Acclaimed Portland artist Aaron Trotter releases new Oregon Breweries deck in Illustrated Playing Cards series

Courtesy of Illustrated Playing Card

PORTLAND, Ore. – Local artist Aaron Trotter has announced the release of a new deck of Illustrated Playing Cards featuring Oregon breweries from Central Oregon, the Columbia River Gorge, the Oregon Coast, and the Willamette Valley. The first printing of 100 decks will debut at the Portland Fresh Hops Fest at Oaks Amusement Park, Sept. 29 from 5pm to 9pm and Sept. 30 from 12pm to 8pm.

Marking his seventh anniversary in the playing card business, Trotter's new deck expands on his original Portland Brewery Cards, reaching far beyond legendary Beervana to document the craft beer community and connect the dots of the Oregon Ale Trail. The 52 drawings span Central Oregon from Redmond to Bend; the Columbia River Gorge from Cascade Locks to Hood River; the Oregon Coast from Astoria to Newport; and the Willamette Valley from Hillsboro to Eugene.

Meant to inspire exploration – the deck includes a map, checklist, and Oregon beer facts – each card illustrates a different brewery, hand drawn by Trotter on site while tasting the beer. 

"Illustrated Playing Cards are made to be played, displayed, and used as a guidebook,” explained Trotter. He added, “The deck serves as a guide to discovery of the unknown, as well as a beer tour souvenir. And don’t worry: no beer was wasted in the making of these cards!"

The drawings were sketched with pen and ink on location in a succession of road trips over the last two years, then finished at Trotter's studio at 1627 NE Alberta St. The cards are digitally printed on cardstock in Portland; each box is signed and numbered by the artist. 

About Illustrated Playing Cards
First released in November 2010, Illustrated Playing Cards debuted with Landmarks of Portland, featuring famous signs and downtown icons. Other Portland-centric decks followed: Portland Breweries (2013), Secrets of Portland and Oregon Wineries (2014), and Old Portland (2016). Trotter hasn't drawn all the cities of the world yet, but that's his goal. In the last seven years he has sketched over 30 different cities (each collecting 52 drawings) from Los Angeles to New York, Paris, Tokyo and beyond. The Portland cards are available at Powell's or Made in Oregon. Other decks are available at select museums around the country including the Seattle Art Museum, Griffith Observatory (Los Angeles), Mob Museum (Las Vegas), Denver Art Museum, Guggenheim (NYC), and National Building Museum (DC). Trotter and his decks can be found at Portland Saturday Market every weekend near Skidmore Fountain or by chance at his cavernous art studio on Alberta St. Learn more at www.illustratedplayingcards.com.