Your brand is your vibe. At least according to Leo duo Eden Dawn & Ashod Simonian. They embrace being yourself fully, so that your vibe really shines through.

Frequent collaborators with complementary yet unique styles, Eden and Ashod show us how by defining their styles, they find brand and creative projects they can vibe with. The multi-hyphenate team shares their Oregonian pride, playful beginnings, and how they shine by bringing their true, full selves into their creative work.

You can watch the video of their talk on CreativeMornings.com. It was given at CreativeMornings/Portland, a free monthly community event.

More about Eden & Ashod:
Together they created and co-wrote the Book of Dates series for Sasquatch Penguin Random House, which includes The Portland Book of Dates, The Seattle Book of Dates, and others soon to be announced.

Eden Dawn is a Guinness World Record holder, an award-winning journalist, a PNBA bestselling author, a veteran stylist for bands and fashion editorials, and a sequin-wearing lady with a microphone. She’s a mainstay of the Portland culture scene often spotted interviewing authors or celebrities onstage at live events, performing at a storytelling show, or chatting through television segments. Additionally, she is the curator and host of the quarterly Fashion in Film series at the historic Hollywood Theatre.

Ashod Simonian is an award-winning commercial director, the co-founder and creative director of niche perfume brand Imaginary Authors, and author of Real Fun, a book of photography and stories documenting his decade spent touring the world in various indie rock bands.

Creation of this podcast wouldn't have been possible without the support of:
- A 2024 grant from the Regional Arts and Culture Council
- Annual event support from local partner Wacom
- Production by Johnny Subia and Weird Wonderful
- The 2024 event volunteer team: Kaitlin Carpenter, Chamisa Kellogg, Charli Beck, Christopher Diego, Ivan Lima, Joan Stewart, Kaveer Rai, Laura Mark, Laura Nickelhoff, Lucy Nobles, Sarah Nordby, Sumeet Singh, Tyler Nordby and Vinnie Balistreri

If anyone is bringing SEXY back to poetry, it’s Eric Tran. He knows all about the Ins & Outs of poetry & sex and aims to fully take advantage of their multiple meanings.

In a talk that just needs to be experienced, Eric leads us through poems from incredibly talented (and, as Eric says, sexy) contemporary poets: Sam Sax, Benjamin Garcia, Danez Smith, Jacques J Rancourt, and Kyle Carrero Lopez. His exploration of how entendre differs from euphemism will open up how you think about meaning making, intention, and the power of thoughtful language.

You can watch the video of the interview on CreativeMornings.com. It was given at CreativeMornings/Portland, a free monthly community event.

More about Eric Tran:
Eric Tran is a queer Vietnamese writer and the author of Mouth, Sugar, and Smoke, which won the Oregon Book Award and was a finalist for the Thom Gunn Award for Gay Poetry and The Gutter Spread Guide to Prayer. His poetry has been featured on NPR’s All Things Considered, Poetry Daily, and Verse Daily. He is a psychiatrist in Portland, Oregon, where he co-organizes PDX Queer Asian Social Meetup. He completed his fellowship in Addiction Psychiatry at OHSU, his residency at the Mountain Area Health Education Center, graduated from the UNC School of Medicine, and holds an MFA from UNC Wilmington. 

Creation of this podcast wouldn't have been possible without the support of:
- A 2024 grant from the Regional Arts and Culture Council
- Annual event support from local partner Wacom
- Production by Johnny Subia and Weird Wonderful
- The 2024 event volunteer team: Kaitlin Carpenter, Chamisa Kellogg, Charli Beck, Christopher Diego, Ivan Lima, Joan Stewart, Kaveer Rai, Laura Mark, Laura Nickelhoff, Lucy Nobles, Sarah Nordby, Sumeet Singh, Tyler Nordby and Vinnie Balistreri

How do you break through in the comic book world and start your days with cereal and watching cartoons? Ask Terry Blas.

Terry shares his origin story in an interview with CMPDX team member Joan Stewart, reflecting on how he explored and defined his relationship to being queer, mixed race, and growing up in a religious family. He's learned a lot along the way, shaping his fulfilling career with comics writing and illustration in a way that embraces the multiplicity of his identities.

You can watch the video of the interview on CreativeMornings.com. It was given at CreativeMornings/Portland, a free monthly community event.

More about Terry Blas:
TERRY BLAS (he/him) is the illustrator and writer behind the viral webcomics You Say Latino and You Say Latinx. He has written comics for Ariana Grande and the series Steven Universe, and Rick and Morty. His original graphic novels are Dead Weight: Murder at Camp Bloom, Hotel Dare, and Lifetime Passes. He is the writer for the Mexican, Marvel comics, super hero series, Reptil. He lives in Portland, Oregon with his husband and their dog, Alfie.

Creation of this podcast wouldn't have been possible without the support of:
- A 2024 grant from the Regional Arts and Culture Council
- Annual event support from local partner Wacom
- Production by Johnny Subia and Weird Wonderful
- The 2024 event volunteer team: Kaitlin Carpenter, Chamisa Kellogg, Charli Beck, Christopher Diego, Ivan Lima, Joan Stewart, Kaveer Rai, Laura Mark, Laura Nickelhoff, Lucy Nobles, Sarah Nordby, Sumeet Singh, Tyler Nordby and Vinnie Balistreri

Chelsea Bieker and Kimberly King Parsons will convince you to trust yourself and your creative vision.

Talented authors and friends Chelsea and Kimberly want you to crack open your creative process and tune into something deeper and more sustaining. They share what they’ve each learned about honing your craft, quieting the noise, and being comfortable with the difficult parts of creating. Watch this talk if you are ready for actionable advice and an empowering pep talk from two writing powerhouses!

You can watch the video of their talk on CreativeMornings.com. It was given at CreativeMornings/Portland, a free monthly community event.

More about Chelsea & Kimberly:
Chelsea Bieker is the author of the debut novel GODSHOT which was longlisted for the Center For Fiction’s First Novel Prize, named a Barnes and Noble Pick of the Month, and was a national indie bestseller. Her story collection, HEARTBROKE won the California Book Award and was a New York Times “Best California Book of 2022” and an NPR Best Book of the Year. Her writing has appeared in The Paris Review, Granta, The Cut, Wall Street Journal, McSweeney’s, and others. She is the recipient of a Rona Jaffe Writers’ Award, as well as residencies from MacDowell and Tin House. Raised in Hawai’i and California, she now lives in Portland, Oregon with her husband and two children. Her newest novel, MADWOMAN is forthcoming from Little, Brown on September 3rd, 2024 and from Oneworld in the UK. She writes about creative practice at her Substack, “Make Up Your Life.” You can find more at

Kimberly King Parsons is the author of the national bestselling novel We Were the Universe, a Dakota Johnson Book Club pick the New York Times calls “a profound, gutsy tale of grief’s dismantling power.” Parsons’s story collection, Black Light, was longlisted for the National Book Award and the Story Prize. A recipient of fellowships from Yaddo and Columbia University, Parsons won the 2020 National Magazine Award for “Foxes,” a story published in The Paris Review. She lives in Portland, Oregon with her partner and children.

Creation of this podcast wouldn't have been possible without the support of:
- A 2024 grant from the Regional Arts and Culture Council
- Annual event support from local partner Wacom
- Production by Johnny Subia and Weird Wonderful
- The 2024 event volunteer team: Kaitlin Carpenter, Chamisa Kellogg, Charli Beck, Christopher Diego, Ivan Lima, Joan Stewart, Kaveer Rai, Laura Mark, Laura Nickelhoff, Lucy Nobles, Sarah Nordby, Sumeet Singh, Tyler Nordby and Vinnie Balistreri

Elite athlete and artist Michael Namkung discovered that pushing his physical limits allowed him to open up and explore emotional pain too. Michael journeys through sports-inspired performance pieces, how he relearned to write with his left hand when he broke his right, and a digital chorus project that allowed people to voice the pain and despair felt in many U.S. communities in 2016.

