At 76, Still Learning the Art of Photography
Meet Tommy Gibson, a 76-year-old photographer from Whatcom County. Hear his story and inspirations in this Q&A.
Best of the Northwest 2020 Winners Announced
Click here to view the winners of the Best of the Northwest 2020 Reader’s Choice Awards!
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Cutting-Edge Creations
Local artist Lin McJunkin raises climate change awareness through her glasswork creations.
A Master Luthier & His Guitars
Since 1980, luthier Andy Beech has crafted and sold a myriad of handmade instruments through his business D’Haitre’ Guitars.
Sqweshenet Tse Schelangen
The four-day event, which starts on July 24, is a celebration between several Native Nations, with special guest tribes traveling from as far as New Zealand, Maui, and Papua New Guinea.
Anders’ Earthrise Turns 50
Fifty years ago this month, Apollo 8 became the first mission to carry men from Earth’s orbit to the moon. But that’s not all. One of its three crewmen, Bill Anders, now a resident of Anacortes, took the photo, “Earthrise,” from the space capsule window. It became one of the most famous photos ever taken….
Hoping to Shake Up Bellingham’s Art Scene
He created the Rocket Donuts’ rocket in downtown Bellingham and has been a contractor for 25 years designing multimillion-dollar homes in the Pacific Northwest. Now, Alexei Ford has just opened Ruckus, a downtown art gallery just a stone’s…
Five Faves Outdoor Sculpture Gardens
1. WESTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY CAMPUS If you’ve ever strolled the campus situated well above downtown Bellingham, you can’t miss the intriguing, and sometimes befuddling, artwork placed between buildings. (At least one piece even has its own Twitter handle.) The university’s…
How To Decorate Your Home with Art
Lori Hill In the street markets of the Democratic Republic of Georgia, Lori Hill started intensely collecting art, and has been building her collection ever since. Hill, residing in a home in Bellingham with perfect views of Mt. Baker and Lake Whatcom, is a local artist who works mostly with oil paintings. Her…
Fresh Oil: The Work of Susan Bennerstrom
Susan Bennerstrom’s soft blue eyes come into full focus as oil paint and perspective meet on the prepared canvas. Bold lines, clean forms, light, and shadow emerge. If one is ever fortunate enough to see…
Fall Arts Preview: Eight Great North End Events
1. A Spirit Unbound: The Art of Peggy Strong September 9–January 8 | Cascadia Art Museum EIGHTY YEARS AGO, Peggy Strong (1912–1956)…
Boeing Celebrates Centennial
The Centennial is a fine time for children and students to learn about flight and careers in aerospace. “Above and Beyond” is a brand new hands-on exhibit at the Museum of Flight.
Summer Sounds
Lights! Cameras! Action! Coming July 17–30, the Arts Adventure Northwest summer camp will combine classical music sounds with the art of film. Offered by the Peterson Conservatory of Music and Arts in partnership with Cascadia Film Workshop, this summer…
Women of Washington Wine – Anne-Marie Hedges Hedges Estate Winery
As with so many industries, the upper echelons of the wine industry were traditionally reserved for men. The past two decades have brought with them significant change, and the world of wine is becoming more inclusive. Washington wine pioneers…
Wonder Woman
Morgan Paris Lanza, executive director for Bellingham Girls Rock camp, uses music as an avenue to bring young girls together and teach them a fundamental lesson: the practice of self love. Lanza has operated Bellingham Girls Rock camp for the last three years, and was first introduced to the idea while attending Fairhaven College. Camp founder Casi Brown was seeking volunteers for a new project that would provide a space for young…
A Home for the Arts
On April 1, the Sylvia Center for the Arts opened its doors to the community for the first time. Curious guests gathered in the upstairs room of the old Cascade Laundry building overlooking downtown through unfinished windows. Strings of temporary lights were hung along the ceiling, lighting up booths filled with unique local art. Children danced together, enjoying boisterous tunes while their parents looked on…
Women of Washington Wine – Kay Simon Chinook Wines
As with so many industries, the upper echelons of the wine industry were traditionally reserved for men. The past two decades have brought with them significant change, and the world of wine is becoming more inclusive. Washington wine pioneers like Nina Buty, Mary Derby, Eve-Marie Gilla, and Kay Simon have personally witnessed the shift away from male-only wine events, vineyard management, and seminars. Join…
Women of Washington Wine – Sarah Hedges Goedhart Hedges Estate Winery
As with so many industries, the upper echelons of the wineindustry were traditionally reserved for men. The past two decades have brought with them significant change, and the world of wine is becoming more inclusive. Washington wine pioneers like Nina Buty, Mary Derby, Eve-Marie Gilla, and Kay Simon have personally witnessed the shift away…
Women of Washington Wine – Jody Elsom Elsom Cellars
Jody Elsom grew up in Woodinville, but is quick to point out that at the time, Woodinville was not wine country at all. “It was farmland and…
Women of Washington Wine – Nina Buty Buty Wines
As with so many industries, the upper echelons of the wine industry were traditionally reserved for men. The past two decades have brought with them significant change, and the world of wine is becoming more inclusive. Washington wine pioneers like Nina Buty, Mary Derby, Eve-Marie Gilla, and Kay Simon have personally witnessed the shift away from male-only wine events, vineyard management, and seminars. Join us in raising a glass to the women who prune, pick, crush, and bottle some of the best wines in the…
Women of Washington Wine – Mary Derby DaMa Wines
As with so many industries, the upper echelons of the wine industry were traditionally reserved for men. The past two decades…
Chuck Close Prints, Process, and Collaboration
