SUPPORT THE NEST

Help keep our creative home alive

Dear Community,

I’m Debbie Baxter — creator of The Nest Project and owner of Blackbird Studio. In the past six months we’ve grown rapidly: we installed an exhibition at the Patricia Reser Center for the Arts with collaborators including the City of Beaverton and the Beaverton Police Department, and secured a 2,000 sq ft studio in SE Portland — Blackbird Studio: home of The Nest Project.

We’re launching a new Nest cohort for survivors of sexual and domestic violence here in Portland and beginning a collaboration in Compton, CA to produce a body of work dedicated to lives and stories of the LA community. At Blackbird we’re designing a vibrant creative hub with installations, an art gallery, workshops, events, rentable studio space, and programs where people can freely express themselves and find belonging.

As we catch up with this rapid growth and expansion, we need the help of our friends and community to cover studio rent, fund our Nest cohorts and installations, and sustain Blackbird’s programs and operations.

We’re seeking sponsors, partners, and collaborators for upcoming projects and the studio start-up — there are many ways to get involved: sponsor a month or a project, provide in-kind support, book the studio, hire photography, buy art, attend or host events, or join our Nest and poetry nights. Please take a look at our offerings and spread the word.

Thank you for your support.

Sincerely,

Debbie Baxter

Current Ways to Experience The Nest Project and the art of Debbie Baxter

Experience art, storytelling, and community in a creative, welcoming space led by Debbie Baxter.
Each booking directly supports The Nest Project and the programs that help people find healing and belonging through art.

At Blackbird Studio, every event, portrait, and gathering is part of a larger vision — a space for creativity, healing, and connection. By participating, you’re not just booking a session or attending an event; you’re helping sustain a movement that honors art, story, and belonging.

In addition to the offerings below, I am currently seeking a cohort to build a 12ft. suspended multimedia Weaverbird installation at Blackbird. Contact me to get involved.

Nest Portraits — $550

What’s Included

  • 60‑minute in‑studio Nest portrait session

  • Styled guidance from Debbie Baxter (pose, concept, and nest‑themed direction)

  • 1–3 professionally edited, high‑resolution digital images

Book Now

Classic Portraits — $650

What’s Included

  • 60‑minute studio or outdoor session (families, seniors, headshots)

  • Professional posing and styling guidance

  • 10 professionally edited, high‑resolution digital images

Book Now

Nest & Poetry Night — $50

Second Friday of every month, 7:00–9:00 PM
Next session begins June 12

What’s Included

  • Guided nest‑building and poetry‑writing experience

  • Light refreshments and community sharing in a calm, supportive space

  • Leave with your own handwritten poem and handcrafted nest

Book Now

Open Mic Night — $20

Last Friday of every month
Doors 7:00 PM · Show 7:30 PM

What’s Included

  • Entry to an open‑mic night featuring poetry, music, spoken word, and short sets

  • Supportive community atmosphere with light refreshments

  • Chance to sign up for a performance slot (limited; first‑come at check‑in

Ticket

Sponsorship Opportunities

At Blackbird Studio and The Nest Project, art and storytelling are more than creative acts — they’re pathways to healing, connection, and community.
Our growing programs depend on the generosity of friends, partners, and organizations who believe in the power of creativity to transform lives.

Your sponsorship directly sustains our work — from trauma‑informed art workshops and survivor support cohorts to large‑scale installations and free community events.

Sponsor One Month of Studio Rental — $3,000

What This Covers

  • Full monthly rent for Blackbird Studio (2,000 sq ft) to keep programming and operations running

  • Supports workshops, open mics, installations, Nest cohorts, and free community access

Sponsor Benefits

  • Recognition on our website and event materials for the sponsored month

  • Social media shoutout across Blackbird channels

  • Invitation to the Grand Opening event and artist talk

  • Option to co‑brand one featured event that month (subject to approval)

  • Official receipt and acknowledgment for sponsorship

Sponsor the Weaverbird Nest Installation — $8,000

(Full or partial support available)

What This Covers

  • Design and fabrication of one or more Weaverbird Nest installations (materials, tools, fabrication labor)

  • Installation logistics: site prep, rigging, permits, equipment rental, and on‑site crew

  • Artist and facilitator fees, documentation (photo/video), and exhibition expenses

  • Community engagement events tied to the installation — workshops, talks, and openings

Sponsor Benefits

  • Named sponsor credit on the installation, event materials, and website

  • Prominent recognition in press materials and event signage

  • Invitation to a private sponsor preview and artist/facilitator talk

  • Option to co‑brand an associated event or contribute in‑kind resources (subject to approval)

  • Impact report with professional photos/video and official acknowledgment receipt

Other Ways to Give

  • In‑Kind Donations: art supplies, tools, refreshments, or printing services

  • Event Sponsorships: fund one evening of Open Mic Night or a Nest & Poetry event

  • Nest Cohort Sponsorship: fund our upcoming Nest Projects for survivors and the Compton project

  • Patron Support: contribute monthly or annually to sustain creative healing programs

Join Our Circle of Sponsors

By becoming a sponsor, you’re helping us keep Blackbird Studio thriving — a place where voices and stories find their light.

📧 Contact: dbaxphoto@gmail.com
📍 Location: Blackbird Studio, SE Portland

Together, we can keep this nest strong and growing. Contact Debbie to get a full pitch deck for 2026/27.

