Valentines Day Plywerk: The deadline to receive your Plywerk by Valentines day has passed and normal turnaround times now apply. Gift certificates are available for same day email delivery!
A Brief History In Portland...
Plywerk began in the dark, damp recesses of Kim Nguyen's and Kjell van Zoen's basement in Northwest Portland. Kim, a photographer, needing to mount a photo, grabbed a piece of discarded plywood from the aforementioned dark, cold--really just plain dreary--basement and glued a photo to it. A light bulb beamed from atop the self-professed frugal entrepreneur Kjell's head, temporarily blinding his wife Kim. But from that one piece of disposable wood, a sustainable Ma and Pa business was formed.
They began selling their modern artisanal and earth friendly wares at local art walks, moving up to the big time of the Portland Saturday Market. There they met like-minded artists and together they succeeded in opening up a co-op shop of their very own called Splurge on Lower Fremont.
Since their claustrophobic basement (it was seriously a small basement) beginnings in 2006, Plywerk has grown in size and demand. By adding friend and colleague Johnny Zeigler in 2007, Plywerk continues its desire to branch out to not only fill the demand for their product, but to strengthen their bond with other Portland artists and businesses. They are part of this local economy and know that their growth means the growth of their partners and their community.
The Plywerk Peeps
Kim Oanh Nguyen / muse
Kim Nguyen is an award-winning photojournalist and art photographer based in Portland, Oregon. And she has an awesome middle name that, coincidentally enough, means "Awesome" in Lao.
Born in Laos, Kim immigrated with her family to the United States in 1980. Picking up her first camera, a Olympus OM-2, at the age of 13, Kim spent the majority of her teen years learning, saying the words "like" and "OMG!" too many times, experimenting, and honing her photography skills using her 80-year-old grandmother as her inspiration and for hugs.
Graduating from the University of Oregon School of Journalism in 1996, Kim has spent the last decade as a freelance photojournalist and art photographer for several regional newspapers, national magazines, and websites.
As a de facto native Portlander, Kim continues to explore the Willamette Valley and the world capturing striking and thought-provoking images of people and places that encourage and promote beauty and cross-cultural understanding.
Kjell van Zoen / director
Kjell van Zoen is a jack-of-all-trades and a frugal entrepreneur.
Born in the Netherlands to a Dutch father and English mother, Kjell grew up in both countries, confused about what he liked better: coffee or tea. He dreamed of following in his father footsteps and becoming a pilot, but with less than perfect vision-and a horrible fear of flying-this dream was silenced at the tender age of 17. Not deterred by this setback, Kjell ventured out in this big old world in search of his destiny.
In the eight years following, Kjell founded, financed and ran a PC/Video Game store and a freelance web-design business in the United Kingdom, followed by a literary publishing house in the Netherlands which highlighted up and coming authors.
In 2004, he was drawn to leave the misty English Channel to experience America, taking root in perennially sunny Portland, Oregon. Within weeks of arriving in the Northwest, Kjell fell in love with both Kim (please see above) and Portland. The damp and eclectic city has provided him with the rich cultural foundation that he has always striven to surround himself with.
With all that he's done, Kjell's number one childhood conflict remains unsolved: coffee or tea. It's hard to be Dutch-English, my friends.
Johnny Zeigler / conductor
Johnny joined the Plywerk family in 2007.
Born and raised in the Bay Area, Johnny graduated from California College of the Arts in Oakland, California in 2003 with a BFA in Printmaking and soon found himself lured away from the hacky sack loving, gluten free eating, bike riding Bay to find his current home in the hacky sack loving, gluten free eating, bike riding Northwest.
When not creating the clean and sharp presentations that Plywerk is known for, Johnny can be found playing keyboards in his band, Strength (communitydisco.com), a disco/rock three-piece. He loves the keyboard but dreams of one day becoming an accomplished Keytar player, beloved throughout the world and elsewhere.
it's easy being green
We hate to speak out in opposition of a Muppet, but it's actually very easy to be green. Even self-absorbed artists (not that we are or know any that are, obviously) are taking pains to be earth friendly to our little planet. And we at Plywerk are doing the same.
We use environmentally friendly and sustainable materials whenever possible; always recycle and use alternative energy sources. These aren't just hippie Northwest terms to us. They're a way of life.
Retail Locations
Splurge Artists Boutique
1323 NE FremontPortland, Or 97212
503.288.7770
www.splurgeportland.com
Portland Saturday Market
108 W Burnside StPortland, OR 97209
503.222.6072
www.portlandsaturdaymarket.com
