s make sure the neighborhood is fed, taken care of and nurtured,” she adds with a smile.

Eligible food includes produce (root vegetables, greens, mushrooms, legumes, berries, fruits and some dried products like freeze dried unprocessed vegetables with no additives), meat (including fresh fish, canned fish with no additives \ seasonings or salt, eggs, beef, pork, chicken, and rabbit), and some additional products, such as honey.

CFM is “an Indigenous led and community-focused market”, funded by Native American Youth and Family Center (NAYA). Wapas Nah Neģe Shaku is the name of the NAYA garden that provides ten boxes of produce to CFM to distribute to community members each week .

“It’s scary to ask for help sometimes, but if you are met with a friendly face, it’s easier to receive that help. And when you’re safe you’re more able to make positive change and be a part of others’ lives,” Lawrence-Welch says. In addition to pahtl o’-pe-kwan, the Cully Token Program offers $20 to patrons who are receiving government assistance; a form is submitted for each request. The program started on May 24th and interested attendees can apply in person at the market.

“The community is everybody. All have unique experiences, but have the same goals, ” Lawrence-Welch expresses with heartfelt positivity. Look for more formal announcements and informational pamphlets once the project is closer to rollout in the coming season.

“Between Woodlawn, Rocky [Butte] and Cully we are going to make magic happen.”

More informationIf you currently qualify for any one of the following programs, you are eligible for farmers market subsidies. Visit the link below to learn more.

  • Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) / Oregon Trail
  • Double Up Food Bucks
  • Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)
  • Rental Assistance
  • Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
  • Temporary Assistance for Domestic Violence Survivors (TA-DVS)
  • Employment Related Day Care (ERDC)
  • Oregon Low-Income Dis- count Program (LID) • Oregon Lifeline • Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCVP)
  • Public Housing
  • Housing Stabilization Program (HSP)
  • Multnomah Stability Initiative (MSI)
  • Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)
  • Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
  • The Oregon Health Plan (OHP)
  • Medicaid
  • Children’s Health Insurance Program

cullyfarmersmarket.com/pahtl-ope-kwan
Open Thursdays June- August 4 – 8 pm and September 4 -7 pm

Joshua Lickteig is an artist and engineer. He was born near the other Milwaukee and has been in Portland since 2018. His latest book of poems is called Half Moon Day Sun.

Last Thursdays on Alberta return this month

Posted on June 19, 2022 by Web Manager Posted in CNA, Events, Local Businesses, Volunteer Opportunities
Kara Maymi takes care of business at Clary Sage Herbarium, 2901 Alberta St. Photo by Christopher Baker.

Thank you again to all the volunteers and for all of the support from our community during the Spring Egg Hunt. The winners of the egg hunt raffle were Donna Amrein, Katie Schaumleffle, Brian Jensen, Michael French, and Catherine Swanson.

Last Thursdays
June is a great month for social events, including the return of last Thursdays on Alberta Street. The plan is to celebrate on Alberta Street between NE 15th Ave. and NE 30th Ave. from 6-9 p.m. every last Thursday of the month. Make sure to mark your calendars and show up to support our local businesses and vendors.

Black United Fund will open up their lot (corner of Alberta St. & NE 29th Ave.) to host several tents supporting our BIPOC community. Alberta Art Works (NE 19th St & Alberta St) will also be hosting live performances, art and many more surprises.

Additionally, Blind Insect (corner of NE 29th Ave. & Alberta St., across the street from Black United Fund) will host “Barrio Parties” on Last Thursdays from June to September, with a different theme each month:

  • June: African Party
  • July: Argentinian Party
  • August: Brazilian Party
  • September: Cabaret theme

Several other businesses on Alberta are getting ready to celebrate Last Thursdays, among them:
Bonne Chance (corner of Alberta Street and NE 22nd Ave.) will be celebrating with an eclectic selection of music and adult beverages.
DB Desserts (Alberta St. between NE 26th & NE 27th Avenues) is offering specials on some of their sweet treats to celebrate.
Holy Beanz Coffee (next door to DB Desserts) will host their “After Sundown Spoken Word & Poetry” from 7-9 p.m.
JRJ Skillets (on Alberta St. between NE 25th & NE 26th Avenues) will offer “Aguas Frescas, Tamales, Elotes, Tacos & Nachos” for the whole family on its brand-new patio.

