Community Connector

[events, field trips, collaborations, tours & more]
Community Connector I love connecting people to other people (or places) in the community and make it easy by creating original events and tours connecting artists, experts, niche groups and profound places to audiences and participants, sometimes for fun, learning or service and even contributing to economic growth. This page lists 145 events I was able to be the community connecter, or the liaison, bringing the community together.
  1. Artist/Writer Events [4 events]
  2. City as a Museum [47 events, 2 other]
  3. Community Art & History [2 projects]
  4. Community Tours by Bike [43 events]
  5. Print & Publishing [26 events]
  6. Waste Not [16 events, 4 groups, 1 project]
  7. Weird Art & Collections [9 events, 2 other]

Hidden Gems Litter Walk

ArtCycle with Gary Sweeney

San Antonio for the Curious Field Trip

Hidden Portland Library

Franz Bakery Tour 

Oregon Sesquicentennial Ride

Hidden Portland Book Club with Darcelle XV

collective showcase events

Riches at Rimsky's, Rimsky-Korsakoffee House, Portland, OR [artist trunk sale, co-organizer]

  • December 4, 2005
  • November 26, 2006

Local Author Round Up: A Happy Hour Holiday Sale, The Waypost, Portland, OR [independent publishers/authors event, co-organizer, December 10, 2013]

SOUVENIR: A little Cully Niche, Portland, OR [artist-run holiday pop-up shop, co-organizer, Nov 29 - Dec 24, 2014]


exploring place through tours and exchange

Hidden Portland for the Curious [curiosity sharing online group (The group has grown to over 50,000 members by 2020, founded 2010]

Hidden Portland: Old Town/Chinatown Walking Tour & Reading, Portland, OR [reading from Hidden Portland: Museums & Collections book, multiple locations, organizer & reader, October 3, 2010]

Hidden Portland Library, Portland, OR [by appointment library with Portland books and archives, (the collection was donated to Portland State University Library in 2017), founder, 2012]

Hidden Portland: City Treasures Walking Tour, Portland, OR [artist-led tour, in collaboration with Know Your City, curator and tour guide, 2012-2013 seasons]

Hidden Portland Book Club, Portland, OR [monthly book club with local authors at unique Portland restaurants/cafés, a Hidden Portland Library event, organizer, 2013-2015]

      • Pieces of Portland with Marie Deatherage [McMenamins Barley Mill Pub, November 18, 2015]
      • PDXccentric with Aimee Wade [Skyline Tavern Project, October 21, 2015]
      • Portland Stairs Walks with Laura Foster [Rae's Lakeview Lounge, September 16, 2015]
      • City Limits: Walking Portland's Boundary with David Oates [The Deck floating restaurant, May 6, 2015]
      • Portland Noir with Kevin Sampsell (publisher) & Justin Hocking (author) [Mummy's Restaurant, April 1, 2015] 
      • Lathe of Heaven (author Ursula K Le Guin not present) [Alexis Restaurant, March 4, 2015]
      • Where the Roses Smell the Best (Roosevelt High School writing anthology) [PAUSE, February 4, 2015]
      • Up All Night with Martha Gies [The Waypost, January 7, 2015]
      • Powell's Rare Book Room Tour & Reading with JD Chandler & JB Fisher of Portland on the Take [Powell's Books, December 3, 2014]
      • Portland Potpourri: Art, Fountains, & Old Friends (author Eugene E. Snyder deceased) [Tabor Tavern, November 5, 2014]
      • Hidden History of Portland with JD Chandler [Huber's Café, Oct 1, 2014]  
      • Slabtown History Walking Tour with historian Mike Ryerson of Portland's Slabtown [McMenamins Tavern & Pool, July 9, 2014]
      • Cartopia: Portland's Food Cart Revolution with Kelly Rodgers [Belmont Food Cart Pod, June 4, 2014]
      • Counter Culture with Ronault l.s.(Polo) Catalani [Yeh Ha, May 7, 2014]
      • Three Centuries in Portland  with Carl Abbott [Palio Dessert & Espresso, April 9, 2014]
      • Portland Confidential: Sex, Crime, and Corruption in the Rose City (author Phil Stanford not present) [McMenamins Ringler's Annex: Al's Den, March 12, 2014]
      • Just Call Me Darcelle with Walter Cole aka Darcelle [Darcelle Showplace XV, February 10, 2014] 
      • Portland's Lost Waterfront with Barney Blalock [Dan & Louis Oyster Bar, January 6, 2014]
      • Portland in the 1960s: Stories from Counterculture with Polina Olsen [Lair Hill Bistro, December 4, 2013] 
      • Portland Red Guide discussion, Polina Olsen introduced her book Portland in the 1960s [Goose Hollow Inn, November 6, 2013]
      • First Book Club Meeting, Michael Munk author of Portland Red Guide met up with us [Red & Black Cafe, October 9, 2013]

