WHAT IS CHURCH OF ART?
In-person art-making & community building for adults who want a fun and unique way to hang out and meet new friends.
The idea for Church of Art was borne out of Erika’s dream for a relaxing creative space where people could gather, make art, and forge real friendships. 2024’s election outcome added urgency to the need for safe, supportive spaces, places where people can find moments of solace and joy in the company of others. Church of Art is one of those spaces in beautiful Portland, Oregon.
NOT A CULT (YET)
Located in NW Portland, Oregon’s Slabtown neighborhood, Church of Art is an art-centered approach to community building. We offer low-pressure art hangs for adults who want to play with art supplies alongside other adults–in person–with snacks.
WHO ARE WE FOR?
Whether you are re-claiming childhood creativity, a professional artist, or something in between: come as you are, make some art, and walk away with that sweet feeling of personal connection.
Church of Art attracts kind, curious, creative, easy-going adults who are interested in building a supportive art-centric community with a side of plucky resistance to authoritarian rule. If that sounds like you, then we are so glad you found us!
There’s no critique and no need to consider yourself an artist. If you have visual art skills to share, awesome! If you have questions about art supplies or techniques, ask away. We are for everyone, we are for art!
While art hangs for teens could be in Church of Art’s future, for now we offer a place for grown-ups to hang out with other grown-ups.
All you need to do is show up and be nice!
What do you get? Something cool that you created, a sense of calm and joy, and that sweet feeling of in-person, human connection. And if you keep showing up, you’ll be a part of building and growing this lovely community!
BUT, WAIT: IS THERE A CHURCH?
If “church” means a raw, industrial space with huge windows, shelves of art supplies, a paint-stained floor, a place for coffee and tea, joyful music, lots of natural light, and plenty of tables and chairs, then yes, there’s a church:
1801 NW Upshur St.
Suite 310
Portland OR 97209
This permanent space is new to us as of November 2025, so bear with us as we get ready to keep our doors open most days of the week with a regular schedule for drop-in creativity and many more workshops and events.
Eventually Church of Art will offer monthly memberships including such perks as the chance to share your work in regular pop-up gallery shows that will be open to the public.
Sign up for an upcoming workshop (or two or three) and join our mailing list to stay in the loop about our upcoming events.
We look forward to getting creative with you!
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Click to learn more About Erika
My name is Erika Halperin and I’m a Canadian-born, self-taught visual artist and illustrator living in the Pacific Northwest. I learned to draw and paint as a child, sitting alongside my mother—a prolific watercolor artist—and sold my first piece of artwork as a teenager. I hold both an MBA in Management as well as a Master of Fine Arts. With a lifetime of art-making plus over 20 years of project management and consulting experience, I’m equal parts problem solver, community builder, and creative-thinking strategist.
My specialty is designing and delivering custom workshops that are fun and engaging. Whether it’s a visual art focused social event or a problem solving workshop to address a unique business challenge, my goal is to foster curiosity and interpersonal connections while inspiring out-of-the-box thinking.
Past clients include: Genentech, Lonza, PepsiCo, FritoLay, FedEx, Meijer, Gordon Food Service, GameStop, Zimmer Biomet, Western Union, Denver Mattress, The Anschutz Corporation, Charles Schwab, and many others.
