Able Farms PDX

Bio

Indigenous/French Intermedia artist Megita Denton hails from Texas and spent many years embedded in the Pacific Northwest region and cultures. Born on her grandmother's couch in Galveston, Texas in 1979, Denton has been living and creating unconventionally ever since. Her intermedia practice is grounded in the land, motivated by connection, and envisioned for positive social impact. Denton’s recent site-specific public works are the next evolution of a practice that includes film, sound, metal and mixed media sculpture, painting, woodworking, fiber arts, photography, projections, large scale public murals, performance, light composition, resilient landscape design, and artistic research.

Working to re-create and restore human connection to the natural world, Denton draws on her Indigenous perspective, her farmer’s knowledge of the land, and her diverse community collaborations. Making work that speaks of the traditions of the past and responds to the challenges of the present, she locates our evolution and survival in our care of the land, offering alternative perspectives on the future.

Denton’s work is site responsive, collaborative, and research based, designed to balance the gravity of today’s socio-political situations with elements of play, rest, empathy, and curiosity. Her offer to view, interact with, share, and be in conversation with her work is an invitation to experience the interconnectedness of all beings that allows the intellect to be the framework to connect to the heart. Denton reasserts her belief with her work: that artists have a social, moral, and spiritual responsibility to speak and react to the times in efforts of powerful positive change.

Denton’s work has been shown in print publications, online platforms, and in a plethora of exhibitions such as: The City of Carlsbad Cannon Gallery, Fiber Arts Now Magazine, Oregon Contemporary Biennial, Patricia Reser Center for the Arts. She is currently a member of the Carnation Contemporary Collective, The Cyme Collective, and The Yelling Choir.

Megita Denton CV

Focus ~ To create beautiful and meaningful projects that share my knowledge and experience of land, art, and collaboration to elevate and enrich our collective communities.  

Education

Portland State University, Portland, Oregon B.S. Environmental Science, 2005

Court of Sommeliers Masters, U.S.A Introduction to Sommelier Certificate, 2018

Pacific Northwest College of Art, Portland, Oregon B.F.A Intermedia Arts, 2024

Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, Rhode Island M.F.A Sculpture, 2027

Lived Experience

Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, Rhode Island (current)

Graduate Teacher’s Assistant/Undergraduate Sculpture Department I co-taught and supported faculty with undergraduate sculpture seniors in efforts to share my knowledge and advance our medium. 

Goby Walnut, Portland, Oregon (current) Tree Grower Specialist I cultivate specific tree species for Goby Walnut and created their ‘green’ tree environmental program where bare roots are then planted after trees are harvested to support sustainability efforts.

Able Farms PDX, Portland, Oregon. (current) Owner & Operator I own and operate a small-scale organic farm that raises pastured livestock with a food justice focus, sustainable soil systems, and Native habitat restoration. My farm serves as an umbrella for my agricultural and artistic projects as the two are intertwined. 

Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon. (2019-2021) Small Farm School Poultry Instructor I taught and created the curriculum for the Poultry for Beginners course which focused on pasture-based systems, regenerative soil applications, and heritage breeds for conservation. 

University of Tokushima, Tokushima, Japan (2017-2020)                                                                  Farm Instructor & iFarm Project Manager                                                                                                I worked for The University of Tokushima’s Center for Community Revitalization to educate and promote local farm culture under their iFarm Project. My focus was to support local agriculture with marketing, farming practices, CSA models, and Farm to Table style events. Our goals were to boost local agriculture, economy, and to inspire the next generation of Japanese young farmers. 

Art Seed PDX, Portland, Oregon (2007-2009)                                                                                 Executive Director                                                                                                                                      I created a non-profit to aid in art education classes to compensate for the lack of art classes being taught within the Portland School System at that time. We collected art donations from local artists and sold them in order to cover costs of mural supplies and art classes for grade school youth. We collaborated with the Portland Sun School Programs and businesses to produce murals and art classes. 

Social Equity                                                                                                                                     Umpqua Valley Arts, Roseburg, Oregon (current)                                                                          Review Committee Panel                                                                                                                          I assist in the approval and curation of exhibitions and artists for the yearly calendar.

Portland Oregon Metro, Neighborhoods in Nature Program, Portland, Oregon (current)            Grant Review Committee                                                                                                                          I assist in reviewing grant applicants for this specific program to provide an agricultural and Indigenous perspective.