May 12 – Sept 5 Experience world-renowned artist Chuck Close’s creative and technical processes firsthand as Everett’s Schack Art Center hosts “Chuck Close: Prints, Process, and Collaboration” in its main gallery. Nearly 90 large-scale prints and working proofs will demonstrate the artist’s groundbreaking innovations in printmaking mediums. Exhibition curator, Terrie Sultan, worked alongside Close to select the works that will be exhibited. Chuck Close was born and raised in Snohomish County. He attended Everett High School and Everett…
Schooled in Fashion
You can hear the clicking of heels throughout Meadowdale Middle School hallways, and they aren’t your average heels. They are bright yellow, spiked high heels worn by intensive learning teacher Tamara Musser. Once you catch a glimpse of her, you may…
Matika Wilbur
Matika Wilbur hit the road in November 2012. The photographer was on a mission: to make portraits of members from each of the federally-recognized tribes in the United States, which numbered 562…
The Steering Column – My Traffic Man
SIX DEGREES OF TROUBLE Part 2: How Big Is Your Problem? WRITTEN BY ZIAD YOUSSEF L ast time we identified that trouble is measured by how difficult it is to identify its source and how much impact it has on your life. The first three degrees were No Trouble At All, Inconvenience, and Brace Yourself. Today, we discuss the last three degrees of trouble, the tornado, depression, and irrelevance: The Tornado: It comes almost…
Cascadia Art Museum presents “Looking Back, Moving Forward”
The Cascadia Art Museum pays tribute to Nellie Cornish and the Cornish College of the Arts, a school whose international legacy spans…
Olympic Ballet Theatre – Directors of Enchantment
There may not be anything so disciplined in the arts as ballet. Ballet mercilessly demands great strength, extreme flexibility, and intense musicality; all the while dancers must convey emotions such as joy, sorrow, passion, and sometimes anger. Whatever happens when…
Bison Bookbinding & Letterpress
Whether it is a blank book, greeting card, or stationery,
everything in the store has a connection to writing.
The Steering Column
To really understand the 6 Degrees of Trouble we explore
the nature of problems in general; or, at least, the difference
between small problems and large problems, and the difference
between those that have little impact and those that have
a large impact.
The work of Aaron Loveitt
The single most important thing to understand about Aaron Loveitt’s work is that when you encounter a piece, whether it’s a railing or a public sculpture, it was designed and created for that specific space.
The Pilchuck Glass School
A garden of glowing spikes, a ceiling of sea creatures—Dale Chihuly’s influence upon Washington’s art scene is felt in every gallery walk and at every art show. With patrons Anne Gould Hauberg and John H. Hauberg, Chihuly founded The Pilchuck Glass School in Stanwood in 1971. The Haubergs weren’t just patrons, they were philanthropists steeped in the arts community in Seattle. The Native American art…
Edmonds: The Heart of the Arts
The inspiring landscape, supportive community, and rich artistic history create a lure that draws artists and art enthusiasts to Edmonds. “There’s a power and a presence about being in Edmonds,”…
Cascadia Art Museum
Hummingbirds flit about on bright orange flowers blooming in front of the newly opened Cascadia Art Museum, located in the just renovated mid-century Salish Crossing building near the Edmonds waterfront. What lies inside this reinvigorated icon, which was…
Judith and Daniel Caldwell’s Delightful Public Art
From grand public displays like Blue Sky Baskets in White Center to tucked away corners like the humble embeddings of Paw Prints in the downtown Seattle REI to bronze masterpieces on school campuses, the Caldwells help shape and artistically humanize our Northwest landscape.
Women Painters of Washington
Six founders started WPW in 1930 in order to bring together extraordinary women painters from across the state to encourage, engage, and foster artistic growth, as well as help these painters overcome hurdles not faced by their fellow male colleagues.
Underwater Artists
Wonder what happens when art and science mix? Hop the next ferry over to San Juan Island to find out. Here, the mysterious underwater world of the Puget Sound surfaces in the photographs of two people: local scientist-turned-artist, Adam Summers; and photographer-turned-conservation advocate, Susan Middleton. On first glance,…
Darrell Hillaire and Setting Suns Productions
It seems reductive to call Darrell Hillaire a playwright, given how much work he has done in his life on behalf of the Lummi Nation, and for Lummi youth in particular. Darrell has served as a coach, mentor, teacher, and leader…
Donna Auer – Driven to Abstraction
She was always a painter, but when Donna Auer joined some friends for a guided painting tour of Italy organized through the former (and much loved) Blue Horse Gallery, she didn’t know that she would actually have to paint, too. “They said that was part of the deal. You got to go to Italy, but you had to produce work from the trip.” She made seven paintings, all of which…
Dr. Mitchell Kahn and the Skagit Opera
Dr. Mitchell Kahn and the Skagit Opera In January, the Skagit Opera performed at Lairmont Manor in Bellingham for the first time. One of the missions of the Skagit Opera, which has been in operation since 2003, is to spread an appreciation to new audiences, in addition to serving well the audience they have already established. “Most of our audience members come from Bellingham and surrounding areas, so it makes sense to have performances there,” said…
San Juan Islands Art Museum
Past the ferry landing at Friday Harbor, past the outdoor sculptures and the galleries, past the collage of nature and architecture, is IMA—the first fine art museum on the San Juan Islands. But that’s not the only reason why IMA is turning heads. “The design looks like it belongs in a big city,” said one local resident. Exactly the point, said the team of staff and artists behind IMA.
