Past Exhibitions Archives - The Whatcom Museum

Catalog of Past Exhibitions

May 1, 2022/in Past Exhibitions /by Christina Claassen

Virtual

The Whatcom Museum was established as a municipal entity in 1944 (then known as the Bellingham Public Museum), operating out of the 1892 Old City Hall building. The year 1968 marked the expansion of the Museum’s focus from a community-run organization to a more formal museum, becoming the Whatcom Museum of History and Art. Now, a fully accredited museum by the American Alliance of Museums, the Whatcom Museum offers top-notch art and history experiences. The Museum has hosted and displayed hundreds of exhibitions, both traveling and staff-curated, on its multi-building campus. View our complete exhibition listing, dating back to 1968, to see the scope of the exhibitions presented to the community through the years.

Exhibition List

The Whatcom Museum acknowledges that we gather on the traditional territory of the Lhaq’temish – Lummi People – and the Nuxwsá7aq – Nooksack People – who have lived in the Coast Salish region from time immemorial. The Museum honors our relationship with all of our Coast Salish neighbors and our shared responsibilities to their homeland where we all reside today.

Top portion of a red sleeveless dress with text to the right in white and red that says Whatcom Community College and Whatcom Museum present The REDress Project. A white feather with a red trip is underneath the text.

REDress Project Honoring Indigenous Women and People

April 4, 2022/in Past Exhibitions /by Christina Claassen

May 5, 2022 - May 15, 2022

Lightcatcher Building

The Whatcom Museum is hosting an art installation in partnership with Whatcom Community College to honor and remember Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and People (MMIWP). Red dresses will be on display in the Lightcatcher Courtyard, representing the thousands of Native women, men, children, and non-binary people who go missing or are murdered each year.

The original “REDress Project” by artist and Métis Nation member Jaime Black began in Winnipeg in 2011 to draw attention to crime against Aboriginal women in Canada. The project has since spread to the US and calls attention to the lack of reporting, data, and justice for Native American women.

Join Lummi Victims of Crime on May 5, 2022 at noon for the annual MMIWP Memorial Walk at the Haxton/Kwina Roundabout (Lummi, WA 98226) in honor of missing or murdered local family members. Wear red to help raise awareness and show support to those struggling with the loss of a loved one.

The Memorial Walk will honor MMIWP from Lummi Nation: Carol Greene, Diana Humphreys-Ballew, Nancy Cook, Donald Cook, Lamar James, Melina Ghost, Essie Cagey, Ike Scarborough, Jessie Celestine, Darlene Celestine, Iva Smith, Lindsey Greene, Treston Jefferson, Andre Revey Jr., Valerie Jefferson, Casey Jo Tom, Arlene Keith, Tim Bowman, Michael Jordan, Kenneth Joseph, Joseph Cagey, Roberta George, Sophia Solomon, and Charlotte Solomon.

There is a lack of meaningful data collected on missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls. Some studies have been conducted, including in Whatcom County. The information is heartbreaking and triggering.

Washington State was #2 in a study conducted by Urban Indian Health Institute.
Seattle was #1 in a study conducted by Urban Indian Health Institute.
Native women face murder rates 10 times above the national average. (wernative.org)
Nationally, 86% of sexual assaults against Native women are committed by non-Native men.
Native women are the only population that is most likely to experience sexual assault by people outside their racial or ethnic group.

Learn more about this issue by visiting the Urban Indian Health Institute website, www.uihi.org, and the National Indian Council on Aging website, nicoa.org.

Watch a video by the the National Museum of the American Indian featuring artist Jaime Black (Métis), who talks more about this project: The REDress Project at the National Museum of the American Indian – YouTube

Children of the Setting Sun produced a video as a prayer to missing and murdered Indigenous women. Produced in 2019 it features the West Shore Canoe Family, with a song composed by Antone George: The Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women – YouTube

In 2016, Canada’s unions staged a powerful performance with music by A Tribe Called Red, honoring missing and murdered Indigenous women: Performance for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women – YouTube

The REDress Installation is sponsored by Jair Furnas and organized jointly by Whatcom Community College Native staff and the Whatcom Museum.

The Whatcom Museum acknowledges that we gather on the traditional territory of the Lhaq’temish – Lummi People – and the Nuxwsá7aq – Nooksack People – who have lived in the Coast Salish region from time immemorial. The Museum honors our relationship with all of our Coast Salish neighbors and our shared responsibilities to their homeland where we all reside today.

Blurry black and white photo of a young Indigenous woman in the foreground looking at a large computer flat screen and another Indigenous woman holding a baby standing at a doorway looking into the room

Doorways: Photographs by Jac Trautman

April 4, 2022/in Past Exhibitions /by Christina Claassen

May 5, 2022 - May 15, 2022May 7, 2022 - August 21, 2022

Lightcatcher Building

Photo by Jac Trautman (Duwamish), 2022.

We are thrilled to bring back the photography of Seattle artist Jac Trautman, a member of the Duwamish Tribe. In 2021, Trautman presented a series of seven photographs taken as a single exposure with multiple projected images contained within. The works drew attention to the concepts of splitting and projection and their role in the history of interactions with the colonizer and the colonized. This spring Trautman will exhibit four new large-scale photographs in the Museum’s Lightcatcher entry hall.

The Whatcom Museum acknowledges that we gather on the traditional territory of the Lhaq’temish – Lummi People – and the Nuxwsá7aq – Nooksack People – who have lived in the Coast Salish region from time immemorial. The Museum honors our relationship with all of our Coast Salish neighbors and our shared responsibilities to their homeland where we all reside today.

Acrylic horizontal aspect painting of a silhouette of a soldier with binoculars looking through windows down to people around buildings in a Japanese American internment camp

Many Wests: Artists Shape an American Idea

March 1, 2022/in Past Exhibitions /by Christina Claassen

May 5, 2022 - May 15, 2022May 7, 2022 - August 21, 2022March 19, 2022 - August 21, 2022

Lightcatcher Building

Ideas about the American West, both in popular culture and in commonly accepted historical narratives, are often based on a past that never was, and fail to take into account important events that actually occurred. The exhibition Many Wests: Artists Shape an American Idea examines the perspectives of 48 modern and contemporary artists who offer a broader and more inclusive view of the West, which too often has been dominated by romanticized myths and Euro-American historical accounts.

