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Art for people from all walks of life

Artist spotlight: Black Marrow Tattoo
Tattoo artist Jaime Farmer poses with his two dogs in the forest.
“It’s so beautiful out here [Portland]. I’ll take my dogs out and just get blown away by so much of the flora and fauna,” he said. | Photo courtesy of Jaime Farmer
Tattoo artist Jaime Farmer forgot his phone at home during a recent visit to the movies. During the lead up to the film, he noticed the theater was lit up — not so much from the big screen, but the small screens ubiquitous in people’s hands.

“I was like oh my god this is wild,” Farmer recalled. “I’m usually on my phone so I don’t see it, but I would’ve been one of these people, just head down, not communicating with all the people around us.”

That’s not the case at work, where the personal connection of inking his clients’ skin is a salve for the soul. “They’re usually going through something, a big transition, career or life change, or just embracing a new part of themselves that they weren’t familiar with,” he said. “It’s so rewarding to get to chat with people, even if it’s just a quick 30-minute session.”

A former chef, Farmer started tattooing six years ago under the guise Black Marrow Tattoo — a poignant reference to Safiya Sinclair’s poetry and a feeling of not belonging.

Alternating images show designs created by tattoo artist Jaime Farmer. The whimsical animals and people are done in a simple, line drawing style in both black and color.

“Weekly, I’ll take 12 to 20 designs out of the book, adding back a similar amount, so I’m always fired up, feeling inspired and intentional,” he explained.

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Photos via @blackmarrowtattoo

His singular style has a storybook quality to it, told through whimsical animals and fantastical figures inked in vibrant hues. The inspiration, however unintentionally, can be traced back to his life’s early chapters in Hawaii, growing up in a children’s bookstore.

Nature is a through line in Farmer’s creative process. Little Sun Studio is a stunning collection of rivers sketched freehand on people’s limbs.

The project started when a client wanted to extend a flash piece. “He came in and I was like, ‘holy sh*t, you’re 6-foot-3,’ that’s a lot bigger than I have a stencil for,” he explained. “I asked him if it was okay to just draw it onto the skin. He was cool with it and I had such a good time.”

Two people show off tattoos featuring winding blue river. On the left, a rooster pecks at the ground. On the right, a fish jumps in the air and the sun sets behind mountains. Both were done by tattoo artist Jaime Farmer in Portland.

On Portland’s tattoo scene, Farmer said, “It’s wonderful. Individuality is so embraced and people aren’t stepping on each other to get ahead.”

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Photo via @little.sun.studio

That’s the closest Farmer strays to custom tattoos. Most visitors to his Southeast Portland studio look through a book of 300 or so pre-drawn designs, bookmarking some as they search to keep it spontaneous and fresh for everyone.

Appointments open toward the end of every month.
Asked

How many tattoos do you have?

A. I don’t have any
B. 1 tattoo
C. 2 tattoos
D. 3+ tattoos
Just a little poke
Northwest Children's Theater and School
 
Events
Wednesday, May 22
  • United Way Laid-Back Literacy Society Book Club | Wednesday, May 22 | 6-8 p.m. | United Way of the Columbia-Willamette, 619 SW 11th Ave., Ste. 300, Portland | Free | Join this book club with no set book; it’s like show-and-tell for what you’re reading, not to mention a great way to meet people.
  • Amy LaVere & Will Sexton | Wednesday, May 22 | 8 p.m. | The Showdown, 1195 SE Powell Blvd., Portland | $15 | Mid-week indie-folk music from this married duo is just what you need.
Thursday, May 23
  • “2 Kims 1 Pod” | Thursday, May 23 | 8 p.m. | Helium Comedy Club, 1510 SE Ninth Ave., Portland | $10-$30 | Hilarity is guaranteed with Peter S. Kim and Eunji Kim, the unrelated yet undeniably funny hosts of the hit podcast.
Friday, May 24
  • Cascadia Drag Festival | Friday, May 24-Sunday, May 26 | Times vary | Clinton Street Theater, 2522 SE Clinton St., Portland | $15-$50 | Marla Darling is set to host this “love letter to the drag community of the Pacific Northwest.”
  • The Murder Mystery Company Presents: “Death of a Gangster” | Friday, May 24 | 7-9:30 p.m. | The Old Spaghetti Factory, 715 S. Bancroft St., Portland | $59 | You’re invited to a 1920s wedding, Mafia marriage style; can you and your fellow guests solve the murder mystery as it unfolds around you?
Saturday, May 25
  • Portland Timbers vs. Sporting Kansas City | Saturday, May 25 | 7:30 p.m. | Providence Park, 1844 SW Morrison St., Portland | $25+ | It’s desperation time for Phil Neville’s squad — get behind them so we can hear the sweet sound of a revving chainsaw again.
Events calendar here
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The Father’s Day gifts he’ll ask for every year
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It’s not too late to order the Harlestons Seaside Hoodie, Seaside Pullover, or Seaside Pocket Polo for Father’s Day. | Photos by Drew Somerville
Calling all children, partners, and friends of dads everywhere: Harlestons’ Seaside Collection will have the men in your life wishing Father’s Day — ahem, coming up on June 16 — was everyday.

