Home to self-starters, passionate dreamers and perhaps more importantly, eager do-ers, Portland is a city with inspiration at every corner.
The land where crafters turn hobbies into full-fledged business ventures; where makers markets mark the calendar multiple times a month; and plenty of diverse hands-on experiences that make the perfect vacation for creative-type who are looking to explore the arts in every way imaginable.
Create alongside local makers or get a glimpse of them in action in their studio and retail spaces. Visit our robust craft maker market scene year-round (from the largest continuously operated outdoor market in the U.S.; My People’s Market bringing together talented BIPOC artists and entrepreneurs from around the city; to buzzy Portland Night Market and its themed nights).
Below is just a sampling of the art experiences that can be had in Portland. The City of Roses hopes to see you soon.
Hands-on Maker Workshops:
- Mister OK’s Essentials: Book the Candle Making Experience and mix curated scents paired with 100% soy wax and a safe-to-burn wooden wick.
- Anna Joyce: Take a sweatshirt dyeing class with Anna, a Portland-based artist.
- ADX (Art Design Xchange): Be a part of the local maker movement and build your own Portland souvenir at ADX, the city’s premiere makerspace. Schedule a full or half day of workshops for your group of 5-10.
- Wildcraft: Take a textiles, native art and nature-based workshop in-studio, (they are opening a new studio soon on Mississippi Avenue) – or purchase a newly launched takeaway kit for mushroom foraging, textile marbling or punch needle tufting on your own.
- Klum House: Join this local maker workshop focusing on bags of all sizes: dopp kits, wallets, tote bags, backpacks. They host in person workshops where you purchase a kit of your choosing and walk out with a fully made item.
- Steelport Knife: Join a workshop or demo these carbon steel kitchen knives and tools with co-founder and Bladesmith, Eytan Zias.
- DIY Bar: Book this ‘craft workshop meets bar’ space for team activities, join one of their ongoing monthly events, or even have their kits to make wallets, koozies, planters, and other items delivered right to your door.
Immersive Experiences:
- Hopscotch: Explore experiential and interactive installations created by a diverse mix of over 40 local, national and international artists. This immersive activity features uniquely curated art, light and sound experiences to elicit a sense of joy and wonder, and exploration beyond day-to-day reality.
- The Haven PDX: A living, breathing gallery, The Haven is a space designed for a collective of painters, musicians, tech artists, teachers, healers, psychedelic therapists, podcasters, tea artists, and more. Come in to say hi and find out what secrets lie in the corridors.
Shopping Artisan Crafts:
- Orox: Following in the footsteps of the proprietor’s great-grandfather, all Orox Leather creations are made by hand by a practiced craftsman. Their products are made with domestically sourced leather and sustainable (often even recycled) trappings.
- Betsy & Iya: Jewelry shop & studio that carries its own signature brand of metalwork: hand-pounded pieces twisted into cool geometric shapes. Their runway-ready collection of etched and oxidized cuffs is inspired by two of Portland’s most iconic bridges (St. Johns and Fremont).
- Alison Jean Nicole: Allison is a jewelry maker focused on rocks and minerals, pulling from her background in geology. Her goods are sold online and at different shops in Portland, and she does guided rockhounding trips in the Oregon desert, blending education and her craft or jewelry making.
- Kiriko: This local studio and shop features a selection of carefully curated Japanese textiles crafted into a line of handmade clothing, accessories and housewares.
- Xochi Fine Art: Purchase original art from a local artist – Xochi strives to keep her prices low to make her work more accessible and her work can be found at most makers markets around town.
- Dehen 1920: Family-owned and operated for more than 100 years.