This exhibition presents an opportunity to examine previous misconceptions, question racist clichés, and draw attention to the multiple communities and histories that continue to form this iconic region of the United States. Working in various media, from painting and sculpture to photography and mixed media, the artists featured bring a nuanced and multifaceted history into view. Many Wests highlights many voices, including artists who identify as Black, Indigenous, Asian American, Latinx, and LGBTQ+, who stake a claim in the American West.

Central Themes

The exhibition is presented in both English and Spanish, and organized around three central themes, Caretakers, Memory Makers, and Boundary Breakers. “Caretakers” examines how artists can redefine what it means to take care of themselves, their communities, and their futures. Featured artists include Ka’ila Farrell-Smith (Klamath Modoc), Awa Tsireh/Alfonso Roybal (San Ildefonso Pueblo), Patrick Nagatani, and Marie Watt (Seneca).

“Memory Makers” explores how artists act as transmitters of cultural memory as they bring forth neglected histories of the West through their work, and includes artists Jacob Lawrence, Roger Shimomura, Christina Fernandez, and others.

“Boundary Breakers” includes artists whose representations break away from myths of the West and assert their continued presence despite centuries of omission and erasure by mainstream culture. Featured artists include Angela Ellsworth, Raphael Montañez Ortiz (Apsáalooke/Crow), and Angel Rodríguez-Díaz.

Black and white linocut block print of a Mexican man on a three-wheeled "vaquero" motorcycle with a fox and boar animal head up front and a flag that says "Como el Coyote Libre"

abstract colorful painting with a variety of lines with a few Mexican luchador faces

Indigenous woman sits in the grass with a red and yellow dress and beaded accessories with a mountain and lake scene behind and cutouts of deer and a wolf around her

Oil painting of an Asian woman with ducks surrounding her in an abstract scene

Two white vintage-style prairie bonnets made with pearl corsage pins, fabric and steel

Black Sumi ink mountain scene with gray clouds and spots of grass on a yellow-toned rice paper with the name Tsutakawa handwritten on the bottom left corner and the artist's Japanese block signature stamped in red

Long horizontal wool blanket with a series of black, yellow, red, and green vertical stripes with an embroidered scene of an Indigenous Quamichan village of people all gathered together

Oil painting of an Indigenous woman with head looking up, a long braid of hair, and wrapped in a bblanket with a black, yellow, red, and green stripe

Rip, Write, Reflect. Community Art Experience

Ongoing through Exhibition in the Lightcatcher first floor hallway

Auburn-based artist Marita Dingus initiated a new art piece related to the exhibition for a community art experience called, “Rip, Write, Reflect.” Using found and repurposed materials, Dingus constructed a mixed-media wall tapestry. Visitors are invited to add their thoughts through words or drawings on torn map pieces, responding to a prompt about the West. Watch this video to learn more about this project, which is generously supported by Art Bridges.

Multi-Institutional Partnership

Many Wests is organized jointly by the Smithsonian American Art Museum and four nationally accredited art museums located in some of the fastest growing cities and states in the western region of the United States. It is the culmination of a five-year exhibition partnership made possible by the Art Bridges Foundation. The partner museums are the Boise Art Museum in Idaho; the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art in Eugene, Oregon; the Utah Museum of Fine Arts in Salt Lake City; and the Whatcom Museum. E. Carmen Ramos, acting chief curator and curator of Latinx art at the Smithsonian American Art Museum has led the collaborative curatorial effort.

Many Wests features artwork drawn from the permanent collections of all five collaborating museums and the exhibition will be presented at all five venues. The multi-city national tour began at the Boise Art Museum (July 31 to Feb. 13, 2022). It travels to the Whatcom Museum (March 19 to Aug. 21, 2022), the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art (Sept. 26 to Dec. 31, 2022), and the Utah Museum of Fine Arts (Feb. 4 to June 11, 2023). The Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, DC, will be the final stop on the tour, where the exhibition will be on view from July 28, 2023 to Jan. 14, 2024. Learn more about this exhibition from the Smithsonian Voices blog or read a review from Essential West Magazine.

Support Provided By:

This is one in a series of American art exhibitions created through a multi-year, multi-institutional partnership formed by the Smithsonian American Art Museum as part of the Art Bridges Initiative.

The Whatcom Museum presentation of Many Wests is sponsored by Peoples Bank and Rafeeka & Neal Kloke. Additional support is provided in part by a Pandemic Relief Grant from ArtsWA (sub-granted from the National Endowment for the Arts), the Whatcom Museum Foundation, and the City of Bellingham. Media support funded through a City of Bellingham Tourism Promotion Grant. Generous support for the youth docent program and Marita Dingus’s community art installation is provided by Art Bridges.

Logos of black letters saying Art Bridges with a blue arch above the t and B followed by a plus sign followed by blue letters SAAM and Smithsonian American Art Museum spelled to the right of the letters Graphic shape with triangles and cubes of red, orange, dark blue, and chartreuse designed into the shape of Washington state with the words ARTSWA in white overlaying and the words Washington State Arts Commission in blue underneath the shape

The Whatcom Museum acknowledges that we gather on the traditional territory of the Lhaq’temish – Lummi People – and the Nuxwsá7aq – Nooksack People – who have lived in the Coast Salish region from time immemorial. The Museum honors our relationship with all of our Coast Salish neighbors and our shared responsibilities to their homeland where we all reside today.

Black and white photo of a building on fire with smoke rising and a hillside with homes around it

The Fairhaven Hotel

September 1, 2021/in Past Exhibitions /by Christina Claassen

May 5, 2022 - May 15, 2022May 7, 2022 - August 21, 2022March 19, 2022 - August 21, 2022November 13, 2021 - May 8, 2022

Old City Hall

Exhibition Extended!
Curated by Jeff Jewell, Historian and Photo Archivist

In 1890, the Fairhaven Hotel embodied the posh sophistication that the booming City of Fairhaven eagerly wished to project. This was what the rising metropolis would look like! Yet, with the collapse of the economy in 1893, the hotel soon symbolized Fairhaven’s failed dreams, and worse, false promises. Modernization efforts eventually stripped away its whimsical charm, rendering it a no-nonsense “business block.” Historical photographs follow the hotel from glorious beginning to smoldering ruin, displayed in Old City Hall along with surviving hotel treasures curated from the Museum’s collection.

