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Ground Score Studios is where artist members of our association come together to share space and ideas in the creation of art and social commentary.  What began as a small shared sewing space, Ground Score Studios has evolved into a program where crafters, painters, videographers, musicians, and other artists create and show their art, and collectively organize regular exhibits in our gallery space (34 NW Broadway).  These exhibits, which often collaborate with other organizations and artists, are normally held the first Thursday of every month, from 5-7pm.  They usually carry messages about social and environmental justice issues and the challenges that our workers and the waste picking community face in accessing decent livelihoods, and in managing waste, in today’s society of rising economic disparity, homelessness, and job insecurity.

 

The studio supports extremely low barrier income opportunities for creatives, while creating space for a community that lends courage to people to show and sell their work. 

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"One Hundred Homes" (pictured on the right) was handmade by Rickey Linden, Milo Mattern, Beck Jaquez, Becky L., and other workers. They made this giant, beautiful canopy entirely from broken tents diverted from the landfill!​​

One Hundred Homes, a giant hand sewn canopy made at Ground Score out of broken tent materials diverted from the landfill, out on a sunny day in Portland, Oregon with the sun shining through the different colored parts of it--reds, greens, blues, whites, grays, and more!

 

 

Many of the art pieces exhibited highlight "ground scores" that workers have found in the streets, including during their G.L.I.T.T.E.R. shifts.

Clothing waste collected by our G.L.I.T.T.E.R. program is laundered at Ground Score or Hygiene4All for washing and redistribution, and non-reusable clothes are sent for rag-making. Some textile waste such as broken tent material is upcycled through Ground Score Studios.  Photo of upcycled bookmarks below right by Becky L.

Photo showing multiple pieces handmade of upcycled blue denim on display at Ground Score’s First Thursday event. On the left is a small rack with two pieces on hangers, both of which appear to be medium or large handbags; the one on the left is solid medium blue with jeans pockets and a darker strip on top, while the one on the right is light blue with dark elements that resemble hair, eyes, and a nose and medium blue elements that resemble eyebrows. The piece on display on the wall to the right of the handbags appears to be a small denim quilt with a checkerboard pattern of medium and dark blue that includes two circles and wavy patterns on the top and bottom. This piece has a large light-colored question mark sewn over it. Right behind it as the background on the wall is a large, shiny blue tapestry showing an underwater image. The room is dimly lit except for two long blue lights placed below the pieces.
Photo of a BIPOC Ground Score G.L.I.T.T.E.R. worker in black clothing, a red cap, black gloves, and a blue vest holding a black disposable trash bag in her right hand (left side of image) and a broom in her left hand (right side of image). The is looking slightly down, and the bill of her cap is covering her eyes. She is walking along a paved area. There is a group of people in warm weather gear gathered in the background, plus a graffiti-style mural on a wall behind them in Portland, Oregon.
Photo showing broken tent fabric in various colors sewn into a sheet that resembles a collage or mosaic. In front of that sheet are about a dozen upcycled bookmarks made from those same pieces of tent fabric sewn together and cut into rectangles. These projects are on a wooden table with a large white surface red grid lines used for sewing projects. There are two perpendicular strips of blue tape placed along two lines. This table is located inside the Ground Score warehouse in Portland, Oregon.
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Ground Score tables at events including monthly at our First Thursday Art Gallery and Crafts Fair. There, you can view, and in many cases purchase, various items handmade by Ground Score workers out of materials diverted from the landfill. To order items, contact Taylor Cass Talbott at Taylor[at]groundscoreassociation[dot]org 

Photo taken inside Ground Score’s denim-themed First Thursday Art Gallery showing two displays with a window behind them. The display on the right is a handmade dress made from strips of denim in various shades of blue. The display on the left consists of a series of plants in small pots on a table that have been rescued from the landfill, most of which have been dyed using reused waste such as bubble wrap. Among them is a bouquet of white and light purple flowers inside an old green glass soda bottle; there is a second similar bouquet inside a green bottle underneath the table as well. A light is plugged into an outlet under the table next to that bouquet. In the window are numerous ribbons, ornaments, and similar hanging pieces made of denim.
Close-up photo of Ground Score merchandise table showing various items handmade by Ground Score workers, including zip-up pouches made of diverted broken tent material, felt toy bats, and bracelets. There are also magnets and stickers with the Ground Score logo and with a design hand-drawn by a Ground Score worker.
A photo of a light brown, short-haired puppy looking at the camera with cute black eyes with fabric swatches & yard around it at Ground Score’s Sewing Program
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Our Ground Score Studios work is made possible through the support of the Plastic Solutions Fund, a sponsored project of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors.

​Find us: 

624 NW Couch Street, Portland, OR 97209

Email us:

hello@groundscoreassociation.org

Ground Score Association’s EIN is

33-2607524

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