Currently a student at Portland State University. I'm a Graphic Design major and I will finally be graduating next spring after 6 years. Yay! I just finished up a long 9 week intensive French class so that has been keeping me busy all summer and now I'm about to go on a spur-of-the-moment trip to Montreal and New York City. First, so I can attempt to practice a bit of my French and finally get to discover/explore the best city in this country!

Most days I keep myself occupied mainly with abstract painting and I guess I would call it "conceptual" or "socially engaged art" - both of which are real terms but I guess I'm still sort of figuring out what it really is that I do! I've done all sorts of projects, some are silly, others serious, and right now I'm attempting to finish an Instagram project hashtagged #100daysofbeinghonest. It's quite challenging and I'm currently just over half way but it's been very fun and rewarding for me and I hope to continue to do work like this that is very personal and revealing.

If you meet me you might think at first I am reserved and polite/shy/etc... I hate that! Some people have honestly thought that I'm the kind of person that listens to Jack Johnson or Dave Matthews Band or something lolololol. I really do love extreme things. I have a very particular taste and I know what I like and what I don't like. I love adventure and I'm always on the search for the next experience and when I'm home, I like to create little mini experiences here too. I'm incredibly honest. Sometimes too honest. It's difficult for me to really lie to someone. I'm a stickler for cleanliness. The perfect meal in my opinion always starts (or ends) with a good glass of wine and some cheese. I don't mind being uncomfortable. When I'm travelling - I like to go and go and I don't tend to lose much speed. I like to be in unfamiliar places. I have a great sense of direction. I tend to be socially outgoing when I'm travelling (more so than when I'm home). I like to drink and smoke (a social smoker on occasion) but all within a reasonable and responsible amount. I like doing karaoke but sometimes need a shot or two to really get into it lol!

By NO MEANS am I a "party girl"... I mean I like to have fun but there's not much I'm really opposed to. Except for weed, I just don't really like the smell of it, honestly. At home, here in Portland, I'm always hard at work with school, work, personal projects, making something, being productive...

Trying to just enjoy life and make the most out of it. Which sounds cliche but I think that largely has to do with being "present" whether it's in day-to-day life or in crazy trips across Europe. It's really hard to do and I'm still learning about what that means but this quote sums it up nicely:

"Happiness, not in another place but in this place… not for another hour, but this hour." - Walt Whitman

I have an instagram that I post frequently on if you're interested: https://instagram.com/oliviaserrill/

And I have a website too that I keep updated with work and other things: http://oliviaserrill.com

And if you're really curious I have a "blog" of sorts:
http://olivesroom.tumblr.com

我为什么加入 Couchsurfing

I love the opportunity to meet people. I've had the best time travelling when I meet local people who can show me around - it really is the best and so for that, I'm hoping that Couchsurfing can be a really positive experience. I have not used Couchsurfing yet but I have travelled through Europe where I met a ton of people and so Couchsurfing is a new thing I'm open to. My friend and I met people in our hostels in Europe and that was really fun but meeting young people who really know their city is super exciting. Hoping to connect with people who are legit and have interesting lives and know how to have a good time. Also hopping to connect with people who are just really passionate and knowledgable about their city.

兴趣

Art. Abstract Painting. Themes. Extremes. Instagramming. Pinteresting. Tumblring (yes these are terms). Drinking wine. Then speaking French. Smoking gold-tipped cigarettes on the street in the middle of the night. Getting lost in a big city. Riding on subway trains. People watching. Having long talks. Lillet. Cooking big elaborate meals. Looking at maps. Antique shopping. Sitting in bakeries for hours drinking coffee and eating chouquettes. Writing short stories (this is a new thing I've gotten into). Going to Powell's in Portland (I'm literally here like twice a week). Watching TedTalks or Creative Mornings talks. Listening to music really loud in my car. Dancing really hard to a good song. Hip hop. Road trips. Having a song for everything. I'm a really harsh judge of design so you'll always hear me ranting (or raving) about something.

• arts
• writing
• books
• design
• graphic design
• dancing
• dining
• cooking
• wine
• cheese
• coffee
• partying
• drinking
• shopping
• traveling
• socializing
• blogging
• painting
• music
• karaoke
• cartography
• road trips

音乐、电影和书籍

French films
Marie Antoinette
Wes Anderson films
Sound of Music
One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest
Plains Trains and Automobiles
Woody Allen films
Sophia Coppola films

Music?? Anything that sounds good from Nigerian pop music to French rap... Idk. My taste is very easy to understand for myself but difficult to explain to others. Right now obsessions are Moderat and Sebastien Tellier. Seen Yeasayer, Poliça and Future Islands and a few others in concert. Will always and forever be a Kanye West fan - sorry, absolutely not sorry.

Books - I'm a fan of strange art-sy books and lately have been reading some short story books, one in particular I really love by Lydia Davis... The other book I'm currently reading is My Life In France by Julia Child - ugh, such a good, deliciously indulgent book that makes me want to pack up and move to France ASAP!

我做过的一件不可思议的事情

- Climbed Half Dome in Yosemite twice - absolutely EPIC

- Backpacked through Europe for 4 months from September 2014-January 2015 - Multiple "amazing things" all in one!

- I technically have my work in an art museum! Holla! It is a 50 foot long book and it is in the library of the Portland Art Museum. :)

- Did a piece where I collected Artist's Favorite Songs of All Time and turned it into a giant golden screen print. This was very cool and it sold on the first night of the gallery opening!

我可以与沙发主分享些什么

I can try to speak a little French!
Stories from my travels in Europe
I'm from PORTLAND so I'm a huge resource for this amazing city if you ever want to visit!!!!!
Good taste in food, drinks
I like to cook and bake a ton
Interesting ideas about art and lots of things to say on the subject of art and design

我游览过的国家

Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, England, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Mexico, Netherlands, Romania, Scotland, Spain, Turkey

我居住过的国家

United States