Fairhaven Hotel: Anecdotes from the Archivist
Sunday, March 6, 1pm and Fridays, April 7, 14, 21, & 28, 4–5pm | Old City Hall
Included with admission/members free
Join Photo Archivist Jeff Jewell for a discussion and tour of The Fairhaven Hotel exhibit at Old City Hall. Learn the history of one of Fairhaven’s most renowned buildings. Each tour lasts 45 minutes and is limited to 10 people per tour. Pre-registration is encouraged.

Register here

The Whatcom Museum acknowledges that we gather on the traditional territory of the Lhaq’temish – Lummi People – and the Nuxwsá7aq – Nooksack People – who have lived in the Coast Salish region from time immemorial. The Museum honors our relationship with all of our Coast Salish neighbors and our shared responsibilities to their homeland where we all reside today.

Artists x Artists

August 2, 2021/in Past Exhibitions /by Christina Claassen

May 5, 2022 - May 15, 2022May 7, 2022 - August 21, 2022March 19, 2022 - August 21, 2022November 13, 2021 - May 8, 2022November 20, 2021 - May 8, 2022

Old City Hall

Curated by Amy Chaloupka, Curator of Art

This exhibition explores intimate portraits of artists by artists. Some artists turn the camera on themselves or depict dear friends and colleagues in their work. Many artists are situated within their creative spaces or appear with the familiar tools of their trade. Artists x Artists draws from the Museum’s permanent collection and presents a variety of expressive gazes, each one giving hints toward the ways artists convey and construct the creative persona of the artist.

The Whatcom Museum acknowledges that we gather on the traditional territory of the Lhaq’temish – Lummi People – and the Nuxwsá7aq – Nooksack People – who have lived in the Coast Salish region from time immemorial. The Museum honors our relationship with all of our Coast Salish neighbors and our shared responsibilities to their homeland where we all reside today.

Series of four silver images of human facial profiles on a black background

Up Close & Personal: The Body in Contemporary Art

August 1, 2021/in Past Exhibitions /by Christina Claassen

May 5, 2022 - May 15, 2022May 7, 2022 - August 21, 2022March 19, 2022 - August 21, 2022November 13, 2021 - May 8, 2022November 20, 2021 - May 8, 2022October 30, 2021 - February 27, 2022

Lightcatcher Building

Curated by Amy Chaloupka from the Collection of Driek and Michael Zirinsky

The extended isolation of the pandemic has undeniably affected our collective consciousness, especially our heightened awareness of the body and its vulnerabilities.

Sharing life “in person” once again is a celebratory moment, but also cause for self-reflection. How will we wish to operate moving forward within our own bodies, and also in caring for and considering the bodies of others?

The exhibition Up Close & Personal examines the human body through the expressive lens of 60 artists. Some explore the many ways we communicate with one another—through facial expression, body language, self-presentation, and performance. Others boldly envision narratives and representations of the self through the use of their own bodies in their work. Artists are acutely aware that all bodies reside at the dynamic intersection of gender, class, race, sexuality, age, and ability. These compelling portrayals of the figure are situated at these crossroads of identity and point toward countless possibilities for human connection and understanding.

Up Close & Personal is generously presented from the renowned collection of Driek and Michael Zirinsky. The dynamic selection of work, expressing a range of processes and ideas, allows visitors to get up close and personal with the mindset of the artists as represented in the selections of these lifelong collectors of art.

This exhibition is supported in part by Heritage Bank, the Whatcom Museum Foundation, and the City of Bellingham. Media sponsorship provided by Cascade Public Media KCTS 9.

To complement the exhibition, the Museum will host a companion exhibit at Old City Hall, Artists x Artists, that explores intimate portraits of artists by artists. The exhibition, on display Nov. 20, 2021 – April 10, 2022, draws from the Museum’s permanent collection and presents a variety of expressive gazes, each one giving hints toward the ways artists convey and construct the creative persona of the artist.

Featured Image credit: Samantha Wall; Dark Matter (Universal Body 1, 2, 3 and 4), 2016; Two-color lithographs (silver over black) on Arches 88 white collaborative Master Printer Frank Janzen; 30 x 22 inches each (unframed). Images courtesy of Crow’s Shadow Institute of the Arts.

: Hung Liu; New Moon, 2004; Paper plate monoprint with collage; 34 x 33.5 in., ed. 3/6. From the collection of Driek and Michael Zirinsky. Image courtesy of the artist and Nancy Hoffman Gallery.

: Lee M. Hale; Nose, 1999; Bronze; 2.25 x 1.375 x .375; From the collection of Driek and Michael Zirinsky. Photo by Alan Fitch. Courtesy of the artist.

: Susie J. Lee; Johnny from the series Fracking Fields, 2013, 1 min 13 seconds duration. From the collection of Driek and Michael Zirinsky. Photo by Rodrigo Valenzuela.

: Samantha Wall; Dark Matter (Universal Body 1), 2016; Two-color lithograph (silver over black) on Arches 88 white collaborative Master Printer Frank Janzen; 30 x 22 in. From the collection of Driek and Michael Zirinsky. Image courtesy of Crow’s Shadow Institute of the Arts.

: Samantha Wall; Dark Matter (Universal Body 2), 2016; Two-color lithograph (silver over black) on Arches 88 white collaborative Master Printer Frank Janzen; 30 x 22 in. From the collection of Driek and Michael Zirinsky. Image courtesy of Crow’s Shadow Institute of the Arts.

: Samantha Wall; Dark Matter (Universal Body 3), 2016; Two-color lithograph (silver over black) on Arches 88 white collaborative Master Printer Frank Janzen; 30 x 22 in. From the collection of Driek and Michael Zirinsky. Image courtesy of Crow’s Shadow Institute of the Arts.

: Samantha Wall; Dark Matter (Universal Body 4), 2016; Two-color lithograph (silver over black) on Arches 88 white collaborative Master Printer Frank Janzen; 30 x 22 in. From the collection of Driek and Michael Zirinsky. Image courtesy of Crow’s Shadow Institute of the Arts.

: Jane Dixon; Untitled (Dummies II), 1998; Graphite and acrylic on canvas. From the collection of Driek and Michael Zirinsky. Copyright and photo courtesy of the artist.

