Portland Design History

Thanks to all who came out last night to the Underground Press Publication Fair + Talk. For those who didn't get to attend the talk, and wanted to, here is a recording thanks to PNCA Design

Underground Press: Portland’s Counterculture Publications of the 70s & 80s The event features a vibrant talk about the design, people, technologies and cultural forces that powered these independent publications of the 70s and 80s b...

It is almost time for Underground Press! 🗞️For years I have been working with over a dozen designers, illustrators, writers and publishers from Portland’s 70s & 80s counterculture to listen and record their stories and digitize their work. Thursday’s event is the culmination of that research, when we dust off the decades and let these independent publications shine! There will tunes by .slouch, beer thanks to and wine by ♥️♥️♥️

Our Publication Fair will be free and open to the public from 5-8 on Thursday at the Lemelson Studio (far down the main hallway) at PNCA. My talk is sold out, BUT we may be able to sell a few extra tickets at the door, so check in at the registration table at 5:45pm if you’re interested in attending.

✨ BONUS✨ Say hi to Bobby Smith trust and learn about his community music archive. High five Michael Ellsworth, check out his .designlibrary project and 👀 his West Coast counterculture collection.

Underground Press is an event hosted by Melissa Delzio/Portland Design History and as a part of Design Month.

Thank you to sponsors , Lazy Days Brewing & Cameron Winery.

REGISTER:

Underground Press: Portland’s Counterculture Publications of the 70s & 80s Exploring the design, people, technologies and cultural forces that powered Portland's counterculture with hands-on access to the work!

📺Tune in to CreativeMornings Portland tomorrow at 8:30am ☕️on Zoom to hear from Rupert Kinnard in conversation with Melissa Delzio as a part of a CM + Portland Design History collaboration. ✨
https://creativemornings.com/.../cartoonist-designer...
Rupert is one of the featured designers at www.portlanddesignhistory.com and was interviewed last year by a PSU student as part of Melissa's class. Our favorite facts about Rupert are:

✅He had an early interest in comics and designed black superheroes based on real life figures like Mohammad Ali and Joe Lewis. These early explorations became the “Brown Bomber” comic strip. He used this platform to create characters that fought racism, homophobia and bigotry.

✅He was editor of his high school yearbook.

✅Rupert moved to Portland in 1979 and started as a freelance designer. He worked as an Art Director for Willamette Week and for early LGBTQ+ rights organizations such as the Portland Town Council, The Northwest Foundation, and the groundbreaking publication “Just Out”.

✅He was and is a leading figure in the q***r community and gay rights movement.

Richard Wiley described art and illustration as both his purpose in life and his tormentor; his paycheck and one of the “…greatest ways in the world to make a fool of yourself.” Who can relate? Read my article about Portland’s most prolific and pioneering illustrator : https://www.portlanddesignhistory.com/post/richard-h-wiley

Shown here:

1. Wiley's billboard illustration for Olympia beer, 1956.

2. “Don't Be a Blaboteur” Poster, a word he invented, 1942.

3. Cartoon for High School publication, 1936.

4. Illustration for White Stag ad, 1967.

5. Illustration for Oregon Highway Department Ad, 1970s.

6. Book cover for children’s book series: Sally, Dick and Jane readers, 1965.

7. Portrait painting of Warm Springs Tribe Chief Raymon Johnson, 1976.

8. Process sketch for children’s book series: Sally, Dick and Jane readers, 1965.

9. Portrait painting of fellow artist and friend, Bennet Norrbo, date unknown.

10. The artist in his studio, 1980.

Huge thank you to the family of Richard Wiley for sharing their family archive and their dad’s story.

👋 🤓Design history nerds! I have received a giant stack of original documents, letters between several prominent graphic designers of the era, and I need some help transcribing important portions. If you would like to volunteer to help in this effort, I’m organizing a work group to meet up this Saturday at 1pm at the North Portland Library. I can show you some of the amazing items I have found so far like the above: photo of Doug Lynch, WPA artist, teacher and designer of the Portland flag, and this old Blitz-Weinhard beer packaging designed by Jack Myers and the team of all-star freelancers at Studio 1030. Shoot me an email to let me know you can join! [email protected] 💕

Now nearly 90 years old, Portlander Ellen McFadden—a longtime freelance graphic designer and art/design instructor—shifted to painting just 7 years ago. It was an honor to hear her tell her story at Argyle Winery with Kristin Rogers Brown and Ampersand Gallery & Fine Books. Catch her bold, colorful work at Argyle or at the Wieden + Kennedy gallery in September. ❤️