Hidden Portland for the Curious Field Trips [outings for members of the online group, Hidden Portland for the Curious, organizer, 2013-2015]

      • Riverview Cemetery Walking Tour, Portland, OR [collaboration with John Doyle (history walking tour guide), lead organizer, October 11, 2015]
      • History of Albina Walking Tour, Portland, OR [collaboration with John Doyle (history walking tour guide), lead organizer, June 13, 2015]
      • Franz Bakery Tour, Portland, OR [field trip to local Icon/business, organizer, May 19, 2015]
      • 727 Airplane Home Tour, Hillsboro, OR [field trip to unusual home, Hillsboro, OR, July 5, 2014]
      • Game On!, Portland and Beaverton, OR [Guardian Games and the Interactive Museum of Games & Puzzlery (IMOGAP), December 28, 2013]
      • Peculiar Party at the Peculiarium, Portland, OR [drop-in party with games and fun, November 24, 2013]
      • Woodstock Mystery Hole, Portland, OR [field trip to local backyard art project/attraction, October 20, 2013]

San Antonio for the Curious, San Antonio, TX [curious field trip club, organizer and leader, 2016-2018]

      • Lost Cemetery: All Soulful field trip [October 21, 2018]
      • Birding with Georgina Schwartz [September 8, 2018]
      • Viva Hemisfair with John M. Sanchez, fair expert [April 8, 2018]
      • Roosevelt Library-Home tour: Art, Architecture, & History [March 10, 2018]
      • Bathtub Art Museum & Gift Exchange [December 17, 2017]
      • Robber Baron Cave under San Antonio [November 11, 2017]
      • SAMSAT (San Antonio Museum of Science & Technology) [October 26, 2017]
      • Wooden Nickel Museum & Factory [September 30, 2017]
      • San Pedro Park Pool with Hector Cardenas [June 21, 2017]
      • The Blue Hole Headwaters at Incarnate Word [May 20, 2017]
      • Cool Crest 1929 Mini Golf Course [April 15, 2017]
      • Behind the Alamo: Fire Station #1 [March 25, 2017] 
      • Queen of Accordion at the Briscoe Western Art Museum [February 21, 2017]
      • Tex Pop: The Myths & Mysteries of Robert Johnson in San Antonio [January 22, 2017]
      • Octa-Tetra Museum [December 11, 2016]
      • Barney Smith Toilet Seat Art Museum [November 6, 2016]

Walktober: Weird Art Walk, Portland, OR [weird art by foot, organizer and leader, October 11, 2012]


art & history projects in the community

CedarFest Youth & Family Area, Minneapolis, MN [neighborhood festival activity zone (added an ART TENT as a new feature of the area), lead organizer with five community groups, curator of art tent activities, August 21, 1994] 

Time Fragments, Minneapolis, MN [multi-group living history project, co-organizer and documenting photographer, spring 1995]


collaborations and tours in the community

Museums by Bike [bike rides to museums or collections on a theme, 2004-2013]

  • Hidden Histories, Portland, OR [March 10, 2013]
  • Then and Now: Portland/Oregon History [collaboration with Dan Haneckow, Café Unknown historian, December 22, 2012]
  • Getting Around: Transportation, Portland, OR [November 2012]
  • Treasures and Toys (Collections), Portland, OR [March 18, 2012]
  • Out of this World, Portland, OR [December 30, 2011]
  • Clackamas County Cruise, Portland and Clackamas, OR [collaboration with Urban Adventure League, October 17, 2010]
  • Fort Vancouver, Portland, OR and Vancouver, WA [August 21, 2010]
  • The Genesis Ride, Portland, OR [collaboration with Bike Temple, July 23, 2010]
  • Hidden Portland's Hollywood, Portland, OR [Pedalpalooza event, June 11, 2010] 
  • Food & Drink, Portland, OR [February, 6, 2010]
  • Newsworthy Museums, Portland, OR [January 10, 2010]
  • Extreme Collectors, Portland, OR [December 9, 2007]
  • Tour d' Architecture, Portland, OR [November 1, 2007]
  • Milwaukie's Best, Portland & Milwaukie, OR, [October 14, 2007]
  • Visit Vancouver, Portland and Vancouver, OR [Sept 8, 2007]
  • Explore Hillsboro, Portland and Hillsboro, OR [August 5, 2007]
  • Discovering Gresham, Portland and Gresham, OR [July 28, 2007]
  • City at Work, Portland, OR [Pedalpalooza event, June 15, 2007]
  • Book Arts, Portland, OR [May 26, 2007]
  • Skateboarding, Portland, OR [April 28, 2007]
  • The Collectors, Portland, OR [March 31, 2007]
  • Old & New, Portland, OR [February 17, 2007]
  • Off-Beat Art, Portland, OR [January 27, 2007]
  • Craft Beer, Portland, OR [December 12, 2006]
  • Trainspotting, Portland, OR [November 4, 2006]
  • Southeast Portland Collections, Portland, OR [October 21, 2006] 
  • Old Town History, Portland, OR [September 23, 2006]
  • Fame & Glamour, Portland, OR [Pedalpalooza event, June 23, 2006]
  • Interactive Museums, Portland, OR [Pedalpalooza event, June 6, 2006]
  • Museums & Collections Tour II, Portland, OR [Pedalpalooza event, June 24, 2005]
  • Museums & Collections Tour I, Portland, OR [Pedalpalooza event, June 17, 2005]