Free concerts
Also coming this summer, the Concordia Neighborhood Association will collaborate with the City of Portland to bring back “Summer at the Park” concerts. The first band, Son de Cuba, a Latin jazz/merengue/salsa group, performs from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Friday, July 15, at Alberta Park. Please stay tuned to next month’s column for more details.

Litter pick-up events
Moving on with neighborhood updates, the neighborhood litter pick-ups have been incredibly successful. Thanks to our many volunteers we have picked up more than 9,000 pounds of trash from Concordia’s streets. We still have work to do though, so please sign up for our next litter pick-up event from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, June 4, at Alberta Park. See Page 2 for more details. If you cannot make it to this one, we have future litter pick-ups scheduled on Aug. 6, Oct. 1 and Dec. 1.

Yard sales
A quick survey for residents: We have received several requests for different events. One of them is a coordinated “Neighborhood Yard Sale” where neighbors can set up their own yard sales. If you are interested in this event please email with the subject “Yard Sale.” Depending on the response we will plan to help coordinate.

Clary Sage
The Concordia Neighborhood Association would like to highlight Clary Sage Herbarium, 2901 Alberta St., which opened in 2011 and changed ownership in 2021. Kara Maymi is the entrepreneur currently behind the shop.

Maymi started her herbarium education as an intern at Clary Sage. Later, when an opportunity to join the management for Clary Sage materialized, the pandemic hit. Instead of letting the business close, Maymi decided to purchase the shop and continued following her passion for medicinal plants.

According to Maymi, her calling is the plant world. The shop has a large variety of medicinal plants, some sourced locally. Sharing knowledge of plants f rom scient if ic, spiritual and practical points of view with customers is a priority.

“We love to see how people express themselves through plants,” Maymi said. In addition to plants, Clary Sage offers house-made essential oils , candles, crystals, incense, body care and many other natural products. They are also proud of the quality of their teas and herbal extracts.

Originally from Puerto Rico, Maymi now considers herself a Portlander at heart, and said she finds Concordia to be her community. Community is one of the pillars of the Clary Sage approach. Plants, like people, live in diverse communities, she said. “When we engage with plants, we can learn how important community is and their relationships among themselves and even with humans.”

Volunteers needed
The social committee needs volunteers for all events. Please email social@ConcordiaPDX.org, or call/text Javier Puga-Phillips, chair of the social committee, at 323.573.1516. Finally, make sure to follow us on instagram @CNAPDX and use #SocialConcordiaPDX to get a shoutout.

Javier Puga-Phillips holds the At Large 4 position on the Concordia Neighborhood Association (CNA) Board of Directors, manages rentals of the McMenamins Kennedy School Community Room and chairs the CNA Social Committee. He is a real estate professional locally, and he is a published author and motivational speaker in Latin America and Spain.

Houseless campsites crisis comes to a head

Posted on June 15, 2022 by Web Manager Posted in CNA
Hamlet 33, at the intersection of NE 33rd Avenue and Dekum Street, currently comprises two independent but closely situated camps, camp A (top photo) and camp C (bottom photo). Camp B was evicted by the city  in April. Photos by Shawn Mihalik.

A number of Concordia residents are concerned about the status of a houseless campsite occupying the medians at the intersection of NE 33rd Avenue and Dekum Street. Initially three camps—A, B, and C— the site known locally as Hamlet 33 now comprises two independent but closely situated camps, after camp C was evicted by the city in April.

“I definitely empathize with the people who live there and are going through this wave of homelessness and drug addiction and the hard times we’re going through,” Concordia resident Matt Caldwell said. His post about the situation on the hyperlocal social network Nextdoor has received over 500 comments. Nevertheless, Caldwell and other Concordia residents have expressed concern about fires, ecological and sanitation issues, and alleged thefts connected to the camp. Caldwell said the camps have been connected to at least four incidents of theft and prowling and claims to have security footage connecting inhabitants of the camps to at least two auto breakins.

