Portland Digital Dabblers: Art, Animation and Tech Socials

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https://digitaldabblers.com/product/monthly

WHAT IS DIGITAL ART?
Digital art can be understood as any artistic work or practice that uses digital technology as part of the creative or presentation process. There are also many types of "digital" art besides drawing or painting! If you're a screenwriter, podcaster, electric guitar player, algorithmic artist, photographer, digital scrapbooker, printmaker, video editor, game designer, digital marketer, or even a traditional artist looking to get into digital, please join us!

OUR CULTURE:
This group has a zero tolerance policy for harassment or discrimination of any kind. We are also queer positive, and accept all newcomers with love and respect. My two biggest pet peeves in life are bullies and people that make you feel unwelcome. SO that means I am fiercely protective of this group and the community we serve. People join seeking many different things: art therapy, a safe space to share their work, a fun group to laugh and grow with, etc. Any individuals who show signs of disrespect, or who pose a risk to this culture, will (and have been) removed.

For anyone interested in joining as an assistant organizer, you have my full support and backing. Any wacky ideas are fair game plus if you run into any troublemakers you can direct them to chat with me! I have hosted/attended nearly 400 Meetup events since starting July of 2021 and can't begin to describe how much these experiences have positively impacted my life and helped me understand what makes a Meetup group successful. The Dabblers will live on :)

ABOUT:
Welcome to the Digital Dabblers Community! Where digital creatives meet for in-person and online socials, workshops and classes. Our focus is to remove the stigma from the art making process for anyone who has a desire to express themselves and is looking for that extra bit of motivation to get started and keep going. We are welcoming to anyone at any perceived skill/experience level from "I think I can't draw" or "digital is too technical" all the way up to "I'm currently working in industry." Wherever you are at in your journey, this community welcomes you with love, support, acceptance, and friendship above all else.

We focus on promoting the use of free and open source software like Blender, Krita, Audacity, Inkscape, GIMP, LibreOffice, and more. This way barriers to entry are low and anyone with a device can start learning for free!

Don't have a device?? No problem! We have a loaner drawing tablet or laptop loaded up with all the best software for people to play around with 😃.

All it takes to build a community of empowered and engaged digital artists is YOU! Imagine if the group expanded to a point where we could collaborate and create real independent films, or launch someone's career as a freelancer or filmmaker? The possibilities are endless but it all starts with sharing a dream, creating a culture of respect and openness while making events casual, fun and challenging!

So who is a good fit in this community? Respect and engagement are the two most critical keys to successful membership. This means nobody walks in with an ego and talks down to anyone, and people RSVP and show up! Anyone interested in growing skills and confidence in digital art or just simply to hangout, this is your group!

Events fall into 3 major categories:

1. Socials: movie nights, meet and make, hangout and talk, etc. :)

2. Workshops: these are makers sessions where we will focus on a specific topic or theme and on a limited basis I will offer workshops on the the various free and open source multi-media apps for artists. Most classes will have a suggested donation, while others with a guest speaker may have a fee.
3. Special events: Yearly member celebration, Halloween Party, etc!

NOTE: If you're wondering what the heck "open source" means, or any of this sounds technical, you're a traditional artist and you feel intimidated by the aspect of meeting other artists at varying skill levels, using technology, etc., then please come explore with us, bring your own perspective and reach out with questions. We are excited to meet you!