: Akio Takamori; Self-Portrait, 2002; Ink on paper; 51.5 x 42.5 in. From the collection of Driek and Michael Zirinsky.

: Akio Takamori; The New Europeans, c. 2009; Hand-built stoneware, ink, and paint; approx. 12 x 6 x 6 in. each. From the collection of Driek and Michael Zirinsky. Image courtesy of James Harris Gallery.

: Markus Hansen; Other People’s Feelings are Also My Own–Soul Drawings, 2006; Single-channel video (Selections from the video). From the collection of Driek and Michael Zirinsky. Video still photos taken by and courtesy of the artist.

: Drew Daly; Implosion, c. 2005; Photograph; 10 x 20 in. From the collection of Driek and Michael Zirinsky.

: Beth Lo; Just One Child (detail), c. 1990; Ceramic, 12 x 6 x 4 in. From the collection of Driek and Michael Zirinsky.

: Steven Miller; Bound VIII – Dave, 2007; Photographic print; 32 x 24 in. From the collection of Driek and Michael Zirinsky. Image courtesy of the artist.

: Steven Miller; Pol (From the Milky Series), 2004; Photographic print; 48 x 36 in. From the collection of Driek and Michael Zirinsky. Image courtesy of the artist.

: Lena Takamori; Watching Woman, 2021; Stoneware; 11 x 8.5 x 10.25 in. From the collection of Driek and Michael Zirinsky. Courtesy of the artist and Lucy Lacoste Gallery.

Docent Tours

Saturday, February 5, 1pm
Thursday, February 10, 1pm
Thursday, February 24, 1pm

Take a docent-guided tour of Up Close & Personal to gain in-depth insights and knowledge about some of the 60 artists featured. Their works offer compelling portrayals of the figure and point toward countless possibilities for identity, human connection, and understanding. Docents will discuss the techniques and processes utilized by artists, focusing on specific works in the exhibition. Each tour can accommodate 8 people, begins in the lobby of the Lightcatcher, and lasts one hour. Pre-registration is strongly encouraged, but walk-in visitors will be accommodated as space allows. Included with admission/Members free.

Register for a Docent Tour

Curator Tours

Fridays, Dec. 10, Jan. 14, and Feb. 11, 1pm
Included with admission/Free to members

We’re excited to offer in-person curator tours of Up Close & Personal. Learn more about the artists and artwork featured in this stunning exhibition from the Museum’s Curator of Art, Amy Chaloupka, who organized this exhibition from the renowned collection of Driek and Michael Zirinsky. Tours last one hour and will be limited to eight people per tour. Pre-registration is strongly encouraged, but walk-in visitors will be accommodated as space allows. Participants will need to wear face coverings while visiting the Museum and participating in the tour.

Register for a Curator Tour

Artists featured in Up Close & Personal:

Magdalena Abakanowicz (Poland, 1930-2017), David Airhart (American, b. 1953), Paolo Arao (Filipino, b. 1977), Natalie Ball (Klamath/Modoc, b. 1980), Algis Balsys (b. 1948), Joe F. Brubaker (American, b. 1948), Lordan Bunch (American, born 1967), Mark Calderon (American, b. 1955), Phillip John Charette (Yup’ik, b. 1962), Long-Bin Chen (Taiwanese, b. 1964), Drew Daly (American,, b. 1973), Noah Davis (American, 1983–2015), Lesley Dill (American, b. 1950), Jane Dixon (British, b. 1963), Olafur Eliasson (Danish-Icelandic, b. 1967), Vernon Fisher (American, b. 1943), Till Freiwald (German, born Peru, 1963), John Grade (American, b. 1970), Lee M. Hale (American, b. 1958), Jane Hammond (American, b. 1950), Markus Hansen (German, b. 1963), Judy Hill (American, b. 1953), Susan Hiller (American, 1940–2019), Hosup Hwang (Korean, b. 1955), Titus Kaphar (American, b. 1976), William Kentridge (South African, b.1955), Käthe Kollwitz (German, 1867–1945), Marianne Kolb (Swiss, b. 1958), Cynthia Lahti (Polish, b. 1963), Isaac Layman (American, b. 1977), Dinh Q. Lê (Vietnamese, b, 1968), Susie J. Lee (American, b. 1972), Kalup Linzy (American b. 1977), Hung Liu (American, born China, 1948–2021), Beth Lo (American, b. 1949), Robert Longo (American, b. 1953), Benoît Lorent (Belgian), Marilyn Lysohir (American, b. 1950), Robert Ernst Marx (American, born Germany, 1925–2020), Steven Miller (American, b. 1968), Brian Murphy (American, b. 1970), Scott Myles (Scottish, b. 1975), Ronna Neuenschwander (American, b. 1954), Bertjan Pot (Dutch, b. 1975), Julia Randall (American, b. 1968), Wendy Red Star (Crow/Apsáalooke, b. 1981), Jena Scott (American, b. 1967), Paul Shambroom (American, b. 1956), Roger Shimomura (American, b. 1939), Lucy Skaer (British, b. 1975), Kiki Smith (American, born Germany, 1954), Akio Takamori (Japanese and American, 1950–2017), Lena Takamori (American, b. 1990), Josephine Taylor (American, b. 1977), Storm Tharp (American, b. 1970), Terry Turrell (American, b. 1946), Friese Undine (American, b. 1965), Samantha Wall (American, born Korea, 1977), Kumi Yamashita (Japanese, b. 1968), Wanxin Zhang (Chinese, b. 1961)

The Whatcom Museum acknowledges that we gather on the traditional territory of the Lhaq’temish – Lummi People – and the Nuxwsá7aq – Nooksack People – who have lived in the Coast Salish region from time immemorial. The Museum honors our relationship with all of our Coast Salish neighbors and our shared responsibilities to their homeland where we all reside today.

El Zodíaco Familiar

July 31, 2021/in Past Exhibitions /by Christina Claassen

May 5, 2022 - May 15, 2022May 7, 2022 - August 21, 2022March 19, 2022 - August 21, 2022November 13, 2021 - May 8, 2022November 20, 2021 - May 8, 2022October 30, 2021 - February 27, 2022June 19, 2021 - October 24, 2021

Lightcatcher Building

Exhibition by George Rodriguez

Ceramic artist and sculptor George Rodriguez embarks on a collaborative iteration of the Chinese Zodiac. In an homage to its origins in Chinese folklore, Rodriguez has reimagined the classic zodiac animals as analogous creatures of Mexican origin, bridging cultures and creating new narratives.