Neighbors have also expressed concern over the camps’ proximity to the highway and to Faubion school, which is just two blocks away. “My freshman daughter has to walk down 33rd and the now-closed ramp to Columbia Boulevard from school every day,” Concordia resident Meg Stansfield commented on Nextdoor. “This camp has been a big concern for us for a while now, and [I] wish it would be taken care of like the other camps … that have been removed.”

Neighbors have reported the site to Portland city officials 23 times since March of 2020, but aside from the eviction of camp B, they say their reports have gone unaddressed.

Meanwhile, the site has grown from a single tent in 2019 to around a dozen. “We’re seeing what happens when the government doesn’t do its job,” Caldwell said. His goals for the area include the cleaning and clearing of the remaining camps; the installation of “No Camping” signs, barriers, or rock gardens to prevent future camping; and the creation of volunteer patrols to protect the area after evictions. “I know how complex this is, but the more I think about it … to really do nothing and just let it be, that can’t be a solution,” he said.

In response to their neighbors’ concerns, residents of Hamlet 33 are asking for the neighborhood to work with the houseless community to avoid sweeps. Rebecca Lang, de facto leader of and spokesperson for camp A, where she has resided since April 2020, has been working to make improvements to the camp. She started a vegetable garden, which she hopes to use to bridge the gap with the neighborhood’s housed residents, hoping they will join her in tending the garden and share the produce. “I started gardening to show my thanks to the neighborhood for allowing us to have a camp here,” she said.

Additionally, Lang has overseen the installation of several improvements to the site’s limited infrastructure. “We have a dumpster through Republic Services’ dumpster rental program thanks to Clean Camp PDX,” a nonprofit whose goal is to provide regular garbage collection services to houseless camps. “Trash service is one of the integral parts of being able to maintain a camp that is sanitary,” Lang said. The site also has an ad hoc handwashing station, clean water for which is often provided by nearby Concordia neighbors.

Keri Morin Handaly, a resident of the Beaumont-Wilshire neighborhood, has been working to help Hamlet 33’s residents keep their camps clean and support their goal of connecting with the Concordia community. “We have about 20-plus volunteers who have availed themselves to support the camp,” Handaly said.

Camp C

The camp members are fully on board with talking to the community and creating guidelines for them to be able to stay there. “We really want the community to understand that [the camp residents are] not just refusing to leave,” Handaly said. “It’s not permanent. It’s compassion-based.” Lang urges her Concordia neighbors to consider the costs associated with evicting camps and pushing the houseless into shelters.

“The thought of sleeping in a room with a hundred people you don’t know is kind of scary,” she said. “Every homeless person has had happen or heard of terrible things that have happened around shelters. All shelters do is hide the face of homelessness for eight hours at night.”

Instead, Lang would like the community to work with Hamlet 33 so that its residents have a place to stay until the city’s Safe Rest Villages are established, even if it means moving the location of the camps.

“I’ve been open to us moving to a place that’s preferable,” she said. “It’d be an awesome thing if we could work with Concordia to open a campground. If you see people as people and not just homeless, they’ll want to do better. When you sweep people constantly, they have no connection to where they’re at. If you give them a place they can trust in, they want to do better.”

Portland Commissioner Dan Ryan, who is championing the Safe Rest Village program, describes SRVs on his website as “an improved point of entry for Portlanders on the continuum from living on the streets to finding stability in permanent housing … All Safe Rest Villages will include case management with wraparound behavioral and mental health services. They will not be unmanaged tent or vehicle camping as people are currently living in—they are a way to address that unsafe, unsanitary, and dehumanizing way of living.”

Ryan’s office currently has plans to establish 10 SRVs, with expansion in the future. The city’s first SRV, in the 2300 block of Southwest Naito Parkway, opened in May. Portlanders can learn more about Safe Rest Villages at www. portland.gov/ryan/safe-rest-villages.

“We’re people that ran into some problems,” Lang said of she and her fellow Hamlet 33 inhabitants. “But we don’t mean anyone harm. We’re just trying to live our life like everyone else, just trying to do it with love in our hearts.”

Shawn Mihalik is a novelist, photographer, martial artist, and the Concordia Neighborhood Association’s media team lead. Although he’s fairly new to Portland, he already loves it here.

Volunteers rescue and foster lost pet rabbits

Posted on April 9, 2022 by Web Manager Posted in CNA, Volunteer Opportunities
Concordian Brian Duval rescued Morgan from his neighbor’s yard. Usually, he just fosters lost,  domesticated rabbits for the Rabbit Advocacy organization – but this one he adopted.

By Mac Larsen | CNA Media Team

Take a walk down the grocery store aisle during this season. You see chocolate, marshmallow and stuffed rabbits, and the list goes on and on.

For many, spring brings bunnies to mind more often than any other time of year, unless you’re a volunteer for Rabbit Advocates. Then bunnies are a year-round concern.

Concordian Brian Duval is a volunteer with Rabbit Advocates and recently rescued a large white rabbit from his neighbor’s yard.

“I was in between fostering rabbits, so I took the offer to take this one in, and foster it for the time being,” Brian said. “He’s just hilarious, following me around everywhere, nipping at the bottom of my pants to pet him.

“You know, it takes a really long time for a rabbit to warm up to you. But this guy was like, ‘I’m ready for a friend.’ And I was like, ‘Me too,’ so we put in the adoption papers.”

Rabbit Advocates is an all-volunteer nonprofit founded in Portland 20 years ago. The mission is to help stray domesticated rabbits find new owners after they’ve been abandoned or otherwise left without permanent homes.

“There are domestic rabbits and wild rabbits, which are different animals. And these animals that we’re fostering and we’re rescuing are domesticated rabbits that are meant to be pets,” Brian said.

The most noticeable difference between pet rabbits and wild rabbits is size and color. A wild rabbit usually is small and solid brown. If a rabbit looks larger, has spots or is white, then the rabbit may be a lost pet.

Rabbit Advocates’ volunteers are trained to care properly for the rescued rabbits until permanent homes are found.

“In 2021, Rabbit Advocates rescued 160 new bunnies from perilous situations and found excellent adoptive homes for 148 bunnies with the help of 85 certified foster families in the Greater Portland Area,” cited the Rabbit Advocates year-end report.

According to Brian, Rabbit Advocates’ work is important because domesticated rabbits can’t defend themselves in the wild. “They don’t have the breeding to understand predators or survive.”

Rabbit Advocates educates the public about the differences between wild and pet rabbits, how to spot the differences and provides rescue and adoption resources for those who’ve found lost rabbits.

If you’re interested in adopting or fostering a bunny through Rabbit Advocates, visit RabbitAdvocates.org.

As for the rabbit Brian rescued from neighbor Peter’s yard, he named it Morgan. “I couldn’t name him Peter. That would be too obvious.”

Mac Larsen is a graduate student at the University of Oregon, pursuing a master’s degree in journalism. He grew up in Concordia neighborhood and can be found frequently on Alberta Street, complaining about all the construction.

CNA seeks qualified candidates for the Concordia News editor paid contractor position

Posted on January 20, 2022 by Web Manager Posted in CNA

Put your talents to work by joining the media team as editor for Concordia News. Provide a vital function for the monthly paper serving Concordia neighbors and businesses.

For a full description of the duties and requirements of this important contractor position, and how to apply visit: ConcordiaPDX.org/get-involved/CNews-editor-position. Questions? Please contact Peter Keller at Chair@ConcordiaPDX.org.

Neighbors pick up Concordia litter

Posted on December 3, 2021 by Web Manager Posted in CNA, Volunteer Opportunities
Neighbors are invited to tackle the litter in Concordia Saturday, Dec. 4. Volunteers in the October event teamed up to pick up an estimated 1,000 pounds of litter from the northeastern area of Concordia. Directly above are Gina Levine and Javier Puga-Phillips, planners of the Concordia Neighborhood Association event.

