Storytelling Through the Brick Project on India Street; Storytelling Tonight at Arabica!

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Elise Pepple Talked About the Brick Project Recently & India Street.

Elise Pepple Talked About the Brick Project Beginning on  India Street Recently at SPACE.

Storytelling Event at Arabica, 9 Commercial Street,  7:00 pm.

Storytelling Event at Arabica, 9 Commercial Street, 7:00 pm., tonight

By Carol McCracken  (Post # 2,301)

‘What if the city’s architecture could talk?”  Elise Pepple, an East End resident asked during a recent break from her part-time job at SPACE Gallery.  Since they can’t Pepple and artist Ayumi Horie have collaborated to form Portland Brick – a project that intends to highlight what’s significant about Portland through the stories its residents tell in its distinctive neighborhoods.  India Street, the first neighborhood in Portland was selected by the two to lead-off this project which may be duplicated in other neighborhoods as well.

Horie opened up her artist studio last year in Stroudwater.  During that time, she discovered lots of clay that could be turned into brick.  The two approached the city’s Public Art Committee, a group that must approve all public art projects in Portland, for their permission to proceed with the Brick Project.  They received permission and about $4,000.00 to help make it happen.  Since that time, they have been collecting stories of the past. present and future to imbed on about 25 bricks in the India Street neighborhood. They will continue to collect stories until July – when they intend to begin the project on India Street.

Storytelling is a passion for Pepple.  Tonight she will be hosting a storytelling event at Arabica, (formerly Crema), 9 Commercial Street.  The event starts at 7:00 pm.  A three-minute history of the India Street neighborhood by Jeanne Bull will be included as well as stories by Marianne Reali, Toni Deaulo and Heather Tongue.

Do you have a story? If you do, email portlandbrick@gmail.com