El Zodíaco Familiar—the fifth iteration of Rodriguez’s Mexican Zodiac series—invites 13 Mexican and ChicanX/Chicane artists of various artistic disciplines to respond to Rodriguez’s animal sculptures with the forms, tools, and aesthetics of their own artistic practices. Each artist has imbued their collaboratively-imagined sculpture, corresponding to the zodiac animal of their birth year, with personal perspective, folk tradition, and an intimate feeling of celebration. While each sculpture is as distinct as its maker, taken together, the twelve pieces vibrate with deep resonances of the familiar.

The Participating Artists and their zodiacs:
Moises Salazar–Chapulín
Marilyn Montufar–Toro
Alejandra Carrillo-Estrada–Jaguar
Samirah Steinmeyer–Cacomixtle
Yosimar Reyes–Quetzalcoatl
Eric J. Garcia–Iguana
Christie Tirado–Burro
Carolina Jiménez–Venado Azul
Gabriela Ramírez Michel–Mono
Jon Gómez y Javier Barboza–Águila
Gabriel Marquez–Chihuahua
Gustavo Martinez–Cabra

Also on display are several of Rodriguez’s guardian figures that demonstrate the artist’s ongoing exploration of community, culture, identity, and ornamentation.

Rodriguez was featured in the 12th season of Craft in America. Watch the episode here.

This exhibition is supported in part by the Whatcom Museum Foundation, the City of Bellingham, and the National Endowment for the Arts. Media sponsorship provided by KCTS 9, a service of Cascade Public Media.

: George Rodriguez and Gabriela Ramírez Michel; La Peyotera (Mono), 2021; Ceramic, wax, fiber.

: George Rodriguez and Moises Salazar; Grillx (Chapulín), 2021; Ceramic with glaze, fiber, glitter, steel.

: George Rodriguez and Gabriel Marquez; Espíritu del Viento (Chihuahua), 2021; Ceramic with glaze.

: George Rodriguez and Eric J. Garcia; 1977 (Iguana), 2021; Ceramic, acrylic paint.

: George Rodriguez and Gustavo Martinez; Cabra-Cabron Cabrona, 2021; Ceramic with glaze, fiber.

: George Rodriguez; Mexican American Gothic; Ceramic with glaze, 84 x 60 x 30 in. Photo courtesy of Foster/White Gallery.

The Whatcom Museum acknowledges that we gather on the traditional territory of the Lhaq’temish – Lummi People – and the Nuxwsá7aq – Nooksack People – who have lived in the Coast Salish region from time immemorial. The Museum honors our relationship with all of our Coast Salish neighbors and our shared responsibilities to their homeland where we all reside today.

partners

Docent Tours in English & Spanish!

Sundays, July 11, Aug. 15, Sept. 5, Oct. 24

Fridays July 16, Aug. 27, Sept. 10, Oct. 8

English language tour at 1pm

Spanish language tour at 2pm

Learn more about George Rodriguez and the 13 ChicanX/Chicane artists who collaborated on this exhibition to create a reimagined “Mexican” zodiac, inspired by the traditional Chinese zodiac. Our trained docent will lead an English-language tour at 1pm and a Spanish-language tour at 2pm. Tours last about 45 minutes.

Register HERE.

Whatcom Artist Studio Tour 2021 Showcase

July 18, 2021/in Past Exhibitions /by Christina Claassen

May 5, 2022 - May 15, 2022May 7, 2022 - August 21, 2022March 19, 2022 - August 21, 2022November 13, 2021 - May 8, 2022November 20, 2021 - May 8, 2022October 30, 2021 - February 27, 2022June 19, 2021 - October 24, 2021September 3, 2021 - October 17, 2021

Old City Hall

This year marks the return of the Whatcom Artist Studio Tour Showcase to Old City Hall. See a selection of artworks from several participating Studio Tour artists. Each year the two-weekend event offers visitors insight into the creative processes and work lives of nearly 40 artists in a self-guided tour throughout the county. To learn more, visit the Studio Tour website.

On Friday, Sept. 3, some of the participating artists will be at Old City Hall to kick-off the exhibition during the Downtown Art Walk. Learn more about the Art Walk here.

Featured image: Karen Theusen; Chicken Bus Stop; Acrylic on canvas.

: Ria Harboe; “Breezy Tall Grasses;” Acrylic

: Larry Richmond; “Covered Jar;” Stoneware with basket weaving covering

: Linda Stone; “Unmasked-And The World Is Filled With Hope;” Handmade thrown and carved stoneware

The Whatcom Museum acknowledges that we gather on the traditional territory of the Lhaq’temish – Lummi People – and the Nuxwsá7aq – Nooksack People – who have lived in the Coast Salish region from time immemorial. The Museum honors our relationship with all of our Coast Salish neighbors and our shared responsibilities to their homeland where we all reside today.

Blue and neon green squiggle designs on a detail of a blown glass bowl.

Fluid Formations: The Legacy of Glass in the Pacific Northwest

July 1, 2021/in Past Exhibitions /by Christina Claassen

May 5, 2022 - May 15, 2022May 7, 2022 - August 21, 2022March 19, 2022 - August 21, 2022November 13, 2021 - May 8, 2022November 20, 2021 - May 8, 2022October 30, 2021 - February 27, 2022June 19, 2021 - October 24, 2021September 3, 2021 - October 17, 2021April 10, 2021 - October 10, 2021

Lightcatcher Building

Organized by Amy Chaloupka, Whatcom Museum Curator of Art

Celebrating a rich legacy unique to our region, Fluid Formations features the art of fifty-seven contemporary artists working in glass.

The Pacific Northwest is the epicenter of glass, spurred by the establishment of Pilchuck Glass School on a remote tree farm in Stanwood, Washington in 1971. Fifty years later, the region’s glass community has expanded significantly, defined by shared knowledge, teamwork, and an experimental spirit.

Drawing from the Museum’s permanent collection, loans from artists, and working in close partnership with Museum of Glass (Tacoma, Wash.), Fluid Formations celebrates the innovation and striking range of processes and ideas that could only come from decades of generous exchange and shared passion for the material of glass. Check out the Gallery Guide to see the variation of works that were featured in this exhibition.