Recycled Art
The impulse to restore old furniture, to find value in the discarded, to resurrect the rusted out, to elevate trash into functionality, maybe even art—is a passionate one. In the old days, the dumpster-divers and junk men were seen as goofy guys in crumbling trucks, typified by Fred Sanford on the hit TV show Sanford and Son.
Garth Stein
Most of the world knows Garth Stein as an author. However, those of us in the Northwest who have had greater opportunity to interact with him also know he is an Academy Award-winning documentary filmmaker, playwright, awesome dad and excellent cook. His roots run deep in Seattle, and he has spent ample time in our area as both a child and adult. He’s been part of an insanely successful writers critique group, is a co-founder of the non-profit Seattle7Writers…
Uptown Art Studio
With a paintbrush in one hand and a glass of wine in another, Uptown Art makes creating your latest masterpiece more fun and more social than ever….
Tyree Callahan
Tyree Callahan is probably best known worldwide for his conceptual art piece Chromatic Typewriter, a 1937 Underwood typewriter that has color keys rather than letters. Small paint-laden sponges sit poised to create one of Tyree’s landscapes, a canvas of which is unscrolling from the carriage as if typed into being. Chromatic Typewriter won international acclaim and was…
Tide Lines Gallery
Nestled in the Alley District is a boutique gallery filled with handcrafted treasures waiting to be discovered. While the mosaic tiled flooring may draw you into Tide Lines, it’s the artwork that keeps you there. And if the art around the room isn’t enticing enough, artist and owner Chelsea Jepson’s workspace behind the counter…
Everett Film Festival
Now in its 18th year, the Everett Film Festival was started by six enterprising women. Originally known as the Everett Women’s Film Festival, the festival was created to highlight the work of women in film production. For years, the film festival has featured animated shorts,…
Opus Performing Arts School
A New Kind of Studio When a small group of local parents decided they wanted something more from the offerings of performing arts education in Bellingham, they didn’t just sit back and wait for the perfect studio to drop into their laps. They created their own. Thus, Opus Performing Arts School was born, thanks to Tiiu and Martin Kuuskman of Blaine, and their business partner, Allan Redstone. The school, which is located at 114 W. Holly Street, opened up…
Art through the Senses
SIGHT Visual art in our area is so abundant. Some say it’s the light, some say the views, some say it’s the calm, easygoing lifestyle. For…
ARTspot
ARTspot encourages bravery, and tries to make art accessible to everyone. It’s a place that gives you the permission to explore and play, and their mission is to bring high quality materials to artists of all levels — even beginners. Owner Tracy Felix Fraker is positive, inspiring and an incredibly talented visionary with a passion for the creative process, and…
Edmonds Art Studio Tour
Have you ever wanted to see inside an artist’s process — their studio, tools and techniques? Each September, Edmonds hosts…
Max Kaiser and Hand Crank Films
Whether promoting SuperFeet insoles or helping Bellingham to seduce Google into making Bellingham a Google Fiber pilot city, Max Kaiser and his team at Hand Crank Films do more than set up a camera, point, shoot and cut. The creative choices — the quality of…
The Workspace
2014 finds many business people away from the classic cubicle in the office, without a desktop computer or water cooler in sight. With technology available all around us, we can work from home, from Starbucks and even on vacation. But where we gain from the convenience of technology, we begin to lose the community once fostered in the workplace environment. We miss the spontaneity of bouncing ideas back and forth, and lose the teamwork that builds…
PeaceHealth Foundation Hosts Circle of Care Gala
On June 7th, the PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Foundation will celebrate the community’s generosity, spirit and leadership at its bi-annual black-tie gala. PeaceHealth takes great pride in its service and commitment to the people of Whatcom County and beyond, but the not-for-profit doesn’t act alone: doctors, patients, caregivers and the community at large are all a valuable part of the PeaceHealth family. Together they contribute resources to enhance care and support the best…
The Woods Coffee – They’re Doing It All
We all know The Woods Coffee as a place to relax and enjoy delicious tea, coffee or a treat, but now they have taken their company to an entirely new…
Cirque de Bellingham
It’s that time of the year again. The Bellingham Circus Guild is back in action. If you have never heard of this event, it’s a collection of professional and hobby circus artists performing as aerialists, stilters, clowns, myth makers, jugglers, acrobats, theatricalists and so much more. Their routines are based on European…