Springtime in Portland

I have never lived anywhere that spring was more glorious than Portland, OR. Each week beginning around March 1, something new comes into bloom. The sheer number of trees in the city, budding their bright green tiny leaves, is delightful. Here's proof:

Portland has a number of HUGE trees that have been designated Heritage Trees; they are protected. Here's my favorite, a beech that must be 8' in diameter.

http://lorenzhermsen.com/lh_collection.html

Lisa Kaser

Yesterday I went to an artist talk by my friend Lisa Kaser, at Waterstone Gallery in Portland. Lisa creates wonderful, quirky, endearing, and a bit disturbing figures from found objects, wool felt that she makes herself, and beeswax. I love her new work, which is larger than her previous figures; these are about 18" high. Lisa also does prints, wall hangings, and has illustrated a Korean children's book. She's a true original and a treasure. She's incredibly prolific and has made her living from her art for some time.  waterstonegallery.com

Ray Morimura

Last evening, I had the privilege to be invited to the premiere of a show of Ray Morimura's woodblock prints at the Portland Japanese Garden. I have always loved block prints, and his are exceptional. 

I highly recommend the exhibition, which lasts until May 4, 2014: Morimura Prints @ Japanese Garden

http://lorenzhermsen.com/lh_collection.html

Recent Projects

A beauty junkie, that's what I call myself. I love being surrounded by beauty, seeing others create it, and bringing some to the world myself. It's my mission in life.

Yes, I too have started a blog, about beauty, at least as I see it. It'll be mostly images.   

My first entry is about my recent design project, a line of silk scarves that I designed and have printed digitally: the Lorenz Hermsen Collection. I created this line of scarves last year, and am in the process of building an online business to sell them. Any marketing suggestions are welcome! lorenzhermsen.com/lh_collection

(I also designed my Web site, and just spent about 12 hours on the phone setting up my shop so customers can order through it with credit cards and PayPal!)

Recently, I was the featured designer on the Pattern Observer Web site, a resource for textile designers: patternobserver.com/2014/04/04