According to the Saatchi Gallery, Violet Aveline is “a biligual trapese artist soaring to greater heights on reading rainbows and clams that have teeth on tongues. Mercurial methodological melodies playing stuck in your head.”

Actually, Aveline is a Portland-based artist who earned her BFA at Herron School of Art+Design in Indianapolis. She is now a partner in a small press printing and recording studio called Pow Wow, along with her husband Michael Little. These paintings depict their move out West along the Oregon Trail.

These strange paintings remind me a bit of the work of Esther Pearl Watson. I mean that as a compliment, of course.

NYU- and SCAD-educated, current Portlander Darra Crosby uses chalk and acrylic to depict homes in which she has lived or spent time, starting at the front door of each one and rendering all the details she can remember. “The more discernible objects and areas are made permanent with paint, while those left in chalk represent the fragile memories flirting with disappearance.”

From the top: 16 Green Knoll Ct., Mezzie’s House, 29 Elm Terrace, and 15 7th Ave.

The Portland, OR-based studio Crazy Coconut designs unique screenprinted pillows celebrating Portland landmarks, based on original photography. The studio also offers a line of wallpaper.

When Portland, OR-based artist Julie Keefe saw that rapid gentrification in her neighborhood resulted in neighbors who were strangers to each other, she initiated Hello Neighbor with local arts organization Caldera. Local children learned interview techniques and portrait photography basics and set out to meet their neighbors. The results were made into large-format banners now hung around the area.

What happens to neighborhoods when your neighbors aren’t your neighbors any more? When interviewed about his rapidly changing North Portland community, my neighbor, Charles, said he didn’t mind the streets being safer, the businesses returning, or the houses being fixed up. What he did mind was that people didn’t say hello anymore.

When I moved into the neighborhood in 1991 with my husband and 6-month-old daughter, I was a new neighbor. As an artist, I wanted to find a way to publicly address the changes I was a part of.

My idea was to work with children to seek out neighbors of all ages. I wanted to begin a dialogue about community from their point of view. The resulting artwork would be displayed throughout the childrens’ neighborhoods. Mural-sized, black-and-white photographs with text would introduce the neighborhood to its children and neighbors to each other.

It all begins with a simple hello.

- Julie Keefe

More info at Hello Neighbor and NPR.

Just Past Central: another Over the Rhine blog; welcome to the blogospheric microcosm!

It’s All About the D: tomorrow, a free summer festival celebrating what’s hot, cool and funky in Detroit, on Heidelberg and Elba Sts. between Mt. Elliott and Ellery.

Where: “a blog about urban places, placemaking, and the concept of ‘place.’”

Current State of Innovation… Say What?: the Agents of Urbanism have some harsh words about the new Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis and its so-called “innovative architecture.” Sorry, Just for View…

Young Farmers Find Fertile Ground in City: urban farming in Pittsburgh by the Landslide Community Farm.

Why I Prefer to Live in a Failing Neighbourhood: contrarian thoughts on the city written by a Londoner.

Columbia Ecovillage: on the other end of the spectrum, a green co-housing condo village in Portland, OR.

Cincinnati Design Guide: researched and written by me with help from Sean Fisher of BuyCincy; corrections and additions are absolutely welcome [and needed, I'm sure].

To Avoid Student Turnover, Parents Get Rent Help: a rent subsidy pilot program in Flint, MI is designed to keep kids from having to change schools.

Zipcar Low-Car Diet: for those who live in any Zipcar city except London, if you forgo your car for one month, you’ll get a loaded public transit pass, a free 1-year Zipcar membership, some driving time and more.

‘Black Guy’ Booth Livens Up Corvallis Saturday Market: a prank/social commentary, plus some indignant white folks.

Greensburg, KS Sustainable Rebuilding: a year after a tornado practically levelled this town, Greensburg is rebuilding as a green community.

Home Not-So-Sweet Home: NYT’s Paul Krugman on home ownership versus renting vis a vis the American Dream.

Clarence: The Traffic Calming Sasquatch: yup.

Walking Tour of Downtown Cincinnati Surveillance Cameras: Bill Brown of the Surveillance Camera Players is giving another tour this Sunday; I wrote about the last one here.

OTR Without Kaldi’s Is Unthinkable: say it ain’t so…

Homeowners, Realtors Angry Over Rental Scam On Craigslist: renter beware — those pesky Nigerian scammers are now posing as landlords on Craigslist.

Dam You, Mediterranean: the Atlantropa Project: Herman Sörgel’s 1929 proposal to dam both ends of the Mediterranean Sea, create new land, and generate massive amounts of hydroelectric power, via the always entertaining Strange Maps.

Fallen Fruit: Fallen Fruit is an LA-based activist art project that encourages the planting and harvesting of fruit on or overhanging public spaces such as sidewalks, streets and parking lots.

Portland Edible Rooftop Garden One of Few in U.S.: a rooftop garden in Portland, OR supplies fresh produce to a restaurant below it.

Summertime: in honor of the Summer Solstice, let’s kick back and enjoy the smooth song stylings of DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince.