Forest for the Trees is a public mural project based in the Pacific Northwest with the goal of engaging the community in the process of art-making. In the summer of 2013, various contemporary artists from around the globe visited Portland to collaborate with local artists for one week. Over the course of this week, the entire creative process was shared with the creative community and the entirety of Portland as outdoor murals emerged around the city.

Taken from the old adage “can’t see the forest for the trees”, FFTTNW intends to broaden appreciation for the creativity that surrounds us. For Band, this project is an ongoing favorite because it allows us to collaborate with a number of the visiting artists and get out from behind the desk and put some paint on walls. We are honored to have had the ability to work on FFTT since its inception.

As the festival progressed, we also had the chance to paint some walls. One wall was a collaboration between Zach, LA-based Madsteez and our pal Gage; the second with local artist Blaine Fontana and Tokyo’s Jun Inoue. Check out some of the painting progress here.
All of the artists’ process was beautifully catalogued by the public and the artists’ own observances with the hashtag #ffttnw, check it out here.