Skip to main content

Bringing Portland Together

Colored Pencils celebrated the coming together of Portland’s diverse communities of all abilities at its June art and culture showcase, held at the OregonHistorical Society in downtown Portland.

The event was organized by the volunteer-driven Colored Pencils Arts and Culture Council, which has been putting together art and culture exhibitions since 2009. The mission of the Colored Pencils Art and Culture Council is to uphold the dignity of all people by creating an artistically and culturally rich environment where everyone feels safe to express their uniqueness.  

Colored Pencils partnered with the World Affairs Council and the Disability Arts and Culture Project (DACP), along with venue host Oregon Historical Society. About 200 people attended the event, which celebrated the rich artistic legacy of Portland’s indigenous and newcomer communities – and their contributions to the bold tapestry of our beloved Rose City.

The evening featured a number of notable performances, including that of storyteller Ed Edmo (Shoshone-Bannock tribe). Sir Edmo shared creation stories of Northwest tribal people. Portland poet Emily Newberry read from her latest works. 



DACP’s youth dance troupe – known as the Inclusive Art Vibe Dance Company – incorporated bodies and ways of moving to stretch the audience’s view of dance and the possibilities of an inclusive society. Inclusive Art Vibe is led by Kathy Coleman, Artistic Director.


Singer and songwriter Edna Vazquez wowed the audience with her soulful voice accompanied by a Spanish guitar and violin. Have a listen at one of the songs she performed at Colored Pencils.



The next Colored Pencils Art and Culture Night will begin at 5:30pm on Friday, August 31 at Director Park. The lineup of performers and visual artists will be posted on the CP website. "Like" Colored Pencils on FaceBook to get regular updates about events  


Popular posts from this blog

Lucky Tomorrow: Stories

Deborah Jiang-Stein's debut collection of short stories explores the lives of people who are often overlooked. From flower street vendors to families torn apart by ambition, to a woman on death row awaiting redemption amidst a tumult of memories, Jiang-Stein vividly depicts their struggles. Each story is set in various cities where she has lived: Seattle, Minneapolis, and Tokyo. While these settings differ, they share a common indifference toward human suffering. In "Lucky Tomorrow, " each vignette offers a glimpse into harsh realities that are often difficult to confront, yet are grounded in the lived experiences of those frequently unseen and cast aside. The stories convey powerful themes of longing and fleeting hopes for fresh starts that may never arrive. Although the themes are specific to the characters, they resonate with the universal human experience. As an activist and advocate, Jiang-Stein has made a significant impact through her extensive work with women...
Read more

Medicine Wheel for the Planet

Jennifer Grenz, PhD       Working toward ecological healing requires awareness of how Indigenous ancestral knowledge and living ways can complement Western scientific approaches to environmental restoration and protection practices. Dr. Jennifer Grenz (Nlaxa’pamux mixed ancestry) worked for more than two decades as a field researcher and practitioner for environmental nonprofit organizations, where she worked with different levels of government, including First Nations in Canada. "Medicine Wheel for the Planet" compiles Grenz’s most potent realizations about the lack of forward movement in addressing an impending ecological catastrophe.  A warming climate impacts not only human lives but also the natural balance that relies on reciprocal relationships rooted in deep connections to the land. She uses the metaphor of the four directions of the Indigenous “medicine wheel” to invite openness to Indigenous teachings, letting go of colonial narratives, merging lessons f...
Read more

Memento - Embracing the Darkness

Dennis "Dizzy" Doan Stories about overcoming and persevering through family dysfunction, poverty, and mental health challenges offer hope and the promise of better days. Dennis “Dizzy” Doan’s memoir Memento: Embracing the Darkness is one such story, with the added complexity of being raised in an immigrant Vietnamese family. Doan’s parents dealt with the mental and emotional aftermath of war, which forcibly uprooted them from their homeland. In the United States, they struggled to create a safe and stable life for their two sons. Doan shares his journey of finding himself, his craft, and eventually a successful tattoo business in Southern California despite personal strife and run-ins with the law. Doan is best known for developing the aesthetic language to combat anti-Asian hate that erupted during the COVID-19 pandemic. His art series titled “Model Minority” went viral, sparking conversation about Asian American identities and harmful stereotypes. In Memento, Doan showcase...
Read more