“The Black radical tradition requires an ongoing and persistent cultivation of the Black radical imagination. It is within the spaces of imagination, the dream spaces, that liberatory practices are born and grow, leading to the space to act and to transform.”
—Charlene Carruthers, Unapologetic: A Black, Queer, and Feminist Mandate for Radical Movements
2025 Events
OPEN STUDIO
Free studio time for artists and crafters. Bring your own materials and your own project, and use our space and tools. Only 2 to 3 people per session, so space is very limited.
The Nina Simone Creative Studio at Imagine Black's Center for Black Radical Imagination in Oldtown Portland is opening its doors for free open studio hours. This is a time and space for artists and crafters to work on their own projects.
What you'll have access to:
Private studio tables, so you can spread out
A heavy-duty sewing machine (Singer Heavy Duty 4411)
A heat press for anything that needs to be ironed on
A Cricut Venture machine, with support from our staff, if you bring your own materials
We have 12 open studio days to choose from; sign up for more than one!
What to bring
Bring your own materials!
Intro to Sewing & Mending 101
Learn sewing machine basics in a hands-on workshop led by Jocelyn Rice. No experience needed. Limited to 10 people.
Join us for Intro to Sewing and Mending 101, a hands-on workshop led by Jocelyn Rice. Participants will learn sewing machine basics, including machine setup, threading, operation, and foundational stitches. You'll practice your stitching techniques on pre-cut scrap fabric, so you can build confidence without worrying about making mistakes.
You'll learn:
Machine setup (Singer Heavy Duty 4411 sewing machine)
Threading
Operating the machine
Foundational stitches
This workshop is part of our textile reuse work, where community members learn to sew, mend, and give reclaimed materials a second life.
What to bring
Just bring yourself.
How to Make a Tote Bag
Turn reclaimed fabric into a functional, double sided tote bag in a hands-on workshop led by Jocelyn Rice. Limited to 10 people.
Join us for How to Make a Tote Bag, a hands-on workshop led by Jocelyn Rice. Participants will apply foundational sewing skills to create a functional double sided tote bag using reclaimed or repurposed textiles. Along the way, you’ll be introduced to basic measuring, cutting, construction, and sewing techniques, and you’ll leave with a bag you made yourself.
You’ll learn:
Basic measuring and cutting
Construction techniques
Sewing techniques for building a durable, double sided tote
How to give reclaimed textiles a second life
This workshop is part of our textile reuse work, where community members learn to sew, mend, and transform reclaimed materials into everyday items and art.
What to bring
Just bring yourself.
How to Make a Fashion Durag
Sew your own fashion durag in a hands-on workshop that blends creative expression with practical textile skills. Limited to 10 people.
Join us for How to Make a Fashion Durag, a hands-on workshop where you’ll apply your sewing skills to create a durag of your own. You’ll learn basic pattern, cutting, construction, and finishing techniques, and you’ll leave with a piece you made yourself.
This workshop emphasizes creative expression alongside practical textile construction skills, so come ready to make something that’s yours.
You’ll learn:
Basic pattern techniques
Cutting
Construction
Finishing techniques
This workshop is part of our textile reuse work, where community members learn to sew, mend, and transform materials into everyday items and art.
How to Make Artistic Quilts
Explore quilting as a creative textile practice using reclaimed fabrics, and make something that’s all your own. Limited to 10 people.
Join us for Artistic Quilts, a hands-on workshop where you’ll explore quilting as a creative textile practice using reclaimed and repurposed pre-cut fabrics. You’ll be introduced to basic patchwork, composition, piecing, and sewing techniques, with plenty of room for your own artistic expression.
You’ll learn:
Basic patchwork
Composition
Piecing
Sewing techniques
This workshop is part of our textile reuse work, where community members learn to sew, mend, and give reclaimed materials a second life.