Also on exhibit:

Kids Design Glass is a longstanding program that Museum of Glass has hosted since 2002 where kids aged 12 and under can submit their creative drawings to be transformed into glass sculptures. The Whatcom Museum has several of these kid-designed glass artworks located throughout our campus, including Green Guy, designed by Duncan Noah (age 11) and made by Museum of Glass Hot Shop team members. Come search our buildings and galleries to find all seven!

: Lino Tagliapietra; Florencia, 2020; Blown glass; 24 x 23 x 11 in. Photograph by Russell Johnson. Courtesy of Lino Tagliapietra Seattle Studio.

: Shelley Muzylowski; In The Morning Light, 2018; Blown, hand sculpted and engraved glass, steel; 35.5 x 10 x 7 in. Photo by Daniel Fox. Courtesy of the artist.

: Ginny Ruffner; Bouquet of Muses, 2020; Lampworked glass and mixed media; 12 x 12 x 17 in. Photo by James Harnois. Courtesy of the artist.

: Dan Friday (Lummi); Copper Lightning Basket, 2019; Blown and woven cane mosaic glass; Approx: 11.38 x 10 x 10 in. Courtesy of the artist.

: Nancy Callan; Smoky the Snowman, 2019; Blown glass; 34.5 x 17.5 x 17.5 in. Photo by Russell Johnson. Courtesy of the artist.

: Erich Woll; Mistakes Will Be Made, 2014; Hot-sculpted glass; 39 x 14 x 75 in. Collection of Museum of Glass, Tacoma, Washington, gift of the artist. Photo by Russell Johnson.

: Ethan Stern; Green Coastline, 2011; Blown and wheel-cut glass; 13.25 × 14.25 × 3 in. Collection of Museum of Glass, Tacoma, Washington, gift of the artist. Photo by Russell Johnson.

: Kelly O’Dell and Raven Skyriver; Treasure-trove, 2016; Blown and sculpted glass; 12 x 16 x 13 in. Collection of Museum of Glass, Tacoma, Washington, gift of the artist. Photo by Kp Studios.

: Mildred Howard; Whispering Roar, 2011; Blown glass; 34 x 10.5 x 6 in. Collection of Museum of Glass, Tacoma, Washington, courtesy of the artist and Gallery Paule Anglim, San Francisco, California. Photo by Duncan Price.

: Flora C. Mace and Joey Kirkpatrick; Bird Page: Red-Shouldered Hawk, 2006; Glass and steel; 17.5 x 14 x 6 in. Photo by Robert Vinnedge. Courtesy of the artists.

: Sonja Blomdahl; Untitled, 1987; Blown glass; 13 x 13 x 13 in. Whatcom Museum Collection. Gift of Safeco Insurance, a member of the Liberty Mutual Group, and Washington Art Consortium.

: Green Guy, 2006; Designed by Duncan Noah (age 11), made by Museum of Glass Hot Shop Team; Blown and hot sculpted glass with applied bits; 19.5 x 12.5 x 5 in. Collection of Museum of Glass, Tacoma, Wash. Photo by Russell Johnson and Jeff Curtis.

Gallery Tours with Curator of Art Amy Chaloupka

Thursdays, May 20 (only 12:15pm), June 24, July 22, Aug. 26, Sept. 16, and Oct. 7, 12:15pm and 2pm

Included with admission/Free to members

We’re excited to offer in-person curator tours of Fluid Formations. Learn more about the artists and artwork featured in this stunning exhibition from the Museum’s Curator of Art, Amy Chaloupka, who organized this exhibition in partnership with Museum of Glass, galleries, and individual artists. Tours last one hour, will be limited to six people per tour, and require pre-registration. Participants will need to wear face coverings while visiting the Museum and participating in the tour.

Register for a Curator Tour

Docent-Led Tours

Thursdays, July 8 (canceled) & 29, Aug. 5, 12, & 19, Sept. 2, 9, 23, & 30 at 1pm

Saturdays, Sept. 4, 11, 18 & 25 and Oct. 2 & 9 at 1pm

Included with admission/Free to members

Discover the artists and artwork featured in this exhibition, which celebrates the rich legacy of glass art in our region. Our docents will provide insight into the techniques and processes utilized by artists, focusing on specific works in the exhibition. Tours last one hour.

Register for a Docent Tour

Artists Featured in Fluid Formations:

Rik Allen, Shelley Muzylowski Allen, Bennett Battaile, Ben Beres, Jeremy Bert, Sonja Blomdahl, Nancy Callan, Ned Cantrell, Sydney Cash, Doris Chase, Dale Chihuly, Benjamin Cobb, Norman Courtney, Amber Cowan, Max Cregar, Erik Demaine, Martin Demaine, Jen Elek, Dan Friday, Ann Gardner, Sarah Gilbert, Suzanne Head, Mildred Howard, Jasen Johnsen, Karen Willendbrink-Johnsen, Claire Kelly, Joey Kirkpatrick, Sabrina Knowles, Walter Lieberman, Beth Lipman, Flora C. Mace, Dante Marioni, Paul Marioni, Richard Marquis, Benjamin Moore, William Morris, Richard Notkin, Kelly O’Dell, Marvin Oliver, Deborah Oropallo, Jenny Pohlman, Kait Rhoads, Joseph Gregory Rossano, Richard Royal, Ginny Ruffner, Preston Singletary, Raven Skyriver, Ethan Stern, April Surgent, Lino Tagliapietra, Cappy Thompson, Oiva Toikka, Norwood Viviano, Randy Walker, Dick Weiss, Erich Woll, Ellen Ziegler

Reciprocal membership with Museum of Glass (Tacoma, WA)

In honor of this exhibition, Museum of Glass and the Whatcom Museum are offering reciprocal membership benefits for free entry. Museum of Glass members can receive free admission to the Whatcom Museum and 10% off purchases at the Museum Store by presenting a current Museum of Glass membership card at the front admission desks. Whatcom Museum members can receive free entry to Museum of Glass by showing their membership card at the admission desks. For more info about Museum of Glass hours of operation, please visit their website.

