RECOGNIZING THE WORKING ARTISTs OF THE CENTRAL EASTSIDE AND BEYOND
Portland, OREGON
Support Working Artists, by ERAS and Never Satisfied.
Portland’s Central Eastside Industrial District has a mural championing working artists near and far. Known as a creative hub, the Central Eastside plays host to Portland’s hard-working visual artists, makers, musicians, photographers, craftspeople, chefs and more. Amidst the challenges that face Portland today, artists remind us of the beauty and passion that continue to make this city a great place to live.
For many years, Portland Street Art Alliance (PSAA) has wanted to celebrate the artists that make the Central Eastside such a vibrant and exciting place to be. In 2023, PSAA secured a grant from Travel Portland to create a massive mural honoring this creative spirit.
The new mural’s message “Support Working Artists” declaratively states our collective support and commitment to the artists and artisans who strive daily to bring beauty to our shared built environment.
Art is part of the foundation of what makes a city livable. Artists, and their work, are a crucial piece of a livable city. More than illustrating a background to our lives, art engages us and ties us to places throughout the city. Artists are central to Portland’s identity and a major factor in what makes the Central Eastside, and Portland as a whole, so distinct.
Located on the Pitman Building, between SE Clay and Market Streets off of MLK, the mural’s prominent location helps spread the message near and far, while welcoming people to the creative hub that is the Central Eastside.
Artists Never Satisfied and ERAS working over the Fourth of July weekend.
FUTURE OF A LIVABLE PORTLAND BY INVESTING IN ARTISTS
Lately there has been much conversation about re-investment in Portland with an emphasis on livability. We believe strongly that direct investment in artists and artisans is essential for the future growth and sustainability of Portland.
As the city emerges from the pandemic, there is a lot of talk about how to ‘bring back Portland.’ Artists are already doing this. They are on the street, every day, working to bring inspiration to the rest of us. PSAA wants to support these working artists as they strive to enliven the places that mean so much to all of us.
Investing in artists and providing opportunities for them to express themselves and these experiences will help create more dialogue and compassion with different parts of our community. Investing in artists and providing opportunities for them to create, promotes dialogue and interaction with people across the city.
Artists, makers, and creators are making a difference, investing their time into community building, and figuring out solutions. In supporting artists, we support the wider web of creative communities.
We hope this mural can act as a call to action to support artists and change makers of all kinds.
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
Artist ERAS
Artist Never Satisfied
Working in the hot July sun, artists ERAS (@404era) and Never Satisfied (@dis_satisifed) transformed this 3,000 sq. ft. wall into a statement piece that cannot be missed. Seattle artist ERAS took the lead on design; working his spray can magic to create a photo-realistic hand holding a Montana Gold spray paint can. Artist Never Satisfied, world-renowned for his luscious, drippy script, provided the perfect lettering for the message. This dream team has worked together on various projects for the past two decades all around the world and are longtime friends.
Artist ERAS working his spray can magic.
Pacific Northwest artist ERAS was raised in Atlanta, Georgia and Toronto, Canada. Recently he has been on the road creating murals across the US, but considers Seattle his home base. With over two decades of painting experience ERAS’ skills are highly sought after. His roots in graffiti allowed him room to hone his spray skills – making ERAS an adept hyper-realistic aerosol artist. ERAS has parlayed those skills into a 20-year long career as a professional working artist that has led him to create works across the globe. ERAS is Filipino-Chinese American and is currently serving as a Cultural Ambassador for the United States, with assignments in Europe planned for the rest of 2023.
Artist Never Satisfied creating artful drips.
Muralist and Designer Never Satisfied was raised in Atlanta, Georgia, but now operates as a global artist and avid hiker of rough terrains. For the past decade, Never Satisfied’s homebase has been Brooklyn, New York, in the heart of Bushwick’s creative arts district. His lettering skills and illustration are highly sought after by clients worldwide.
A SPACE FOR ALL TO SHARE AND THRIVE
Along with supporting artists, the new mural also aims to support the district itself by highlighting and acknowledging the Central Eastside’s long history as a hub for artists and makers. Our goal is to help preserve this special space for generations to come. The Support Working Artists mural serves both as a beacon, and a ‘thank you’ to the residents and tourists who admire their works, purchase their goods, and participate in the visual, musical, cultural, and culinary experiences that make the Central Eastside the cultural incubator it is today.
Support Working Artists mural along with two other PSAA-supported murals.
