We were lucky to catch up with Rachael Harms Mahlandt recently and have shared our conversation below.

Rachael, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.

A risk I’ve taken was to install a space in my yard for passersby to enjoy. I started by adding a Dinosaur Diorama (called a Dinorama) and then added the Dino Exchange followed by a book swap for itty bitty books. Later I added an even smaller book exchange, another two dioramas, an informational stand all about bees and an exchange for mugs. When I share about these installations I often hear ‘Aren’t you worried about your spot being damaged?’ or ‘I could never do that here, someone would just take it all.’ That was definitely a hesitation of mine but I’m so glad I didn’t let it hold me back. My installations and working with a friend to make a map to places like this in our city of Portland, Oregon has lead to some incredible life experiences. I’ve met so many unbelievably kind and creative people, had folks visit from all over the world, and now know that many more spaces like this exist because people were inspired by the movement here in Portland.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

My name is Rachael Harms Mahlandt and I’m an artist living in Portland, Oregon. My passion is spreading the word about a movement we have here we’re calling Sidewalk Joy. Folks here are turning their curb gardens, front-yards, and fences into public, community spaces. We have a plethora of exchanges (like Little Free Libraries but for other things) such as Toy Exchanges, Puzzle Libraries, Plant and Seed Swaps, Mug Exchanges and more! My friend who runs PDXFLAG and I created a map to these installations around Portland, Oregon and this past summer I expanded the map to worldwide! Some of these places have already been around for years and some were inspired by seeing a spot in Portland!

I also love to add whimsy to the world for folks who are looking for it such as installing tiny doors with paintings behind them around town, hiding my tiny pottery for folks to stumble upon, painting fairy feet on my sidewalk and more.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

A lesson I had to unlearn is to wait to put something into the world until it’s perfect. If I had waited until my installations had no mistakes then I’d still be waiting. I learned to build during the pandemic and I’m learning still everyday but I am confident that those who stop by to enjoy my Sidewalk Joy spots aren’t judging the slant of the roof or a misplaced panel. They’re delighted that something is there to enjoy. I can always iterate and make new versions of my installations based on how they do with toddlers, the weather, etc. But now I work hard to not wait to put things out in the world!

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

Before the pandemic I was working as a marketing professional but with two very young kids in quarantine, I had to take a step back from my career. I found other ways to earn some income while keeping my spirits hight and that’s when I rediscovered a lot of my artistic and entrepreneurial side. I’ve gotten to make furniture for preschools, edit podcasts, create websites for small businesses and more. Taking on these varied challenges has helped round out my skill set and given me more confidence to tackle each new project.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://pdxdinorama.com
• Instagram: pdxdinorama
• Facebook: pdxdinorama
• Twitter: pdxdinorama
• Youtube: pdxdinorama

Image Credits

Rachael Harms Mahlandt