Share-It Square’s annual street repainting was June first this year

Oregon’s first painted intersection won a state award – and has been followed, since then, by many more such street murals, in Portland and elsewhere.

But that first one was in Sellwood – at the intersection of S.E. 9th Avenue and Sherrett Street. And once a year it is refreshed with new paint and a brand new design, done by the neighbors and their friends. This year the date for it was Saturday, June 1 – and THE BEE was there.

More than fifty neighbors of all ages gathered with paints and brushes to change the street painting from last year’s Pizza shape to this year’s image of a “Sharing Tree” – with roots connected to the neighborhood. The design was selected by local residents in a series of neighborhood potluck parties.

Neighborhood artist Mieka Hopps sketched out the design that was posted on the square’s bulletin board for easy reference. This year’s organizers were Sarah Heath, Daria Matza, and Heather Katcher. In order to save a bit on paint, the design was downsized a little – and the chevrons and lines leading in from side streets toward the center were shrunk a bit further and painted in muted colors.

The themes in this year’s design were peace, the ripple effect we have on each other, and our connections with the earth through trees. The design included a variety of fruits and flowers among the tree branches, and the “ripple effect” was completed with blue outlines and white-painted “bricks” surrounding the central image. A teacup represented the center’s “Tea Station”.

Toward the end of the project, neighbor Mark Lakeman, of the Village Building Convergence – the person who originally created Share-It Square – brought a 14-foot step-ladder to assist the painters to see an aerial view of the work. After completing the street painting for another year, neighbors went home to clean up and prepare for the neighborhood evening potluck at the end of the day.