Jess Sluder: Portland ex-pat produces art loved by parents and kids alike

When I met Jess Sluder at a Park City snowboarding video premiere around six years ago, I had no idea young Mr. Sluder had art skills. What I did know was that he wanted to hone his writing craft and move back to Portland, a place he called home while snowboarding was the focus of his life. Instead of making it back to PDX, however, life took him on a different path to LA where he found work at cosmobrandlab, an apparel design and production boutique. This is where his long-buried artistic voice started speaking to him.

Sluder says of his move to Venice Beach: "I found a part of me that had been hiding for a while. I began revisiting things that made me happy when I was a kid, which was to lace up my Converse, ride my bike, and draw.”

One look at Jess' art will awaken the kid in you, too. In fact, these pieces make wonderful additions to kids' rooms. Jess has gained quite a following for his art, but the prices are still manageable for parents on a budget (prints start at $45).

Jess was one of a handful of artists chosen to develop a limited edition pillow with fashion garment maker Andrew Sebastian, highlighted recently in Radar Magazine. My personal favorite (and my toddler's) being the owl guy.

One more reason to check out Mr. Sluder's goods is that art may be good for kids' brains. While scientists still debate whether art has measurable impact, get this: In a 2008 study, a report called “Learning, Arts, and the Brain” was released, and several studies in the report suggested that training in the arts might be related to improvements in math or reading skills. Close to home, a University of Oregon team, headed by U of O psychologist Michael Posner observed the brain activity of children four to seven years old while they worked on computerized exercises intended to mimic the attention–focusing qualities of engaging in art. The researchers concluded that the arts can train children’s attention, which in turn improves cognition. The Dana Foundation reported: "Michael Posner argues that when children find an art form that sustains their interest, the subsequent strengthening of their brains’ attention networks can improve cognition more broadly."

Check out Jess' art on the slideshow while it's hot, and at his site. All images in the Gallery section are available as a print on textury Somerset paper, starting at $45.