Meet Council Member Kendra Roberts

What do you love about your city and community?

My friends would all agree that art and family matter the most to me. I feel very fortunate and honored to be part of Blackfish Gallery, Portland’s longest-running artist-owned and operated gallery, where art and family coexist. Outside of my own art practice, my jam is facilitating opportunities for other artists to thrive. Blackfish allows me the platform to do just that, and within a unique environment where we consider ourselves a chosen, artful family.

What have you learned from failing? 

Failure is always hard. I experienced being laid off, never a pleasant experience, which became a huge catalyst for change. I moved to another city and recharged my life in ways could not have imagined. What I learned is that failure at one thing does not mean failure in everything, and that is a very important distinction. When something stops working, it is a wonderful opportunity for learning and growth. Those situations demand a closer look at yourself and how you might have contributed to whatever it was that failed. Once the sting wanes, introspection starts, and who knows where the next ideas can take you.

What drives your mission to amplify other artists while continuing your own creative work?

My parents like to tell the story about how I was making art before I could walk or talk. I am definitely doing what I was born do to, and I am fortunate to have had a supportive early family life. Neither of my parents are artists, however they understood the importance of experiencing art and culture. Admittedly, they were not keen on my pursuing art all by itself, so there were parameters around my undergraduate education. So I went to a liberal arts university where I majored in fine art and took advantage of two semesters off campus at an internship and a study-abroad program. I figured out a way to make those restrictions work in my favor and yet also kept the parents happy. At one point, my father told me I was too smart to be an artist, so I have centered my career around how to be a smart, strategic thinker/maker/doer in my mission to amplify the work artists are doing. His remark became a guiding light in my approach to this work. It is therefore, not surprising that I landed at Blackfish Gallery, founded by artists who make up their own rules about the kind of art they make and the ways in which it is presented. No one is telling these artists what to do and while there may be some parameters in place, as there usually are, they are rooted in their creative autonomy.

What brought you to CoDeCo?

I joined CDCL shortly after moving to Portland eight years ago, and this community is very special to me. I’ve had the honor of creating meaningful collaborations and friendships through our work in highlighting the power of design and how it touches all of our lives.

Do you have a favorite quote, book, podcast, or practice to share?

“I dwell in Possibility…” ~ Emily Dickinson.