Woodlawn Farmers Market, Portland, Oregon (2016-2019)                                                            Fundraising Committee Chair                                                                                                                   I was a board member and a former farm vendor for the market. I was the Fundraising Committee Chair where I produced and curated seasonal fundraisers and local partnerships in order to ensure operating revenue.

Portland Area CSA Coalition, Portland, Oregon (2014- 2017) Treasurer and Farm Tour Manager I was Treasurer for (PACSAC) and I obtained our nonprofit status to serve our CSA farm members. I managed all financial accounts, grants, produced our annual fundraisers, and co-created the Portland CSA Share Fair. I served on the board to educate Portland’s diverse communities about our farms CSA programs while aiding our farmers to gain new share members. 

Art Exhibitions ~ Residencies ~ Collections ~ Awards

2026

Mesa Community College Gallery, Rooted in Relations, Mesa, Arizona.

Sitka Arts & Ecology Center, ‘Golden Spot’ Residency, Otis, Oregon.

Cyme Collective, Waters We Carry Installation, Willamette Estuary Park, Portland, Oregon.

Lomakatsi Project, Ashland Pond Bio-Anchor, Ashland, Oregon.

Stripped To The Bone, Film & Sculpture Project, Regional Arts and Council Grant, Portland, Oregon.

2025

Precipice Fund Award, Portland Institute for Contemporary Art, Portland, Oregon.

Sitka Art Invitational, Oregon Contemporary Gallery, Glass Lace Works, Portland, Oregon. 

Artworks Northwest Biennial, Umpqua Valley Arts, Roseburg, Oregon.

S.L.Y Herman Scholarship, Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, Rhode Island.

Marfa Invitational, Her Back in Ferns, Marfa, Texas. 

Lake Oswego Art Space, WoodCore, Lake Oswego, Oregon.

Caldera Arts, ‘Golden Spot’ Residency, Sisters, Oregon. 

Carnation Contemporary, Bodies in Blotter, Portland, Oregon.

Mini Mart City Park, Future Forward, Seattle, Washington.

2024

Mount Scott Community Center, City of Portland Public Collections, Willamette Valley, Portland, Oregon. 

City of Portland Parks, North West Park Blocks Installation, The Gathering Project, Portland,Oregon. 

Risk/Reward Performance Festival, Rat Race Performance,Portland, Oregon. 

Thurston County Museum of Fine Arts, Native Resilience, Olympia, Washington.

Time Based Art Festival (TBA), Yelling Choir’s Voices We Hold, Portland, Oregon.

Walter Cannon Gallery, Grass Mat Sculptures, Carlsbad, California.

Risk/Reward Performance Festival, Bruja de Basura Film & Installation, Portland, Oregon.

Oregon Contemporary Biennial, Yelling Choir Performance, Portland, Oregon.

Opsis Architecture, Den – Collaborative Show, Portland, Oregon.

Nil Wine Bar & Gallery, Hue Paintings, Portland, Oregon.

Fiber Arts Now Magazine, Grass Mat Sculptures, Viewer’s Choice Prize, print/online. 

Umpqua Valley Arts, Even in Death, I still hold u,  Roseburg, Oregon.

Oregon Contemporary Biennial, Interconnectedness, Portland, Oregon.

Reser  Center for the Arts, Walnut & Blue Glass, Beaverton, Oregon.

2023

Holt Gallery, Rotary 5, Portland, Oregon.

511 Gallery, Dada Glass Laceworks, Portland, Oregon.

Radius Annex Art Gallery, Radius Pride, Portland, Oregon.

Trout Lake Pavilion, Grass Mat Sculpture Installation, Trout Lake, Washington.

El Rito Casita Residency, Dying with Nature, El Rito, New Mexico.

Souwester’ Arts Residency, Grass Mat Installation Sculptures, Seaview, Washington.

2022 - 2008

Red E Gallery, Come and Touch Me Here, Portland, Oregon.

Elsewhere Museum & Art Residency, Farm to Table Fundraiser, Greensboro, North Carolina.

Able Farms, Ransom Dinner Place-making Installation, Wapato Island, Oregon.

Two Stroke Coffee House, Deconstruction Installation, Portland, Oregon.

ArtSeed PDX, West Coast Fitness Mural, Portland, Oregon. (current)

ArtSeed PDX, Tulip Bakery Mural, Portland, Oregon. (current)

Contact:

ablefarmspdx@gmail.com

IG: ablefarmspdx