The Whatcom Museum acknowledges that we gather on the traditional territory of the Lhaq’temish – Lummi People – and the Nuxwsá7aq – Nooksack People – who have lived in the Coast Salish region from time immemorial. The Museum honors our relationship with all of our Coast Salish neighbors and our shared responsibilities to their homeland where we all reside today.

The Whatcom Museum is offering free admission to the Lightcatcher building to Indigenous Peoples upon request at the attendant desk inside the Lightcatcher building, 250 Flora St.

This exhibition is organized in partnership with Museum of Glass and is supported in part by Peoples Bank, the Whatcom Museum Foundation, the City of Bellingham, and the National Endowment for the Arts. Media sponsorship provided by Cascade Public Media KCTS9.

partners

Blown glass pileated woodpecker with red crest, white face, blue beak, black body

Oiva Toikka; Pileated woodpecker. Museum of Glass collection.

As part of this series, the Whatcom Museum is also featuring a collection of glass birds in the John M. Edson Hall of Birds at Old City Hall. Birds by Toikka, made by renowned Finnish artist and designer Oiva Toikka (1931 – 2019) for the design company, Iittala, are on loan from Museum of Glass Collection, and the Paul Kangas Collection, which is a promised gift to Museum of Glass. The glass birds are interspersed among our mounted bird display cases. Image credit: Oiva Toikka; Pileated Woodpecker; 2011; Blown glass; 10 × 4.5 in. Collection of Museum of Glass, Tacoma, Washington.

white, gold, brown, and white historic heeled shoes with beads and lace

All Dressed Up

May 28, 2021/in Past Exhibitions /by Christina Claassen

May 5, 2022 - May 15, 2022May 7, 2022 - August 21, 2022March 19, 2022 - August 21, 2022November 13, 2021 - May 8, 2022November 20, 2021 - May 8, 2022October 30, 2021 - February 27, 2022June 19, 2021 - October 24, 2021September 3, 2021 - October 17, 2021April 10, 2021 - October 10, 2021May 29, 2021 - October 31, 2021

Old City Hall

Curated by Maria Coltharp, Collections Curator

When one thinks about the Whatcom Museum collections, many things may come to mind: The John M. Edson Hall of Birds, the contemporary masterpieces in the art collection, the Photo Archives, or the treasures in the history collection. Perhaps lesser known is the incredible clothing collection that includes examples of historic garments spanning from the 1800s through the mid-20^th century.

Historic clothing has the ability to transport people to a different time or place, to sense that these items were worn by real people, and to imagine oneself in their midst. All Dressed Up… highlights some of the more colorful examples of artistry as fashion in the Museum’s collection. The exhibit showcases items of clothing that would have been worn “out on the town,” such as a stunning blue striped silk dress with off-white satin banding from the 1910s and the dramatic 1928 lavender full-length chiffon gown worn by the artist Helen Loggie.

An array of vintage designer evening shoes will also be on display, as well as an assortment of antique fashion accessories. Allow yourself to be immersed in the styles and color palettes of the past century and to contemplate the significance of getting “all dressed up” for an occasion, for company, or just for oneself.

Collections Curator Maria Coltharp offers a quick overview and tour of some of the garments in this exhibition. Watch the video!

Support for collections photography provided by Art Bridges Bridge Ahead Initiative.

: Chartreuse and gold metallic synthetic fabric shirt style dress. Post 1970. Whatcom Museum 1979.0032.000001. Support for photography provided by Art Bridges.

: Woman’s blue and white striped silk dress with lace (detail), c.1910s. Whatcom Museum 1968.0024.000016. Support for photography provided by Art Bridges.

: Leather shoes with gold finish and silver high heels and laces. Nancy Haggerty Inc., New York. Whatcom Museum 1989.0014.000019. Support for photography provided by Art Bridges.

: Woman’s princess style sleeveless dress, pink brocade fabric with paisley pattern and gold embroidery. Made by Royallynne in Hong Kong, c. 1950s. Whatcom Museum 1983.0044.000001. Support for photography provided by Art Bridges.

Silk for Suffragettes and Schoolchildren: The Impact of Kimono on European and American Design Practices, c. 1890-1980

May 28, 2021/in Past Exhibitions /by Christina Claassen

May 5, 2022 - May 15, 2022May 7, 2022 - August 21, 2022March 19, 2022 - August 21, 2022November 13, 2021 - May 8, 2022November 20, 2021 - May 8, 2022October 30, 2021 - February 27, 2022June 19, 2021 - October 24, 2021September 3, 2021 - October 17, 2021April 10, 2021 - October 10, 2021May 29, 2021 - October 31, 2021May 29, 2021 - August 29, 2021

Old City Hall

Curated by Julia Sapin, Ph.D., Professor of Art History, Western Washington University

Americans and Europeans were crazy for kimono, and garments based on kimono, beginning in mid-nineteenth century, including fashionistas in Whatcom County. This exhibition focuses on kimono-inspired objects that have come into the Whatcom Museum’s collection over the last fifty years.

Primarily from Bellingham community members, this collection shows their strong interest in this fashion trend. These textile creations reveal American designers’ ingenuity in adapting aspects of the kimono for Western use. They also show the savvy of Japanese designers in anticipating Western demand and creating clothing designed to suit American and European lifestyles.

From a child’s pink crepe robe to an evening gown with “kimono” sleeves, these garments offer us a glimpse of this fashion frenzy, and the various ways in which it translated into novel patterns of wear in our very own community.

: Dinner Dress, circa 1920; Japanese Silk, satin, lace, with kimono-style sleeves. Gift of Josephine McNeill. Whatcom Museum collection, 2007.0025.000019.

: Kimono, circa 1900; Japanese silk. Gift of Peter Redpath. Whatcom Museum collection, 1977.0018.000005.

The Whatcom Museum acknowledges that we gather on the traditional territory of the Lhaq’temish – Lummi People – and the Nuxwsá7aq – Nooksack People – who have lived in the Coast Salish region from time immemorial. The Museum honors our relationship with all of our Coast Salish neighbors and our shared responsibilities to their homeland where we all reside today.

