{"id":606,"date":"2026-04-02T20:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-04-02T20:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/picsura.com\/?p=606"},"modified":"2026-04-02T20:00:00","modified_gmt":"2026-04-02T20:00:00","slug":"lettie-jane-rennekamp-thinks-in-shapes-and-layers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/picsura.com\/?p=606","title":{"rendered":"Lettie Jane Rennekamp thinks in shapes and layers"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Every few minutes, another freight train whistles and shrieks as it passes through the Gauntlet, a tangle of railroad tracks that divide the Central East Side industrial district, and runs adjacent to Urna Studios. The studio is a breathtaking (and historic) space that muralist Lettie Jane Rennekamp shares with fellow visual artists and educators Cole Lyons and Jolyn Frye.<\/p>\n
Despite the near-constant blaring of train horns, their shared space feels hypnotically calming.<\/p>\n
\u201cSomeone interested in history podcasts told me that this track is called the \u2018Gauntlet\u2019 because it\u2019s the longest pedestrian-accessible track in the United States,\u201d Rennekamp explained, gesturing toward Urna Studio\u2019s grand south-facing windows. The windows overlook not only the Gauntlet but also the psychedelic assemblage of Technicolor graffiti murals that decorate the area’s densely packed factory buildings. “I haven’t confirmed that.”<\/p>\n
Located on the site of the former John Deere headquarters in Portland (now a combination storage facility and art studio), Urna’s spacious two-story property features two wide open areas with huge windows that flood the space with natural light and plenty of room for messy creativity. <\/p>\n
This looks and feels like the perfect environment for the intuitive drawing and deeper drawing seminar art classes that Rennekamp conducts here. It seems like a great place to simply create. <\/p>\n
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\u201cI painted some small murals on window sills and around chicken coops at my house and friends\u2019 houses.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
Rennekamp is known for her teachings and artwork, including the Too Many Queens tarot deck and annual calendar, as well as her sophisticated, colorful, and illustrative murals. These include murals from businesses such as Scratch Meats, Seagrape Apothecary, and Dove Vivi Pizza, as well as murals within homes. <\/p>\n
Rennekamp’s mural work is influenced by the practice of printmaking, which she says has led her to “think in form and layers.” One of the murals adorning the kitchen\/dining room wall of a client’s home shows a sunset-hued forest landscape. A Greek bath-themed mural in another client’s boudoir is clean, classic, and refreshing. <\/p>\n
\u201cI am faced with a conflict between fine art and illustration,\u201d she says. “While my style can be described as illustrative in that I depict figures in a stylized manner, my intent often feels like I’m trying to convey a big idea.”<\/p>\n
“That sounds pretty flashy, but art is flashy,” Rennekamp says with a laugh.<\/p>\n
A graduate of both the Rhode Island School of Design and the San Francisco School of Art, Rennekamp painted her first mural in college with a professor. A few years later, she began painting murals herself. \u201cI painted some small murals at my house and at friends\u2019 houses on windowsills and around chicken coops.\u201d <\/p>\n
For most residential murals, Rennekamp takes two months to complete from start to finish, but she says the length of time depends on the project. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe offer a free site visit to figure out how to install the mural and hear what the client is interested in,\u201d she says. \u201cI usually take measurements at that point and base my bid on those measurements.\u201d <\/p>\n
The design process typically takes about a month. Two weeks and two revisions are spent on the initial idea. Rennekamp sketches ideas on an iPad and shares them with clients. Small murals can take anywhere from 1 to 3 weeks to install depending on complexity and whether you can work for long hours. <\/p>\n
Rennekamp’s operation is self-contained. She doesn’t ask for any leeway from her clients, other than having space to work. <\/p>\n
In Rennekamp’s words, the mural’s clients are “creative people,” including many former students. “I’m much more sensitive when I’m having a conversation with someone about what they want. It could be something very specific, like a dog or a plant, or ‘I have this rug that I like, can you use it?'” she says. <\/p>\nLettie Jane Rennekamp Mural <\/span>Introducing Nester: Maker <\/span>(Courtesy of Lettie Jane Rennekamp) <\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
“That’s interesting to me. I move artwork around the house all the time, but they can never move this one.”<\/p>\n
Of course, clients can also paint murals or sell their homes. Last year, one of Rennekamp’s clients commissioned a second mural for his home. \u201cI later heard that it had been sold and is now an AirBnB, but the mural is still there.\u201d <\/p>\n
Rennekampf’s artistic practice includes many other components, including teaching, fine art painting, and printmaking. But the hands-on, collaborative nature of mural-making offers a special kind of satisfaction. <\/p>\n
\u201cI grew up on a farm and worked in restaurants, and I love doing things with my hands,\u201d Renkamp says. \u201cMurals give me a sense of satisfaction.\u201d <\/p>\n
Realization: Paint the walls (or plan)<\/b><\/h3>\n
Color literacy and consulting<\/u><\/p>\n
Do you want to beautify your walls but can’t even choose a color? maggie may<\/b>A former architectural designer in Portland, he teaches color literacy to help people feel more comfortable thinking about color. Her courses include hands-on exercises that focus on learning about color and incorporating concepts from science, art, history, and psychology. Maggio welcomes artists and non-artists, as well as designers and non-designers who want to become more comfortable working with and talking about color. Maggio’s course, offered through Portland Community College’s Community Education Program, costs $95 plus a $15 fee. maggiemaggio.com; pcc.edu\/community <\/p>\n
lively manners<\/b>is a Portland interior design consulting firm run by Brandi Katherine Herrera. We offer interior design services, custom color scheme and palette development, paint color and wallpaper selection, interior styling, on-site shopping assistance, or just a “gut check” to discuss your ideas. Get started by scheduling a free 30-minute consultation. Other services start at $200. lively manners.com<\/p>\n\n
Nester, Makers Edition magazine is free and distributed throughout Portland. <\/b>You can find it at these locations.<\/b> Do you like nesters? save date <\/b>nest fest<\/b>bringing the magazine to life with our Fall 2026 event.<\/b><\/p>\n<\/div>\n