Chris Williams

“That’s public space. Nobody can use it.”

That was one Portland city official’s response when Mark Lakeman and his neighbors first began building unauthorized gathering places in their neighborhood in 1996.To Lakeman, an urban designer, this seemed like a fundamental misunderstanding of public space. Together with his neighbors, he formed the City Repair Project, a volunteer-run nonprofit that set out to change the way Portlanders think about the places where people come together.

In May ‘10, YES! Magazine shared a Q & A with May ‘14 CreativeMornings/Portland speaker Mark Lakeman about his City Repair Project, a Portland group that helps neighbors turn public spaces into gathering places.

A series of Portland neighborhood projects spearheaded by May ‘14 CreativeMornings/Portland speaker Mark Lakeman (seen on furthest right of first photo) and the City Repair Project, an organized group action that educates and inspires communities and individuals to creatively transform the places where they live.City Repair facilitates artistic and ecologically-oriented placemaking through projects that honor the interconnection of human communities and the natural world.All attached photos found on City Repair’s Flickr.

In May, CreativeMornings’ global theme was “Freedom”. The theme was sponsored by Shutterstock and  chosen by organizer Daria Belinskaya and the CreativeMornings/Bucharest team. The illustration is by Kelsey Dake The CreativeMornings/Portland speaker was Mark Lakeman, the co-founder of the non-profit placemaking organization The City Repair Project and principal of the community architecture and planning firm, Communitecture, Inc. Architecture & Planning.Enjoy Mark’s talk on our chapter page!

Find the power in your own body #cmpdx

— Melissa Jones (@rouxroamer)

April 11, 2014

Such an empowering talk this morning from @zoraphoenix at #cmpdx. I will get strength from just being myself, and from being okay with that.

— J Frank (@jfranknberry)

April 11, 2014

“Spreading the gossip of glitter” about a community that is giving back by empowering all types of people. Thanks @zoraphoenix ! #cmpdx

— Tracy Caretto (@tracycaretto)

April 11, 2014

What better way to start the day than coffee, donuts and sex? Great talk on burlesque & sexuality this morning @zoraphoenix @Portland_CM

— Mosey (@wemosey)

April 11, 2014

@Portland_CM Back at non-glittery day job, thinking of the incredibly kind & attentive audience today at #cmpdx - what a pleasure & honor!

— Zora Phoenix (@zoraphoenix)

April 11, 2014

In December ‘12, our April ‘14 CreativeMornings/Portland speaker, Zora Phoenix, was featured in PQ Monthly, a monthly print and daily online newspaper committed to representing LGBTQ communities in the Pacific Northwest.

Zora Phoenix is a force of nature. One of the city’s most visible performers, Phoenix — or Chris Stewart, as the performer is known by day — has earned the respect of Portland’s drag, burlesque, and philanthropy communities through years of tenacious advocacy, selfless engagement, and good old-fashioned fabulousness.

Back in April as part of the global CreativeMornings theme, “Sex" Portland gender illusionist Zora Phoenix spoke about the gospel of glitter: sex, gender, and the unique and similar expression of both.

Submit your favorite quote from Zora’s talk on our chapter page! And shout out to Jason de Parrie-Turner for shooting the video.

A handful of snaps from our April ‘14 “Sex” talk with gender illusionist Zora Phoenix. Shout out to our photographer Scott Larsen for his help and the The Oregon Public House for letting us sharing their space!You can find the rest of the photos on our Facebook and Flickr.

In April, CreativeMornings’ global theme was “Sex”. The theme was chosen by CreativeMornings/Toronto's organizer Kyle Baptista and his team, while the illustration is by Mike Perry.The CreativeMornings/Portland speaker was Zora Phoenix, a burlesque performer who has kept fans entranced and laughing in venues and events across the city and the nation for over a decade with her gender illusionist character’s live vocal performances, parody and comedy acts.Watch Zora’s talk here.

Holly Andres’ narrative-driven photography is an inspiration to those with an affinity for cinema, design. and storytelling. #cmpdx

— Stuart Coates (@StuartCoates)

March 14, 2014

9 siblings, Nancy Drew, Hitchcock and the complex journey of womanhood influence the moving #photography of Holly Andres @Portland_CM #cmpdx

— BridgeLab (@BridgeLabPNCA)

March 14, 2014

“I’ve never perceived the camera as an agent of truth.” -Holly Andres at #cmpdx pic.twitter.com/ZAhKIGE8DZ

— Needmore Designs (@needmore)

March 14, 2014

"I don’t know what I would be like if I wasn’t an artist… Probably NOT good!"!!!! #hollyandres #cmpdx http://t.co/ipTdXSXkmA

— Christine Taylor (@Happyplayground)

March 14, 2014

Vanitas, my all-time favorite art history term: nicely applied in Holly Andres’ photographs of the back seat of cars. #cmpdx

— Sarah Brice (@SarahBrice)

March 14, 2014

Brilliant creative process reminder: Go buy a quirky item. Make up a ridiculous back story. Make it real in your art. #cmpdx

— Julie Williams (@oregonintegrity)

March 14, 2014

Fun fact: Holly Andres taught my color photography class at PSU many years ago, and was influential in my creative education. #cmpdx

— Isaac B Watson (@ibwatson)

March 14, 2014

#cmpdx Narcissus’ Nemesis: A theme that resonates lucid paradoxes of an impending implicit risk of losing innocence. pic.twitter.com/HroVW4Q3aw

— J. Grab (@jrgrab)

March 14, 2014

Taking a single object and constructing a narrative around it!#cmpdx

— BDA (@BDAadvertising)

March 14, 2014

Funny, personal, and slightly horrifying (ack! the freezer!) talk about gender identity via photography at @portland_cm.

— Melissa Chavez (@capnleela)

March 14, 2014

"Art criticism is an art form of its own" loving Holly Andres this morning. Her work is wonderful. #cmpdx @portland_cm

— Honeysuckle Photo (@HoneyPhoto)

March 14, 2014

Be sure to see Holly’s talk on our CreativeMornings/Portland chapter page!

Funny, personal, and slightly horrifying (ack! the freezer!) talk about gender identity via photography at @portland_cm.

— Melissa Chavez (@capnleela) March 14, 2014

Learning frm Holly Andres about relinquishing control when you offer work up to public consumption. #photography @Portland_CM #cmpdx

— BridgeLab (@BridgeLabPNCA) March 14, 2014

Fun fact: Holly Andres taught my color photography class at PSU many years ago, and was influential in my creative education. #cmpdx

— Isaac B Watson (@ibwatson) March 14, 2014

Taking a single object and constructing a narrative around it!#cmpdx

— BDA (@BDAadvertising) March 14, 2014