PDX Carpet Memorialized as a High-Quality Print

Monday, November 24, 2014

Emily Goldman, GoLocalPDX Contributor

Image Credit: PDX Prints (cropped)

For over 20 years, the iconic PDX carpet has been one of Portland's most evocative symbols. Now with the ongoing removal and replacement of the PDX carpet, brothers Peter and Sam Smith along with their good friend Kelly Rupp decided to commemorate the carpet by creating a 16" x 20" print titled "PDX Carpet Farewell".

In the fall of 2013, the Port of Portland announced they would be ripping out the Portland PDX carpet beginning in the winter of 2014 and replacing it with a new design. Removal has officially begun and is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2015.

All three creators are Portland natives who became friends at the University of Oregon and individually migrated down to San Francisco. This past summer while having coffee, they started talking about how each of them were missing Portland, which led to a discussion about the PDX carpet. "For all three of us, the carpet has come to symbolize being home," said Peter Smith.

Out of this conversation grew a desire to create an object that would not only commemorate the carpet's removal, but would make people feel as though they were in possession of a piece of Portland. "We want people to feel as though someone has put some thought into creating this poster," he added.

The prints officially debuted online in October with a limited, 30-print run, all of which are numbered. The three creators plan on print more if demand rises.

The print joins a plethora of items created in the same commemorative vein, including sock s, T-shirts, iPhone cases, and bike helmets.

You can currently purchase a PDX Carpet print HERE.

Photo Credit: The Carpet at Portland Airport via Facebook