Art + Culture

When my editor at Condé Nast Traveler asked me to write an "On the Ground" guide to Portland (Oregon), of course I said yes. The challenge was fitting all I had to say into 4 pages of the magazine. And even though I've called this city home for 16 years now, I uncovered some new-to-me spots (and reminders) from other locals like Patrick Leonard, Kimiko Matsuda, and Gregory Gourdet.

Michael Curry (PNCA class of ’81) is best known for his work designing the masks and puppets for The Lion King, in collaboration with Julie Taymor. But he’s also designed costumes and puppets for everything from Las Vegas shows to Taylor Swift’s Eras tour. At Michael Curry Design, his 55,000 square foot workshop in Scappoose, Oregon, he and 63 employees work repair well-worn costumes and tinker on designing new ones. Over half of his team studied as fine artists, as he himsel