I never expected to be amazed when I was asked if I wanted to tour a unique location called Past Lives. Showing up at the under assuming building off SE 9th and Powell didn’t give me a sense of what I was about to find inside. Having trouble getting in the front door with a passcode, in which everyone associated with Past Lives has 24/7/365 access to, but apparently not our inviter, the group of us from OHOM walked around the building and entered through the back door (still passcoded for building maintenance) and the loading dock to meet Morlock, the founder of Past Lives for our tour. 

What we found within those walls was something no words can describe. Every square inch of the 26,000 sq feet of building is being used for what can only be said as makerspace of art, projects and so much more. With over a dozen guilds and many more individual artist and craftsmanship the conglomerate has turned to family. I see so much space for collaboration between many artists from all walks of life with many skills, and skill sets. These artists and members provide workshops and classes for others to learn and grow, even you can attend one of their classes as a non-member.

Founder Morlock spent 5 years in an Oregon prison, spending a brief time in Open Hearts Open Minds group dialog circle at Two Rivers Correctional Institution. Morlock mentions his dream was to create a place where the formerly incarcerated could get a shot at renewal while learning a trade and earning a fair wage. He has done just that by founding Past Lives in 2020. Although Past Lives is open to all, his passion is to help those coming out of prison. And even those still in with their Prison Outreach Guild showcasing artwork from those still incarcerated.

Although Past Lives was initially funded and is still being funded by Glenn Dahl, Dave Dahl’s brother and co-founder of Dave’s Killer Bread, Morlock is looking to move into the non-profit sector with the Past Lives organization and hopefully grow with additional funding.  So if you can help or know someone who can I am sure Morlock would love to talk with you. I know I loved seeing all the creativity and skill within those walls and I’m so excited to see this budding organization grow.

Past Lives has both a construction department and a store of crafted wares, but also hosts special events and open mic nights. The construction department designs, builds, constructs and remodels. They draw from the in-house Past Lives network of local artists and craftspeople to create one-of-a-kind designs. If you need any specialty work or just want quality work done, Past Lives is the place to go. And if you are an artist looking to expand your skills, knowledge and be a part of something this is the place you belong.

By Josh Underhill
OHOM Board President