When you sit down with Sarah Clarke and Damian Erskine, you quickly realize their life together is stitched not only into Beaumont-Wilshire’s sidewalks, trees, and morning routines, but also into rehearsal schedules, late-night gigs, and a shared devotion to making music for a living.
Sarah is a true hometown kid. “I’ve lived in this neighborhood my whole life, essentially,” she says. She went to elementary school at Alameda, middle school at Beaumont, and Grant High School, and still speaks about Wilshire Park with reverence. “I played softball there every weekend for my entire childhood,” she recalls, along with watching crocuses bloom each spring with her mom.
Damian arrived in Portland in 2004, building a national reputation as a bassist, composer, and educator, touring widely and recording across genres. Sarah, a seasoned vocalist, songwriter, and band leader, has long been part of the city’s music scene, balancing performing with teaching and studio work. She currently fronts the band The Motet. Their paths overlapped for years before the pandemic unexpectedly deepened their connection.
With venues shuttered, they hauled a generator and sound system into Wilshire Park and staged pop-up concerts with the band Outer Orbit, a funk-soul collective led by Galen Clark. “We’d bring our generator and pass a hat around and play music for the community,” Sarah says, amazed by the turnout. “People brought blankets and chairs and just dotted themselves around us and were dancing. It is one of the most positive community experiences.” Damian adds, “That’s where Sarah and I really started connecting and becoming friends.”
Their daily rhythm now is cozy and precise. Damian sets up the coffee at night; Sarah wakes each morning and “blearily pushes the button.” There’s the dog park, a walk home, then dinner for the household — Sarah, Damian, her mom, her 14-year-old son, and Apollo the dog (“He loves his dad more than me … huge point of contention,” Sarah jokes). Later comes tea, TV, and resetting the coffee maker for tomorrow.
Neighborhood favorites roll off easily: Bagel Land for morning carbs, The Arrangement for Christmas shopping, patio music at Amalfi’s, and dependable nearby takeout when rehearsals or shows run long.
And on the rare night off? “Our second-favorite spot in Portland is that couch,” Sarah laughs. Damian grins: “Life is so loud, so we just stay home and listen to the sound of our ears ringing.”
Check out Sarah and Damian’s websites at SarahClarkeMusic.com and DamianErskine.com.
David Friedman, @friedart, is a visual artist specializing in papercutting, printmaking, and painting. He and his dog, Poppi @poppipdx, can be seen daily at Wilshire Park. His work is on display at the Alberta Street Gallery, daily 11-7.