Show and Tell Gallery

hosted by Nikia Cummings

It’s a mystery as old as time — keeping the balance between making art and making money. Artists of all kinds meet this challenge — everyday wizards, who conjure art and summon money too.
After events, many of us will gather informally for food and drinks, and one of the favorite conversation topics is how each of us tries — successfully or not — to make art and also make a living in a city with a high unemployment rate, low wages, and limited opportunities to be paid as artists. How we create art is another fascinating topic of conversation for many creative people, either because we want advice or just because it’s interesting to compare notes.

Wayne Flower, Tobias Ryan and Erik Mutzke performing as Outside Voices

“As a poet, I believe in using science to support the health of humanity. As a scientist, I believe poetry will redeem the soul. I was educated in abstract arts before learning practical methods, and my early work represents the best of my adherence to the philosophical principles of Surrealism. Recent compositions show the influence of Jazz and Folk music. I believe in poetry that sincerely reflects one experience while revealing truth to many.

Tobias Ryan

“I live and work in Portland, Oregon, a place that inspires me with the sensation of grandeur I experienced in my first visits to Boston, Massachusetts, through neighborhoods as comfortable as my natal town of Ashland, Oregon. I travelled the world through my studies of religion and mythology, following the teachings of Lao Tzu, an archivist during the Chou dynasty, and witnessing traditions as a way to vitalize freedom. My Mother and Father taught me to believe in helping and encouraging children, and I made the decision to dedicate my life to the service of others.” – Tobias Ryan

Wayne R. Flower

Wayne R. Flower is a visual artist, musician and writer who lives in Portland, Oregon. He has been creating things since he was a child, found his way into punk rock as a teenager, playing in bands of various genres over the years (State Of Confusion, Treepeople, The Halo Benders, among others). In the late 90′s he found himself in the tech business, a career swallowed him for 10 years and whisked him from Seattle to Boston, where he languished for 5 years. Upon finding his life unfulfilling, he moved to Portland, Oregon (a locale he had desired to live in for years). After attending open mics around town and befriending many talented local writers, he began to write again. Through these open mics, Wayne met and began playing music with a talented songwriter who is a regular at the 3 Friends open mic, Tobias Ryan, and soon they were a unit, playing their respective, dissimilar but somehow complementing songs. This was the beginning of Outside Voices, which soon came to include another talented, bluesy songwriter, also a 3 Friends open mic regular, Erik Mutzke.

Erik Mutzke

Erik Mutzke is inspired by folk music from around the world. He was born and raised in golden state of California and came to Oregon to continue one of his many ventures in the realm of History and Academia.

Erik spends his time considering mysteries and writing music about things wonderful and terrible alike.

FREE
7 p.m., Three Friends Coffee House,
SE 12th and Ash, Portland, Oregon

Podcast: Download (Duration: 48:09 — 33.1MB)