Immersed in his calm artistic evolution, we learn of the joys to be found in forcing ourselves to slow down, noticing new things when we come up against barriers, and the importance of our discomfort when bearing witness to one another’s pain. The greatest and most rewarding form of endurance, Michael shares, is the dedication and persistence of listening to yourself. Learn to be in tune with your heart, both your pains and your joys.

At the end of his talk, Michael performs an endurance piece. Beginning with his hands near his feet, he slowly rotates, drawing an ever-widening spiral on the floor with chalk while keeping his feet in place, until he's fully extended in a push-up position.

You can watch the video of the interview on CreativeMornings.com. It was given at CreativeMornings/Portland, a free monthly community event.

More about Michael Namkung:
Michael Namkung is a performing artist, writer, poet, meditation teacher and father. He is also a multiple world champion athlete and in 2022 was inducted into the Ultimate Hall of Fame. He has received awards from the San Francisco Arts Commission, The Center for Cultural Innovation, the Tanne Foundation, and the James Rosenquist Artist Residency. He is best known for Drawing Gym, a hybrid of art and extreme sports and for his one-man shows of poetry and storytelling, Seeing The Invisible and Good Pain: The Art of Being Hurt.

He has exhibited and performed his work in galleries, museums, universities, festivals and public spaces worldwide. Michael holds a Master of Education degree from the University of California Santa Barbara and a Master of Fine Arts degree from San Francisco State University. 

Creation of this podcast wouldn't have been possible without the support of:
- A 2024 grant from the Regional Arts and Culture Council
- Annual event support from local partner Wacom
- Production by Johnny Subia and Weird Wonderful
- The 2024 event volunteer team: Kaitlin Carpenter, Chamisa Kellogg, Charli Beck, Christopher Diego, Ivan Lima, Joan Stewart, Kaveer Rai, Laura Mark, Laura Nickelhoff, Lucy Nobles, Sarah Nordby, Sumeet Singh, Tyler Nordby and Vinnie Balistreri

Art can create space for survival. Artist and musician William Kendall—who has worked with youth experiencing homelessness since 1994—would know.

From a community of metal heads to becoming a musician, to bike messenger, to bands, to social work and running the Artist Mentorship Program, William’s journey is a testament to the intertwined power of creativity, purpose, and work ethic. The support of a mentor led him to dedicating his time and energy to supporting young artists and teaching them to express themselves creatively.

You can watch the video of the interview on CreativeMornings.com. It was given at CreativeMornings/Portland, a free monthly community event.

More about Will Kendall:
William Kendall (he/him) has worked with youth experiencing homelessness and has championed marginalized communities for more than three decades. Working to connect Portland’s homeless youth population to music and art resources, cultural opportunities, and engagement activities, William’s goal is to build healthy relationships with youth who are experiencing homelessness and support them as they navigate the trauma of homelessness. William became Executive Director of the Artist Mentorship Program (AMP) in 2005. When not working at AMP, William enjoys making his own art, playing music, running, tennis, a cup of tea, a game of chess and discussing the crippling effects of capitalism that create generational poverty.

Creation of this podcast wouldn't have been possible without the support of:
- A 2024 grant from the Regional Arts and Culture Council
- Annual event support from local partner Wacom
- Production by Johnny Subia and Weird Wonderful
- The 2024 event volunteer team: Kaitlin Carpenter, Chamisa Kellogg, Charli Beck, Christopher Diego, Ivan Lima, Joan Stewart, Kaveer Rai, Laura Mark, Laura Nickelhoff, Lucy Nobles, Sarah Nordby, Sumeet Singh, Tyler Nordby and Vinnie Balistreri

What do you get when you mix a surrealist painter with an environmental obsession? Vibrant paintings of hermit crabs wearing soda caps as shells. A gorilla slurping a can of Reddi-whip. And two grizzly bears fighting over a gumball machine. For a start.