Saturday, Dec. 4, is the next Concordia Neighborhood Litter Pick Up. It’s from 9 a.m. to noon, beginning in Alberta Park at Ainsworth Street and 22nd Avenue. Sign up at SolveOregon.org or contact Concordian Gina Levine with questions. She’s at CNewsBusiness@ConcordiaPDX.org and 503.891.7178.

An estimated 1,000 pounds of trash were removed from the neighborhood in early October. That’s when 55 volunteers spent three hours picking up litter in the northeastern portion of Concordia. It was the first of what’s planned for regular events.

“We filled 60 trash bags and four truckloads of items that had been thrown away,” she said. “It felt so great on the way home to see our litter-free neighborhood.”

The pick-up events are sponsored by Concordia Neighborhood Association. Leaders are Gina and board member Javier Puga-Phillips. Their efforts are supported by SOLVE, the statewide organization working to restore and preserve the environment by mobilizing the power of volunteers.

SOLVE was founded in 1969 by Oregon Gov. Tom McCall to reduce and clean up litter and vandalism throughout the state. The first volunteer beach clean up in the nation was organized by SOLVE in 1984. Since then, the concept has spread across the U.S. and to more than 100 countries.

Fresh air and social distancing are part of the CNA litter pick-up efforts.

“Participating in a litter pick up is COVID-friendly,” Gina pointed out.

“A few hours every few months will make a huge difference in how the neighborhood looks and feels,” she added. “We really hope you can join us for the next event.”

Want to get rid of trash more often?The city of Portland offers support and information about cleaning up Concordia and other neighborhoods. Among the many resources listed there are:

  • Adopt One Block: featured in CNews
  • The city’s hotline to report overflowing local public trash cans: WasteInfo@portlandoregon.gov and 503.823.7202
  • A hotline to report abandoned shopping carts in your neighborhood: 888-55- CARTS.
  • SOLVE’s volunteer events statewide: SOLVEOregon.org

Steve Elder, elder. monaville@gmail.com, is an inactive lawyer, a developer, activist and old grouch

From the Board – Be the change you want to see in Portland

Posted on October 9, 2021 by Web Manager Posted in CNA 1 Comment

While it’s only October, it’s time to start thinking about the upcoming Concordia Neighborhood Association (CNA) board election, being held at our annual meeting on Nov. 3. I know that a lot of you consider volunteering for the CNA board or other community organizations. I understand this sentiment because I felt the same way for years.

With everything going on in Portland these days, many Portlanders complain that the city government is ineffectual and, like most of us, are pining for positive change.

We are all part of this city, and neighborhood associations are the grassroots level of city government. The CNA board represents 10,000+ Portlanders and, when we endorse issues or write letters, we are usually heard.

For example, this month we secured a meeting with the current owners of the Concordia University property, Lutheran Church Extension Fund, to lobby on behalf of the neighborhood. This resulted in some reassuring updates about the sale.

All of the members of our board volunteer their time because they want to be part of their community. Many of them have been on the board for years, and this continuity is really important in maintaining a nonprofit, all-volunteer board. That said, it’s great to get new volunteers who bring fresh energy and thinking.

At the moment, we are fully staffed. However, this could change in November if some current board members whose terms end in December decide not to run for re-election, and we don’t have new volunteers from the neighborhood to fill their board seats.

Just like any election, when a current board position is up for election/re-election, any qualified person can run for that seat regardless of whether the current board member is running for re-election.

So, if you’re interested in serving on the board, don’t be dissuaded because the position is currently filled. Put your hat in the ring, and may the best candidate win! That’s democracy.

In odd-numbered years like 2021, odd-numbered board seats are up for election. CNA board members serve two-year terms. The chair position, currently held by me, is only a one-year position so is up for election every year. So, by my count, that’s six board seats and one chair up for grabs.