Oregon Sesquicentennial Ride (with Seski Sasquatch, Oregon 150 official mascot), Portland, OR [bike ride, Pedalpalooza festival, June 26, 2009]

Bike the Labyrinth, Portland, OR [bike ride, Pedalpalooza festival, collaboration with Portland State University Spiritual Life Center, June 14, 2010]

Bike Temple: Joy of Monogamous Sects Rides [monthly bike rides to a unique spiritual center or event, 2012]  

      • End of the World as we know it: Xhurch NTVTY 3.0, Portland, OR [December 21, 2012]  
      • Ride to Kirk Reeve's "Trumpet Man" Candlelight Memorial, Portland, OR [November 18, 2012]
      • Arm Chair Pilgrimage, Portland, OR [Talks: The Camino and Shikoku 88 pilgrimages, October 17, 2012]
      • Double feature! Eckankar Spiritual Center of Portland and Columbia Willamette Pagan Pride Day, Portland, OR [September 16, 2012] 
      • Ride to Mass in Verboort, Verboort, OR [August 19, 2012]
      • Field trip to Trinity: Woody Guthrie Tribute, Portland, OR [July 14, 2012]
      • Signify, Sanctify & Believe at Xhurch, Portland, OR [Los Angeles based group, May 20, 2012]

Lovejoy Columns & Tom Bike Ride, Portland, OR [bicycle tour and program, collaboration with The Hellenic-American Cultural Center & Museum (HACCM), Know Your City and James Harrison, organized and co-led with fellow fan, James Harrison, October 13, 2013]

ArtCycle San Antonio, TX [bicycle tour of public art with the artist, organizer, 2018-2019]

      • Artist: Diana Kersey, San Antonio, TX [May 19, 2019]
      • Artist: Gary Sweeney, San Antonio, TX [May 20, 2018]

events and projects for the paper and print people

Independent Publishing Resource Center (IPRC) Programs [Portland, OR, special tours/original events I curated and organized as the Programming Coordinator, 2007-2008]

Field Trips / Outings
  • Field Trip to Stumptown Printers, Portland, OR [tour of working print shop/business, November 9, 2008]
  • Zine Reading by Bike: Car-Free stories [bike ride, Pedalpalooza festival, June 19, 2008]
  • DIY in OLY, Olympia, WA [field trip to Olympia, WA visiting zine & publishing locations, April 26, 2008]
  • Creative Re-Use: Free Geek, Portland, OR [field trip to Free Geek, a community computer re-use resource, February 23, 2008]
  • 19th Century Operative Letterpress & Hand Bindery Museum, Salem, OR [fieldtrip to Salem, OR to a specialized home museum, November 3, 2007]
  • Letterpress by Bike, Portland, OR[Bike ride to local press, September 15, 2007]

Events / Art Openings [on location at IPRC, Portland, OR]
  • First Thursday Art Opening: Small Press [October 2, 2008]
  • First Thursday Art Opening: Camp by Justin "Scrappers" Morrison [July 3, 2008]
  • First Thursday Art Opening: Cycle Seen Poster Art [jury member, June 6, 2008]
  • Bake-Off: Birthday Cake [creative cake competition, April 3, 2008]
  • First Thursday Art Opening: Zines! Zines! Zines: 10th Anniversary of the IPRC [March 6, 2008]
  • Year of the Rat: Write-off [creative writing competition, February 7, 2008]
  • First Thursday Art Opening: The Young Alchemists by Ryan Jacob Smith [December 6, 2007]
  • Printer's Social [meet & network event, November 30, 2007]
  • First Thursday Art Opening: Mail Art [November 1, 2007]
  • Old-time Printing Open House [demos in the letterpress room, October 13, 2007]
  • First Thursday Art Opening: Philip Cheaney Letterpress Art [September 6, 2007]

