Meet the artists of our 2023 Spring Window Artist Takeover!
Our latest Spring Windows give us a glimpse at 12 amazing artist's favorite critters!
Our 2023 Spring Window installations are helping us to usher in the new season with a wash of color that rivals the long-dormant spring flowers cropping up on every tree, shrub, and bulb in town. Our artists braved an early spring heat wave to paint our town rainbow in time for the summer markets and community events that make Hillsboro such a fun and exciting place to be.
Artists interpreted the theme of "critters," looking forward to our second annual La Strada event in Downtown. What you'll see is a myriad of our artists' favorite small creatures, from those more rooted in fantasy to lizards and frogs and mice and insects and more!
We hope that these windows represent the rich diversity of our little town, with windows paintings reaching from Main Street down to 10th Avenue. Don't skip the windows at Su Casa and Jim's Ice Cream, and grab a bite to eat while you're there.
Without further adieu, meet the artists of the 2023 Spring Window Artist Takeover!
Meet Hailey Harple:
You can see Hailey's painting at Fidelity Collection Service at 327 E Main St. and more of her work at @haileyharple and @haileyharple.ai on Instagram.
Q: How would you describe your art style?
A: Illustrative; inspired by children’s books from my childhood and favorite animated movies like My Neighbor Totoro and the Secret of Kells.
Q: How did you first get into art?
A: I’ve been drawing for as long as I remember.
Q: Where do you draw inspiration from?
A: The way that my art makes people feel.
Q: What medium of art are you most drawn to or comfortable with?
A: Pen and ink, watercolor, and digital art.
Q: What do you love about Downtown Hillsboro?
A: The connections I have with local businesses and workers. I love my community!
Q: What are your favorite critters?
A: Hedgehogs, bunnies and squirrels!
Q: What is your favorite part of Spring?
A: All the flowers and seeing people walking around again!
Meet Desiree Meek:
You can see Desiree's painting at Massage Collective at 446 E Main St and more of her work @drawingwithmeek on Instagram.
Q: How would you describe your art style?
A: Bold, soft, and whimsical.
Q: How did you first get into art?
A: I’ve been drawing since I was a toddler. It’s always been something I’ve enjoyed and have always strived to improve in.
Q: Where do you draw inspiration from?
A: I take a lot of inspiration from animated movies and shows, as well as other artists online.
Q: What medium of art are you most drawn to or comfortable with?
A: I tend to gravitate toward to digital art because I don’t need to worry about supplies and wasting materials. I can make as many pieces as I want!
Q: What do you love about Downtown Hillsboro?
A: I’m not super familiar with the area, but so far, I really love the recognition of artists and the arts.
Q: What are your favorite critters?
A: I really love dogs, they’re our best friends after all.
Q: What is your favorite part of Spring?
A: I can start going on hikes and stop wearing coats!
Meet Anna Froese:
You can see Anna's painting at Hillsboro Learning Center at 149 SE 3rd Ave and more of her work @deadbirdkitsch on Instagram.
Q: How would you describe your art style?
A: Science Whimsy
Q: How did you first get into art?
A: I've always drawn and painted since I was very small.
Q: Where do you draw inspiration from?
A: Most of my inspiration comes from the natural world. I love biology and space and dinosaurs and I always have. I love learning new things and that influences what I make.
Q: What medium of art are you most drawn to or comfortable with?
A: I work in so many media. Too many probably. I've been making art dolls lately because they let me play with paint and clay and fiber and and. I went to school for animation, I love making things that move so I love the idea of posable sculpture.
Q: What do you love about Downtown Hillsboro?
A: I grew up in a small rural town. Downtown Hillsboro retains that feeling. I like the walkability and the local businesses.
Q: What are your favorite critters?
A: California condor and banana slug.
Q: What is your favorite part of Spring?
A: I love that it's warmer, but also just the floral smell in the air. We've got a big cluster of Oregon grape and they smell so good.
Meet Julie Tervo Dexter:
You can find Julie's painting at Jim's Ice Cream at 658 SE 10th Ave and more of her work at www.aitiworkshop.com.
Q: How would you describe your art style?
A: Colorful & silly, at least for this round of windows.
Q: How did you first get into art?
A: I give much credit to my 3rd grade teacher, Maxine Kurtzbein, for being an embodiment of joy and exposing me to all kinds of adult-level materials.
Q: What medium of art are you most drawn to or comfortable with?
A: Right now I'm really enjoying block printing but colored pencils and beads are constants.
Q: What do you love about Downtown Hillsboro?
A: I love summer Farmer's Market, Tuesday Night Market, and events like Strada de Pastelli.
Q: What are your favorite critters?
A: I love pretty much all animals, birds, insects... I've been teased that the scene in Elf when Buddy tries to hug the raccoon was based on me.
Q: What is your favorite part of Spring?
A: The way the muted colors of the landscape suddenly burst into every shade of green imaginable.
Meet Amy Wike:
You can find Amy's painting at Hillsboro Dance Center at 210 SE 4th Ave and more of her work at @Amy_Wike on Instagram.
Q: How would you describe your art style?
A: I like to describe my style as “endearingly quirky” – it’s playful, energetic, and colorful. I believe that communicating complex ideas through bright colors, welcoming, and even cheeky visuals creates an access point for what might otherwise be intimidating concepts. It’s important to me that my work feel accessible and approachable regardless of subject matter.
Q: Where do you draw inspiration from?
A: My inspiration changes constantly (and sometimes I’m in the mood to draw or paint, but frustratingly don’t feel inspired by anything in particular). Generally speaking, I’m inspired by small joys, appreciating the ordinary, and finding delight in the everyday occurrences that make up the human experience. I hope to foster relationships, encourage connection, and stimulate creative thinking about the ways we learn and experience through my designs.
Q: What medium of art are you most drawn to or comfortable with?
A: My focus is watercolor and gouache, but I absolutely love trying out new mediums. Recently I’ve been playing around with masking fluid, marker, and stamp carving. In the past, I’ve had a lot of fun with collage, yarn, and fabric. I consider every new medium to be another tool that informs my overall practice.
Q: What are your favorite critters?
A: Love a good ferret.
Q: What is your favorite part of Spring?
A: I moved to Portland from Washington, DC and the shock of bloom that is springtime in the Pacific Northwest has not worn off. Everything is so lush and verdant; I feel like I’m still encountering plant species I’ve never seen before with each new spring that I’m here.
Meet Brandy Mattas:
You can see Brandy's painting at Class Cuts at 136 SE 3rd Ave and more of her work @brandymattas on Instagram.
Q: How would you describe your art style?
A: My art styles are feminine mixed-media abstract expressionism and figurative collage.
Q: How did you first get into art?
A: I have always been creative and loved bright colors. In 2nd grade, I learned about "Junk Art" which inspired me to upcycle and eventually led to my love of creating collage. I started painting regularly in high school and by my early 20s, I was painting almost everyday and have been ever since.
Q: Where do you draw inspiration from?
A: I am inspired by the feminine Goddess energy, angel numbers, politics, and nature where we always find natural curves.
Q: What medium of art are you most drawn to or comfortable with?
A: I have explored many materials and I love working with acrylic, charcoal, ink, paper, oil pastels, and tempera. I like to work with chalk on the sidewalk, sometimes. I want to work with gouache and also learn polymer clay.
Q: What do you love about Downtown Hillsboro?
A: I love the intimacy and sense of community, the Sequoyah trees, the artwork, the individuality of the shops, restaurants, houses, the max train line, and the eclectic and inclusive choice of events, activities, and opportunities. My husband and I are new members to the community of Hillsboro, and so far people have been super friendly, inviting, and warm.
Q: What are your favorite critters?
A: Oh my gosh, I love them all, but my favorite critters are ladybugs, dragonflies, birds, butterflies, squirrels, frogs, spiders, and worms are cool.
Q: What is your favorite part of Spring?
A: I absolutely LOVE trees and sunshine, spring showers, watching everything grow, and seeing the critters in nature. I love the floral scent in the air, warm evenings outside in the breeze, and how it doesn't get dark until late. It's the best and it makes me feel like a kid again.
Meet Myranda Kali:
See Myranda's painting at Colours Art at 270 E Main St and more of her work at @myrandakali on Instagram.
Q: Where do you draw inspiration from?
A: From art and artists that merge multiple art styles, Surrealist painters, nature, my own life, and media I consume. Some of my favorite inspirations: Rene Magritte, Hayao Miyazaki, BBC period pieces, and Jean-Michel Basquiat.
Q: What medium of art are you most drawn to or comfortable with?
A: Drawing! Anything with strong line work using pens, pencils, or paint markers.
Q: What are your favorite critters?
A: I'm finding that I really like amphibians and reptiles! As a child I really loved snakes and geckos. My current favorite animals are turtles but I also really love frogs.
Meet Max Pfenning:
You can find Max's painting at Rune and Board at 238 SE Washington St and more of his art at @Max.1nk on Instagram.
Q: How would you describe your art style?
A: Weird and childish… in a good way. I always describe my style as “5th Grader Art” because I have been using the same style since I was in 5th grade.
Q: How did you first get into art?
A: My grandma (Granny) was an artist. When I was a kid, I would visit her and watch over her shoulder as she worked, asking her all sorts of annoying questions. Sometimes she would scribble on a piece of paper, hand it to me, and tell me to turn it into something. I would make the scribble into some sort of monster most of the time, and she would give me feedback and tips on different techniques. She passed back in 2005, but a piece of her lives on through my art!
Q: Where do you draw inspiration from?