Before he started making his distinctive paintings, Anthony Solano struggled to find the connections between his art and the world. That is, until he combined art with what he'd learned about the damages of human plastic consumption. And while we might not all be painting hermit crabs, any creative who's ever struggled to find their voice will relate to his story.

Visit Anthony's website to see his art: AnthonySolanoArt.com. He also references a video showing Richart Sowa's Island Made of Plastic Bottles, which is worth seeing.

Watch the video of Anthony's talk on CreativeMornings.com. It was given at CreativeMornings/Portland, a free monthly community event.

More about Anthony:
Having spent his childhood years between California and Guadalajara, Mexico, Anthony Solano turned to art at a young age, seeing it as both a source of escape and comfort. In high school he was exposed to painting for the first time, sparking what would become his life’s passion. A self-taught painter, Anthony now resides in Portland, Oregon and credits the local landscape for a major creative shift, from abstract painting to the surreal genre that he currently practices. His work explores today’s environmental conflicts, communicated with vibrant hyper-realistic imagery and thought-provoking storytelling. A sense of optimism and hope within his work allows the viewer to experience a complex, emotional response.

Creation of this podcast wouldn't have been possible without the support of:
- A 2024 grant from the Regional Arts and Culture Council
- Annual event support from local partner Wacom
- Production by Johnny Subia and Weird Wonderful
- The 2024 event volunteer team: Kaitlin Carpenter, Chamisa Kellogg, Charli Beck, Christopher Diego, Ivan Lima, Joan Stewart, Kaveer Rai, Laura Mark, Laura Nickelhoff, Lucy Nobles, Sarah Nordby, Sumeet Singh, Tyler Nordby and Vinnie Balistreri

Explore the porous boundaries between a creative career, hobbies & self worth with writer and artist Vera Brosgol.

Vera walks through the heartfelt evolution of her creative calling: from a story-obsessed, weird kid from Russia who made drawings in exchange for friends; to a comics nerd who found stability in animation; to her work in stop-motion on projects including Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio; to writing and illustrating graphic novels and children’s books. Along the way, Vera followed her curiosity and faced challenges any creative can relate to. Namely, being encouraged to turn every hobby into a side hustle, and attaching our self worth to whether people like what we’re making. Or as you’ll find out in Vera’s case, what she’s baking.

You can watch the video of the interview on CreativeMornings.com. It was given at CreativeMornings/Portland, a free monthly community event.

More about Vera Brosgol:
Vera (she/her) was born in Moscow, Russia in 1984 and moved to the United States when she was five. She received a diploma in Classical Animation from Sheridan College, and spent many years working in feature animation but now she is writing and drawing books full-time. She has storyboarded for Laika on the feature films Coraline, Paranorman, The Boxtrolls, and Kubo and the Two Strings, and was Head of Story for the Academy-Award-winning Pinnochio.

Vera’s first graphic novel, Anya’s Ghost, was published in 2011 by First Second Books and won an Eisner Award. Her first picture book, Leave Me Alone, was published in 2016 by Roaring Brook Press and won a Caldecott Honor. She also loves hiking, riding her bike, and baking bread.

Creation of this podcast wouldn't have been possible without the support of:
- A 2024 grant from the Regional Arts and Culture Council
- Annual event support from local partner Wacom
- Production by Johnny Subia and Weird Wonderful
- The 2024 event volunteer team: Kaitlin Carpenter, Chamisa Kellogg, Charli Beck, Christopher Diego, Ivan Lima, Joan Stewart, Kaveer Rai, Laura Mark, Laura Nickelhoff, Lucy Nobles, Sarah Nordby, Sumeet Singh, Tyler Nordby and Vinnie Balistreri