Art Around: PDX Carpet, Public Art Murals and Ask-A-Curator

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Kemea Smith, GoLocalPDX Contributor

Carpet Diem

Carpet Diem! Photo Credit: Port of Portland

Portland is abuzz with all things art-related today: Portland International Airport, aka PDX, is honoring its beloved terminal carpet with a new exhibition, the Regional Arts & Culture Council is accepting applications for its Public Art Murals Program, and the Portland Art Museum is hosting #AskACurator Day.

Carpet Diem!

The Portland International Airport is honoring its iconic - and soon to be replaced - 25 year-old carpet with the art exhibit, Carpet Diem! The exhibition above the moving walkway on Concourse D, features artwork by local artist Nancy Wilkins.

The 11-foot by 16-foot collage made of the historical, 1980s retro-style turquoise and purple airport carpet includes trending Instagram photos of traveler’s feet and a Portland dog.

"What engages me mentally and intuitively - and what keeps me motivated - is the problem-solving exercise, the collaboration and dance of creating composition in relation to the physical qualities of the materials,” says Wilkins.

“She responded with creativity, innovation and just the right amount of humor, and accepted the invitation, frankly, because it was just too quirky to pass up,” says Greta Blalock, port art program administrator.

The PDX airport carpet will be replaced beginning January 2015.

For more information about the carpet at Portland International Aiprort, click here.

Art Murals

Artists seeking to pitch their ideas for new public art murals are in luck, because the Regional Arts & Culture Council (RACC) is now accepting applications for mural funding through its Public Art Murals Program. Applications are due the first Wednesday of every month through June 2015.

The Public Murals Program is funded by the city of Portland and managed by the RACC. The program offers as much $15,000 in matching funds for murals that are diverse in style and media. For more information on the guidelines and application process visit racc.org/public-art/mural-program, or contact Peggy Kendellen, public art manager, at (503) 823-4196 or [email protected].

A free workshop hosted by the RACC from 10 a.m.-noon Saturday, Nov. 8, will help artists understand the mural application process. The workshop will be at the Rosewood Initiative, 16126 SE Stark Street For more information and to RSVP, call Peggy Kendellen, public art manager, at (503) 823-4196 or [email protected].

#AskACurator Day

PAM

Photo Credit: "Portland Art Museum Mark Building - Oregon" by Aboutmovies at en.wikipedia - [Live Look]

The Portland Art Museum hosts #AskACurator Day at 11 a.m. Wednesday (today), Sept. 17. PAM curators and director Brian Ferriso answer questions posted on the museum’s Twitter feed.

The #AskACurator day with PAM kicks off at 11 a.m with Bonnie Laing-Malcolmson, curator of Northwest Art, and ends with Alexander Marr, Native American Art Fellow.

Portland Art Museum's #AskACurator Day takes place as part of an international event involving 500 museums around the world, including The Olympic Museum in Lausanne, Switzerland.

For PAM’s #AskACurator event schedule click here. For more information about #AskACurator Day click here.