Development and progress in the city does not have to come at the expense of art and artists. Rather, artists provide an anchor that connects the past, present and future of the city. PSAA believes this role of the artist needs to be recognized and prioritized. As Portland experiences accelerated redevelopment and demographic changes, there is an increased urgency for maintaining access to spaces that welcome artists to work, grow, and thrive.
Street art has long been an important and visible part of the Central Eastside, contributing to its innovative and distinct character. Street art enriches everyday life, helps to build a city's identity, and fosters a sense of place and pride in our community.
Art brings attention to community voices, especially ones that aren’t always heard. Street artists and muralists are intimately connected to the everyday challenges we all see on the city’s streets. They are already working to improve our day-to-day experiences of city life.
Artist Never Satisfied’s masterfully crafted hand-painted lettering.
The Central Eastside Mural District is quickly becoming a world-class public art destination thanks to artists, business partners, and grant funders. Portland’s public art makes our city unique, identifiable, and different from other places. These initiatives not only get financial support into the hands of working artists, but also provide inspiration and hope to our communities.
With this mural, PSAA also aims to honor the industrial district's unique history as a maker and innovation hub and help preserve space for creative and cultural production in a quickly changing area. PSAA works to support the artists that are already central to the district and to ensure that they continue to contribute to the growth and future of the city.
A WORLD-CLASS PUBLIC ART DESTINATION
Drone Footage by Never Satisfied
The Central Eastside Industrial District has become a must-see street art location thanks to artists, non-profits, business partners, and grant funders. In 2020, PSAA was awarded a grant from the Oregon Community Foundation that helped fund the Viaduct Arts Initiative.
This grant helped PSAA ‘seed’ the Central Eastside Mural District with eight foundational murals, including a massive 12,000 sq. ft. mural at 211 SE Yamhill St. that honors the nautical and working-class history of the Central Eastside. Since then, Portland’s new Mural District has blossomed to include dozens more murals and graffiti productions painted by PSAA, other organizations, and artist-led crews.
To recognize and support these working artists, the Central Eastside Industrial Council will be curating a site that will provide a listing of Central Eastside murals, makers studios, art galleries, and more. Artists can apply to this directory by scanning the QR code at the base of the mural or going to the following link. Once the initial list is complete, visitors who scan the QR Code on the new Support Working Artists mural will find an online database of places in the Central Eastside where they can buy, see, or support our local working artists. Inclusion is free.
QUOTES
“There is so much conversation about re-investment in the city and the future of Portland. PSAA believes the important role of artists in this process needs to be recognized and prioritized. Supporting artists not only involves providing opportunities and elevating voices, but also paying artists livable wages. We hope this mural can act as a call to action, to support artists and change makers of all kinds.” – Tiffany Conklin, Executive Director at Portland Street Art Alliance
Artist ERAS working on the fine details. Photo by Never Satisfied.
“Travel Portland is excited to support Portland Street Art Alliance with a Visitor Experience Enhancement Grant to complete this mural that celebrates working artists in Portland. These grants are designed to fund projects that enhance the visitor experience in Portland in alignment with Travel Portland’s strategic priorities and build on the region’s unique strengths, contributing to establishing the region as a preferred destination for leisure travel, meetings and conventions. Portland Street Art Alliance has done excellent work to place Portland on the global map as a destination for arts and culture.” – Jennifer Parks, Senior Community Engagement Manager at Travel Portland
The Central Eastside Industrial Council is proud to collaborate with Portland Street Art Alliance to create a more vibrant district through public art murals. We know the profound and positive impacts public art can have on our local creative and business economies, and we are delighted to debut and host a complimentary “support local artist” directory highlighting locations to buy, see, or support Central Eastside’s local working artists.
Longstanding and collaborative efforts between the CEIC and PSAA have resulted in robust mural development and preservation efforts – including a recent investment to restore six established murals, ensuring that these community assets can be enjoyed for years to come.” – Carolyne Holcomb, Executive Director, Central Eastside Industrial Council (CEIC)
The artist’s medium of choice, Montana Gold spray paint.
“Putting Montana Cans into the hands of different working artists helps solidify what these cans can do, demonstrate their quality, as well as helping us increase brand awareness and exposure to new people. Not only does this help us create relationships between these artists, but it also sends a positive message to the rest of the community that Montana Cans is helping small businesses with sponsorship support.” – Devin Finley, Graffiti Channel Representative, Montana Cans
ADDITIONAL PHOTOS
PROJECT SPONSORS & PARTNERS
Photography: Event Photos by Tiffany Conklin. Studio Photos by Mario Gallucci, courtesy of ACLO.