PRESS

"Withdrawal and multiplication of 'safe spaces': Many feel the need to curl up in a place where they can cut themselves off from the world"

lemonde.fr | February 2021

"Naked As Jaybird: Artist Finds Nudie Nesters in a Snap"

New York Post | April 30, 2017

"Why are people posing nude in this giant bird nest?"

New York Post | April 29, 2017

"Naked in a nest: Liberating art project bears it all in Brooklyn"

Pix11.com | April 27, 2017

"Naked nesting: Strip bare and crawl into a mound of twigs - for art!"

Brooklyn Daily | April 20, 2017

“New Beaverton exhibit features art created by crime survivors”

KGW | April 3, 2026

TESTIMONIALS

Debbie Baxter has created a much needed offering;  The Nest Project. Debbie is completely accepting of wherever the participant is in their journey.She's accepting and honoring of exactly where you are while at the same time being skilled at gently encouraging someone to go deeper.  She does this in a completely non-judgemental way. Debbie has tremendous respect for each person's process. My participation in The Nest Project left me feeling more healed and like a layer of the traumas had been lifted off.  

What a gift!

— LINDA

 If you are looking for a way to reflect and grow, I strongly recommend you look into what Debbie and The Nest Project have to offer. I have spent the last 10 years of my life in turmoil and have experienced a lot of loss and medical trauma. I have participated in a wide variety of mental health focused offerings during this time and I can say, with great confidence, that Debbie's online sessions changed and supported me in ways I did not even imagine.

Debbie's sessions were different because she allowed us to take her direction and focus on growth, strength, and creativity. My time with her was inspiring and empowering. As my group and I talked through the phases of our lives and our intentions, we became a support group where our commonalities bonded us. Debbie was a soft and gentle force that offered love, guidance, and encouragement. She knew when to guide us forward and when to hold us tight.
 

During our time together, we used our creative tension to not only create a visual image but also a written work that focused on our intentions. This was powerful work, and watching and listening to my cohorts was incredible. If you are looking for a safe place that is warm and full of inspiration, you have landed in the right nest!

— JENNIFER

I was first drawn to the Nest Project through my committee, wanting to show up as a positive leader and encourage their engagement. But I was also deeply moved by Debbie’s story and curious about how this process might help me heal parts of my own past trauma.

I thought I was coming in to explore one thing, but I ended up digging into something much deeper. The experience brought me into a root trauma and helped me uncover deeply rooted patterns woven throughout my life.

Through this process, I unpacked years of unmet needs — maternal neglect, self-neglect, and partner neglect. Holding my younger self in the nest and meeting her with love, compassion, and nurturing was profoundly impactful. The Nest Project helped me love myself in ways I didn’t even know I needed, and it’s something I will carry into how I parent my own child.

Debbie was a steady presence and a compassionate witness to both my hurting and my healing. She guided the process with so much grace and care that I felt safe to go exactly where I needed to go. This experience allowed me to connect to myself on a level I had been craving without even realizing it.

The Nest Project shifted something in me — it helped me reconnect with parts of myself I had long tucked away, and it gave me language and softness for my own story. I’m deeply grateful for the healing that came from this work.

— LAUREN

The Nest Cohort 1 three month virtual residency offers a structured, immersive & supportive environment. Debbie, you have curated an amazing offering.

I'm giving myself permission to take up space, heal, and develop in ways that are empowering thanks to your guidance and coaching. Producing & sharing multi-level art & experiences in community with you and the group is remarkable.

— ABENAA

My experience with the Nest Project has been profoundly transformative—an unfolding of healing, truth, and identity that I didn’t realize I still needed. Over the last several weeks, I’ve had the honor of working alongside an incredible group of survivors. Stepping into that space—a nest built from branches, vulnerability, stories, and shared strength—opened parts of me I thought I had already tended to. It reminded me that healing isn’t linear; sometimes it takes community, connection, and courage to reach the wounds we’ve tucked away.

Working with Debbie has been one of the greatest gifts of this journey. Her compassion, presence, and intuitive understanding created a space where I felt safe enough to unravel, reflect, and rebuild. She held space for every version of me with gentleness and respect, guiding me with wisdom that helped me see myself clearly for the first time.

Through this project, I began reclaiming my will, my words, and my energy. I started untangling the past wounds that once forced me to shrink myself, to fit into a mold that was never meant for me. I learned to experience life on my own terms—to be who I want to be, to unlearn the conditioning of my past, and to sit with every part of myself long enough to forgive, soften, and rise. In facing my deepest traumas, I found strength I didn’t know I had. I learned to honor my story instead of hiding it, to see resilience where I once saw damage, and to acknowledge the power in every step I’ve taken.

Holding a photo of little-me in my hands during the Nest Project, I kept thinking about how far she’s come… how hard she fought to grow into someone who finally feels safe, loved, grounded, and whole. Being part of this project cracked me open in the best way—inviting healing I didn’t even know I’d been avoiding and reminding me what transformation looks like when we allow ourselves to be held by community.

For so long, I believed I wasn’t “good enough” or pretty enough. But now I know: I am enough. I refuse to dim my light any longer. I will shine brightly through the fire that lives within me. I am not too much. I am enough—and I am powerful. I have finally unleashed the fire inside me, becoming the woman my soul always knew I could be.

I am deeply grateful for the vulnerability, the connection, the art, the messy middle, the healing, and the version of myself who kept going long enough to feel this kind of peace.

— KATY