A: I like to think my inspiration comes from my own mind and thoughts, but I can’t deny that 90s Nickelodeon cartoons have had a lasting impact on my style. I loved shows like Rocko’s Modern Life, Aaahh!!! Real Monsters, Rugrats, Hey Arnold, and Kablam.
Q: What medium of art are you most drawn to or comfortable with?
A: Pen and markers on paper. Specifically, I like to use a black pen to make an outline, then fill in with colors using Copic Alcohol Ink markers.
Q: What do you love about Downtown Hillsboro?
A: Everything! What’s not to love!?!
Q: What are your favorite critters?
A: The ones from the movie “Critters”
Q: What is your favorite part of Spring?
A: Not having to wipe mud off my dogs’ paws every time I let them in from the backyard.. ugh!!
Meet July Fernández:
You can find July's painting at Su Casa Supermercado at 1050 E Walnut St and more of her work @julyfernandezilustracion on Instagram.
Q: How would you describe your art style?
A: Colorful, funny, curious and imaginative.
Q: How did you first get into art?
A: Since I was a child I grew up with art, My whole family is dedicated to it.
Q: Where do you draw inspiration from?
A: I start with a scene or a character in my mind; for example, a frog. And from there I begin to add more things: I want the frog does something fun, that it has friends, that they dance... I let my imagination and fun take me.
Q: What medium of art are you most drawn to or comfortable with?
A: Acrylic painting!
Q: What do you love about Downtown Hillsboro?
A: I like Hillsboro people are friendly. I like the shops, they are beautiful! and I like how it is organized, it is a charming little town!
Q: What are your favorite critters?
A: Mouses and crows.
Q: What is your favorite part of Spring?
A: Flowers blooming!
Meet Amber Orenstein:
You can find Amber's painting at Nan's on Third at 125 SE 3rd Ave and more of her art @2is3 on Instagram.
Q: How would you describe your art style?
A: Colorful and cute.
Q: How did you first get into art?
A: I’ve been drawing since I can remember. After a long career in web design, I decided to go back to doing what I love and making people happy with my own art.
Q: Where do you draw inspiration from?
A: Animals and nature give me the most inspiration, but I like to put my own fun spin on things.
Q: What medium of art are you most drawn to or comfortable with?
A:Painting and drawing are my zone.
Q: What do you love about Downtown Hillsboro?
A: Such a cute shopping district, I also love the trees and landscaping that make a wonderful afternoon walk after a lovely lunch.
Q: What are your favorite critters?
A: Bunnies and bears!
Q: What is your favorite part of Spring?
A: Cool days enjoying the sunshine and outdoors.
Meet Amanda Lockwood
You can see Amanda's painting at LaHaie's at 277 E Main St and more of her work @a.r.lockwood on Instagram.
Q: How would you describe your art style?
A: Detailed and highly patterned.
Q: How did you first get into art?
A: I've always enjoyed making art. Both my parents paint and I guess they passed that along to me.
Q: Where do you draw inspiration from?
A: Generally from nature and landscapes.
Q: What medium of art are you most drawn to or comfortable with?
A: I usually work with water color and ink.
Q: What do you love about Downtown Hillsboro?
A: There's so much to do and the wonderful farmer's market.
Q: What are your favorite critters?
A: I love all critters. I have two dogs, a cat and a snake at home.
Q: What is your favorite part of Spring?
A: Green and growing things. This is why I included flowers in my window mural.
Meet Amy Stoner:
You can see Amy's painting at Hillsboro Foot Clinic at 862 SE Oak St and more of her work @amystoner on Instagram.
Q: How would you describe your art style?
A: Colorful and graphic.
Q: How did you first get into art?
A: Both of my parents were very craft-oriented, and so I was always encouraged to explore art and creativity.
Q: Where do you draw inspiration from?
A: I draw a lot of inspiration from the world around me as well as vintage design and graphics.
Q: What medium of art are you most drawn to or comfortable with?
A: I primarily focus on painting and printmaking, though I never met an art medium I didn't like (except pastel. I suck at pastels!)
Q: What do you love about Downtown Hillsboro?
A: I love the feeling of community, the independent businesses, and the old world charm.
Q: What are your favorite critters?
A: I love birds like crows, snakes and coyotes along with insects like dragonflies, ladybugs, snails, etc.
Q: What is your favorite part of Spring?
A: FLOWERS! I love watching everything come alive again.
Thank you to everyone who helps us to make this project come alive each season!
We hope that putting a face behind each of these window paintings has helped you to better appreciate all of the hard work that goes into each temporary art piece, and inspired you to spend some time appreciating each and every one of these amazing artists!
A big thank you is owed to the Regional Arts and Culture Council and Hillsboro Cultural Arts District for helping us to make this project happen, in addition to Colours Art who has partnered with us for every iteration of this project. We couldn't bring this project to Downtown without the help of our community partners as well as all of the amazing artists who participate.
