PORTLAND PLACES: THE ILLUSTRATED DECK

Drawing Portland, Oregon is my labor of love and new small business. My detailed pen lines capture and celebrate neighborhood scenes and iconic downtown landmarks. With almost 100 drawings of Portland, I have enough unique images for a card deck. It is my hope to raise enough money with community sponsors and Kickstarter to print at least 100 card decks with U.S. Playing Cards, or a worthy local alternative. Once I have printed them I will actively pursue introducing and selling to stores, hotels, and visitor services. If I'm successful, I'll do another print run, and make a game like Memory or Go Fish (Go Portland!) for kids. Visitors and locals of all ages can equally appreciate my illustrative renditions of familiar places. The images are already available as prints, greeting cards, mini-books, calendars, and coloring books. Everyone who has seen the rough draft deck has encouraged me to take the next step and make real laminated poker cards, find a real distributor, and develop a business based on providing a utilitarian product that showcases local art and also promotes Portland. Thank you for the generous support; my goal has been reached! But I have discovered that it will take more than $500 to make at least 100 poker style decks. Like a 21st century inventer, I am exploring new avenues of making a customized deck that promotes Portland as well as honoring the classical art tradition of pen and ink.