Ricky Bearghost

Ricky (Richard) Bearghost was born on March 6, 1964 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. He learned how to weave as a member of Project Grow and is an active visual artist at Portland Art & Learning Studios. His early weavings were markedly traditional and usually small, created using a lap loom and colorful yarn. He finished his weaving by painting the back side of the textile, a signature effect that is still incorporated in his works today.

Bearghost’s interest in neighborhood cleanup intersected his artistic process in the fall and winter of 2015. In a moment of serendipity, he had exhausted his yarn supply and turned to the bucket of collected debris that contained bailing twine, corn husks and leaves. Gradually he added to his work electric colored plastic pony beads, which are woven alongside found buttons, soda tabs, and reclaimed pieces of jewelry. His work often reflects the seasonal flora at the time of creation and Bearghost’s penchant to harvest and preserve the natural beauty surrounding him in the Pacific Northwest.