8 hours with Christine Do & Bryan Schuldt in Portland
Last month, we visited Christine and Bryan in Portland, Oregon.
Their day began with a cup of coffee and breakfast together in the kitchen before going their separate ways for work. While Bryan, a visual designer, works primarily from home, Christine, a photographer, is often traveling to different parts of the city on assignment. Time operates differently for the two, as Bryan’s work requires working on Australian time, and Christine, whose photography often centers on food and restaurant culture, needs to follow the timelines of her subjects. What brings them together, however, are their home and the city of Portland, in which they lived for 7 and 12 years respectively.
Every corner of Christine and Bryan’s home is filled with details of their lives, from photographs of their loved ones and travels to knickknacks that bring memories of fun times. Objects of inspiration surround their shared workspace and reveal to their visitors that their work is an extension of their personal interests and passions. As two art professionals whose lines of work could take them anywhere in the world, Christine and Bryan have chosen Portland for the sense of community that has long been the defining charm of the city. Portland is not a bustling city full of the newest and trendiest cultural events, but the place makes possible meaningful connections between people, and these relationships are what inspire Christine’s photographs and keep the two settled in Portland to pursue their art.
On the day that we visited, Christine and Bryan were able to grab lunch together, so we headed to a Vietnamese restaurant nearby. Over steaming bowls of pho and rice plate, they discussed the schedule for the rest of their day, which includes, most importantly, when they can take their dogs out for walks, a reprieve from their busy days. The night culminated in one of their favorite activities: playing pool. Portland may be rainy most of the year, but, as Bryan puts it, “It’s also the reason why this place is so vibrant and beautiful. Everything thrives here.”
