Blogging PDX Beardies and their Beard Art.

As things continue to slip through our fingers in these dire times—money, jobs, houses—there is one thing that can be counted on through thick and thin: beards. Though not a beardie myself (being a woman who does not take testosterone), there appears to be quite an audience for all things beard related. Just a few weeks ago WW Arts editor Kelly Clarke blogged about Portland Monthly's beard photo essay and PM designer Thomas Cobb's illustrated history of beards. Unfortunately, it is time to call her bluff on the “beards are so 2008” line. Beards are here to stay. Just ask Michael Buchino.

Buchino is a Portland artist who runs Beard Revue, a site that touts itself as “a web logbook committed to the review, commentary, and discussion for the beard enthusiast.” And beardies who blog here take the subject very seriously. One posting entitled “Donkeys outbeard elephants” contains an excerpt from The Economic Times that says Democratic beards outnumber Republican beards nine to three. Another posting contains a solemn critique of Luke Wilson's beard in The Royal Tenenbaums. But the thing that trumps all of these postings is the beard art that was put up for sale through the website.

An illustration of Leonardo da Vinci with a technicolor beard, created and signed by Buchino himself, is a must-have for any true beardie. It was released in celebration of Beard Revue's first birthday, and at $20 per poster, it's art the even the most frugal of beardies should have on display in their humble, hairy abode.