Words and Pictures

  In this extended (and unexpurgated) conversation with cartoonist Roz Chast, we spend an extra 15 minutes with the bestselling author who inspired The New Yorker’s David Remnick to say: “She’s got a very recognizable style of squiggly lines and neurotic characters.” Roz'... Read more

  Harrod Blank is a hero of underground culture, taking the prankster spirit to the world of documentary film.  His mother was the erotic ceramicist Gail Perrin Blank and his father was legendary director Les Blank, known for his filmic studies of ethnomusicology.  Harrod ... Read more

  Independent animator Signe Baumane has directed multiple short films and two feature films, Rocks in My Pockets and My Love Affair With Marriage.  Now touring the Pacific Northwest, My Love Affair With Marriage follows the misadventures of Zelma, whose 23-year quest for ... Read more

  In 2013, award-winning political cartoonist Matt Bors founded the website The Nib, dedicated to comics journalism.  After a decade of publishing non-fiction comics from around the globe, Matt is saying goodbye to The Nib. S.W. Conser talks with Matt about the history of ... Read more

  The Gorge Impact Film Festival is an environmentally-themed event that's making its premiere this November in Hood River, Oregon, featuring independent films, speakers, and workshops. S.W. Conser previews the festival with three of its organizers.  Alan Hickenbottom is ... Read more

  Portland's reputation as a hub for independent animation gains new stature in a documentary from British filmmaker Martin Cooper.  In History, Mystery, and Odyssey, Martin profiles six iconic Portland animators: Rose Bond, Chel White, Joanna Priestley, Jim Blashfield, Jo... Read more

  In this extended conversation with British filmmaker Martin Cooper and independent animators Rose Bond, Joanna Priestley, and Joan Gratz, we take a deeper dive into Portland's reputation as a hub for independent animation. History, Mystery, and Odyssey is Martin's most ... Read more