Next month, I’ll provide an election primer. Meanwhile you can reach out directly to me with questions and/or check out our CNA bylaws to learn more: ConcordiaPDX.org/about-cna/bylaws.

Native Portlander Peter Keller has lived in Concordia since 1997. He runs a small marketing agency with partner Max, out of their home studio. He loves exploring outdoors with and without his dogs.

Concordia Art Works – Artist’s efforts pay tribute to his family, culture

Posted on October 8, 2021 by Maquette Reeverts Posted in Arts & Culture, CNA
William Hernandez applies the culture of his native Peru to his allegorical art. Photo by Maquette Reeverts

Trained as a painter at the Escuela Nacional de Bellas Artes (National School of Fine Arts) in Lima, Peru, William Hernandez worked as a fine artist and graphic designer there before settling in Portland in 2009 at the age of 32.

William is one of the organizers for the first Intercambio de Artistas Latinos (Latin American Artists Exchange), which aims to create a network of artists in the Northwest. He is also an exhibitor, artist-in-residence and instructor at Milagros Theatre, and he organizes painting classes for immigrant workers at VOZ Workers Rights Education Project here in Portland.

Starting with a blank canvas, the artist paints without an initial sketch which he feels places limits on his creativity. Using oils or acrylics in bright rich colors he allows the creative process to be spontaneous.

William’s allegorical art reflects his culture. He expresses the stories of his childhood memories, his life before coming to the U.S. and the realities of the people of Peru. The past becomes a metaphor and, by using humor and sadness in a playful and dreamlike way, he draws in the observer.

“I would say that in many of my pieces my two sons and wife are represented in some form,” he pointed out. “The concept of family is very important to me as a visual expression.”

During the pandemic, his studio is now a more shared space with kids’ toys in the corner and a set up for online classes in another carved-out space. Although several public art projects were put on hold, he has stayed busy painting commissioned work.

To find out more about William’s work, visit WilliamHernandezArt.com or stop by the Blind Insect Gallery at Alberta Street and 29th Avenue.

Michel Reeverts, aka Maquette, holds a master of arts degree in art education, serves Alberta Art Works as director and Alberta Street Gallery as a board member. She is also a practicing artist. Contact her at Maquette@AlbertaArtWorks.org

Concordia Art Works – Exhibit opens on date of Last Thursday

Posted on June 23, 2021 by Web Manager Posted in Arts & Culture, CNA, Local Businesses

By Maquette Reeverts | Alberta Art Works

Although crowds aren’t invited and street closures aren’t planned during continuing pandemic restrictions, Donna Guardino honors the Last Thursday tradition this month. The Guardino Gallery opens the “Toy Show” exhibit Thursday, June 24. Photo by Maquette Reeverts

The Guardino Gallery opened its doors in 1997 when many of the buildings on Alberta Street were boarded up and continued to suffer from years of disinvestment, demographic reshuffling and discriminatory lending by the city.

In the spring of that year a reporter labeled Alberta Street “the most killing street in Portland.” Donna and Sal Guardino had to get creative to attract people to patron their newly opened gallery.

Revitalization projects, dedicated locals and the start of Last Thursdays helped the business district begin a rebound. In the following five years, the number of businesses on the street doubled and Sal’s and Donna’s gallery found its stride.

Donna was a major force in the beginnings of Last Thursday that began the year they opened their doors.

This year the Guardino Gallery has added a fourth group show to the repertoire in hopes of lightening the mood after a difficult past year. The “Toy Show” will bring levity starting Last Thursday, June 24, and run until July 25.

It features 22 artists, many from northeast Portland and who express their own diverse interpretations on the theme.

“I love giving artists a theme and seeing what they come up with. You can expect surprises from artists,” Donna said with a smile.

There will not be a formal opening due to the pandemic, but the gallery is open daily except Mondays, and/or purchases can be made on GuardinoGallery.com.

Michel Reeverts, aka Maquette , holds a master of arts degree in art education, serves Alberta Art Works as director and Alberta Street Gallery as a board member. She is also a practicing artist. Contact her at Maquette@AlbertaArtWorks.org

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