Mix and match any of the pieces in the Seaside Collection (including the hoodie, polo, and quarter-zip) to create a complete look perfect for Father’s Day. Wearable throughout every season, Harlestons’ easy-care, performance fabric keeps you both cozy and cool all year long.
    Father's Day gifts that won't miss
    News Notes
    Tech
    • 280 Earth wants to do a 180 on the climate crisis. The Silicon Valley startup utilizes cutting-edge science to suck carbon out of the air from its perch above the Columbia River. Its position next to Google’s data centers could also enable it to use its neighbor’s “waste heat” as an energy source. (The Oregonian/Oregon Live)
    Coming Soon
    • A new food cart pod is landing on Hawthorne Street this summer. Hawthorne Street Food & Bar, a project from Portland restaurateurs Uday Seelam and Ben Bui, will feature 14 trucks and seating for 60 with the aim to bring some daytime energy to the stretch of Southeast Portland. (Portland Business Journal)
    Real Estate
    • Like a stack of logs, painted circles adorn the front of this cabin on the flanks of Mount Hood. The whimsy doesn’t stop inside, where custom countertops are a testament to previous owners Michael Pratt and Reta Larson, renowned ceramic tile manufacturers. You can even rent the Rhododendron escape. (Portland Monthly)
    Traffic
    • “The Night Always Comes” and so does the traffic. Filming for the movie, adapted from the novel by Oregon author and musician Willy Vlautin, will cause delays on the Burnside Bridge today and the Hawthorne Bridge on June 12. (The Oregonian/Oregon Live)
    Feel Good
    • Meet Burton, the first-ever “comfort dog” sworn in by the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office. The 85-pound, 3-year-old long-haired German shepherd will join Deputy Kerri Oman on duty and for special situations where a wagging tail and puppy kisses could come in handy. (The Oregonian/Oregon Live)
    Plan Ahead
    • After countless times ‘round the flat track and 20 trips around the sun, Rose City Rollers will host the sport’s international championship in November. The competition has been on hiatus since 2019, when the current world title holders, Portland’s own Wheels of Justice, beat Gotham Girls of New York. (Portland Tribune)
    Sports
    • Despite consistent growth through the season, rookie Scoot Henderson was left off the NBA’s All-Rookie Team. Mike Richman has a hot take and assessment of the young core in Rip City for Locked On Blazers.
    Try This
    • Want to get your brand in front of our readers? Check out our self-service advertising, a quick and easy way to get acquainted with our local audience through Display and Branded Content. Psst... Social Posts are now available. Get started today.
      Health
      • Wild Health creates you a personalized 50-page report detailing your ideal nutrition, exercise, and recovery plan — all based off your genetics + biometrics. Get 20% off with code WH20.*
       
      Transit

      Volunteer to help collect bicycle data

      PBOT needs volunteers to help collect bicycle data
      A group of cyclists waits at a stop sign in a Portland neighborhood.
      Portland’s bicycle counting tradition dates back to 1992. | Photo via PBOT
      One... two... three hundred busy bicyclists, ah ah ah.

      Does your talent for tallying rival that of Sesame Street’s renowned Count von Count? Then the Portland Bureau of Transportation could use your help.

      This summer, the department is looking for 100 volunteers to help collect bicycle data at 334 locations across the city. Those figures will help inform a detailed look at how “the volume of people biking, gender make-up, helmet use, and e-bike adoption differs across the city.”

      Between June 4 and Sept. 26, volunteers will spend two hours (usually 4-6 p.m., or occasionally 7-9 a.m.) observing each site once, on a Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday. Written instructions, a video training, and an in-person training are available when you sign up and claim you location(s).
      The Buy

      Group A, The Buy 5.22.24 (Affiliate + Six & Main)
      Lululemon’s everywhere belt bag, which you truly can take everywhere, from errands to hikes to shopping. Points for being hands-free.
      Answered

      The best way to meet new people in Portland is...
      Two people facing opposite shelves look for books inside Powell's City of Books in Portland.

      Common interests are key — who knows who you’ll cross paths with at Powell’s?

      |

      Photo by Cambrie Juarez, PDXtoday

      We knew we could count on you — here are some of your suggestions for how to make friends.
      5 more to try
       
      The Wrap
       
      ben-mcbee-headshot-2024.png

      Today’s edition by:
      Ben
      From the editor
      Heyyy youuu guysss. Do your best truffle shuffle on the way to the Oregon Coast, Saturday, June 8, for the inaugural GoonFest Brewfest at McMenamins Gearhart Hotel. It promises to be a “never say die” celebration of suds inspired by the 1980s cult classic film, “The Goonies.”
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