Artist Talks[on location at IPRC, Portland, OR]
  • Working Artist Talk: Justin "Scrappers" Morrison: Stay Wild or Beginner's Luck, Junktown Artist [September 18, 2008]
  • Working Artist Talk: Briar Levit, Graphic Designer for own company and national magazine, Bitch [February 19, 2008]
  • Working Artist Talk: Jesse Reklaw & Dylan Williams, Comic illustrators and Publishers [February 4, 2008]
  • Working Artist Talk: Ryan Jacob Smith, Freelance illustrator [January 17, 2008]
  • Intro to Mail Art Talk with Leslie Waygren [November 1, 2007]

Letterpress Printers' Fair, Liberty Hall, Portland, OR [letterpress event with demos and a swap & sale, lead organizer, August 8, 2009]

Letterpress Day, Independent Publishing Resource Center, Portland, OR [letterpress printers swap & sale, demos and tour of IPRC's letterpress expanded print shop, co-organizer, August 18, 2012]  

PRINTDUSTRIAL, Portland, OR [open house of printing/presses in Central Eastside, lead organizer, November 9, 2013]

PRINTDUSTRIAL (3 day), Portland, OR [open house of printing/presses, sale & swap, lead organizer and bike tour guide, May 16-18, 2014]


community collaborations and advocacy for less waste

CLEAN UPS/EVENTS

Art Shows, Pittsburgh, PA

  • Featured Trash Artist, City of Pittsburgh Garbage Olympics, Velum Fermentation [September 21, 2024]
  • Leos & Small Works (All works made from litter), Yinz Coffee Bloomfield [August, 2024]

Shadyside Street Steward Events Pittsburgh, PA [co-organizer, 2022 - 2024]
  • Shadyside Kindness Walk [April 28, 2024]
  • Spring Un-Fling Earth Week Challenge [April 15-22, 2024]
  • Trashy Scavenger Hunt & Rock Painting Party [March 23, 2024]
  • Trash 'n Treat Litter Walk [ October 28, 2023]
  • Pittsburgh Garbage Olympics [Team Captain, September 23, 2023]
  • Trash Nab Social [May 5, 2023]
  • PittServes Volunteer Day in Shadyside [April 1, 2023]
  • The Grate-ful Dead Litter Walk [ October 29, 2022]
  • Pittsburgh Garbage Olympics [Team Captain, September 17, 2022]
  • Public Spaces, People Places with Allegheny CleanWays [August 31, 2022]
  • Neighborhood Gems Tidy Walk [July 20, 2022]

Trash Art Show & Trash Nab, San Antonio, TX [neighborhood clean-up and outdoor eco-art show at Eco Centro, organizer, April 18, 2021]

Waste Not San Antonio Clean ups, San Antonio, TX [co-organizer, 2018-2019]

  • Brackenridge Park [November 3, 2018]
  • Olmos Park [ January 6, 2019]

GROUPS

Shadyside Street Stewards, Pittsburgh, PA [Grass-roots neighborhood volunteer group focused on litter issues & adopting blocks in Shadyside, lead organizer, founded 2021, active 2021-2024]
Trash Nabbers Pittsburgh, based in Pittsburgh, PA [trash-talk & clean-up sharing online group, founded 2021]

Olmos Park Recycling Task Force, Olmos Park, TX [neighborhood liaison group with City of Olmos Park, 2019-2020]

Waste Not San Antonio, based in San Antonio, TX [advocacy group, founded 2018]

PROJECTS

Report Card Project, Pittsburgh, PA [Neighborhood project de-littering and grading properties in Shadyside, 2021-2024]
celebrating the quirky and the odd

Bathtub Art Museum, Portland, OR [2003-2016]

Community Events
  • Bathtub Art Fair, The Know [part of Alberta Street Fair, mini fair with sidewalk activities including games, photo boards, and bubble blowing, organizer, September 13, 2003]
  • Bathtub Art Show, The Know [art show (local artist show, international mail art display, film program), curator and organizer, August 28 - September 22, 2003]
  • 3rd Anniversary Bathtub Cake Bake-off [contest at bathtubmuseum.org, August, 28, 2006]
  • Keep Portland Weird Festival, Central Library [BAM without walls, October 20, 2007]
  • Bathtub Art Closing & Fundraiser, On Gallery [100 Friends of BAM, crowd fundraiser, September 5, 2009]
  • Tub Tuesday, Backyard Bathtub Art Museum [Summer 2010]
  • Bathtub Lady at Sunday Parkways [September 25, 2011]
  • BAM's 10th Anniversary, Cully Bathtub House [August 28, 2013]
  • First Thursdays, Bathtub Art Lounge [August 2015-February 2016]

Nicky Rose Tribute Spectacular, The Know/Retrospect/Alberta Street Businesses, Portland, OR [local artist show and program of events, co-organizer, 2004]

Friends of B.E.S. (Barney Edwin Smith of the Toilet Seat Art Museum), based in San Antonio, TX [artist fan group, founded 2017]