Celebrating our Matriarchs

March 6, 2021/in Past Exhibitions /by Christina Claassen

May 5, 2022 - May 15, 2022May 7, 2022 - August 21, 2022March 19, 2022 - August 21, 2022November 13, 2021 - May 8, 2022November 20, 2021 - May 8, 2022October 30, 2021 - February 27, 2022June 19, 2021 - October 24, 2021September 3, 2021 - October 17, 2021April 10, 2021 - October 10, 2021May 29, 2021 - October 31, 2021May 29, 2021 - August 29, 2021May 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021

Virtual

This virtual exhibition is part of our collaborative Community Photo Project tied to Matika Wilbur’s exhibition Seeds of Culture: The Portraits and Stories of Native American Women.

We all know women who have inspired and influenced us, taught us, raised and cared for us, mentored and encouraged us to become better people. From the past to our shared present, matriarchal figures have an enduring importance.

As part of the project, we invited community members to share a photo of a matriarch important to them. Submissions were accepted during March and are now displayed below. We’re excited to share these photographs with you, along with words from the photographers.

Do you see your photo and would like to add more information? Contact us at info@whatcommuseum.org.

Female identified person with a black shirt and a white and blue skirt wearing a woven headband and standing near a body of water

Seeds of Culture: The Portraits and Stories of Native American Women

March 1, 2021/in Past Exhibitions /by Christina Claassen

May 5, 2022 - May 15, 2022May 7, 2022 - August 21, 2022March 19, 2022 - August 21, 2022November 13, 2021 - May 8, 2022November 20, 2021 - May 8, 2022October 30, 2021 - February 27, 2022June 19, 2021 - October 24, 2021September 3, 2021 - October 17, 2021April 10, 2021 - October 10, 2021May 29, 2021 - October 31, 2021May 29, 2021 - August 29, 2021May 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021March 13, 2021 - June 13, 2021

Lightcatcher Building

Exhibition by Matika Wilbur

In 2012, critically acclaimed photographer and social documentarian Matika Wilbur (Tulalip & Swinomish) sold her belongings and set out on the road to launch Project 562, a crowd-funded initiative to visit, engage, and photograph people from 562+ sovereign Tribal Nations in the United States.

Seeds of Culture: The Portraits and Stories of Native American Women features 28 photographs of Native American women, along with interviews, written narratives, and a compelling sound-scape of voices and original music. Wilbur has selected the striking photographs from among the thousands of portraits she has taken in recent years, including a new special selection from local Tribes. Elders, activists, educators, culture-bearers, artists, and students have shared with Wilbur their realities as Native women to convey how ancestral and contemporary identities shape their hopes and dreams.

As Wilbur explains, “I believe the viewers will experience great insight and connection with these remarkable women, just as they have enlightened and inspired me. Native women are traditionally the stewards of the vital relationship with land, and have remained principal advocates for Mother Earth, from fracking protests to upholding vital matrilineal values. By sharing the astonishing variety of the Indigenous presence and understanding, we will build cultural bridges, abandon stereotypes, and renew and inspire our national legacy.”

: Dr. Desi Small Rodriguez, Northern Cheyenne, Montana. Photo by Matika Wilbur for Project 562. Courtesy of the Artist.

: Juanita Toledo, Pueblo of Jemez, 2015. Photo by Matika Wilbur for Project 562. Courtesy of the Artist.

: Dr. Mary Jiron Belgarde LoRe, Pueblo of Isleta and Ohkay Owingeh, New Mexico, 2014. Photo by Matika Wilbur for Project 562. Courtesy of the Artist.

: Darkfeather Ancheta, Eckos Chartraw-Ancheta, and Bibiana Ancheta, Tulalip, Washington, 2014. Photo by Matika Wilbur for Project 562. Courtesy of the artist.

: Temryss Lane, Xeli’tia, Lummi Nation, Washington, 2020. Photo by Matika Wilbur for Project 562. Courtesy of the artist.

About Matika Wilbur
Matika Wilbur, one of the Pacific Northwest’s leading photographers, has exhibited extensively in regional, national, and international venues such as the Seattle Art Museum, the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture, The Tacoma Art Museum, the Royal British Columbia Museum of Fine Arts, and the Nantes Museum of Fine Arts in France. She studied photography at the Rocky Mountain School of Photography in Montana and received a bachelor’s degree from Brooks Institute of Photography in California. Her work led her to becoming a certified teacher at Tulalip Heritage High School, providing inspiration for the youth of her own Indigenous community. Wilbur, an Indigenous woman belonging to Swinomish and Tulalip Tribes, is unique as an artist and social documentarian in Indian Country—the insight, depth, and passion with which she explores the contemporary Native identity and experience are communicated through the impeccable artistry of each of her silver gelatin photographs. Her collection of photographs and narratives from Project 562 is soon to be published by Ten Speed Press/Random House. Learn more about Matika at www.matikawilbur.com, Project 562 at www.project562.com, or check out her Instagram account. Wilbur is also the co-host of the podcast, All My Relations.

Seeds of Culture: The Portraits and Stories of Native American Women, was originally shown at the Radcliffe Institute at Harvard University. The Whatcom Museum’s showing of the exhibition is presented by the Lhaq’temish Foundation, Lummi Nation, with additional support from Jean Andresen, Rafeeka & Neal Kloke, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Whatcom Museum Foundation, the City of Bellingham, and Grantmakers for Girls of Color.

Community Photo Project: Celebrating Our Matriarchs

Matriarchy is a social system in which women hold power—politically, morally, socially, and economically. A matriarch shapes family, holds community, and makes space for inclusion. Before colonization, Pacific Northwest peoples thrived for millennia in matriarchal social systems. Many Indigenous scholars and activists are calling for rematriation in Tribal nations. But what does that look like? In Matika Wilbur’s exhibition, rematriation is unpacked. In honor of her exhibition, the Museum hosted a community photo project inviting people to submit an image that celebrates a matriarchal figure in their life. See the stunning photographs submit to this virtual exhibition.

The Whatcom Museum acknowledges that we gather on the traditional territory of the Lhaq’temish – Lummi People – and the Nuxwsá7aq – Nooksack People – who have lived in the Coast Salish region from time immemorial. The Museum honors our relationship with all of our Coast Salish neighbors and our shared responsibilities to their homeland where we all reside today.

The Whatcom Museum is offering free admission to the Lightcatcher building to Indigenous Peoples upon request at the attendant desk inside the Lightcatcher building, 250 Flora St.

Jac Trautman: The Specter of the Young and Indigenous

December 18, 2020/in Past Exhibitions /by Christina Claassen

May 5, 2022 - May 15, 2022May 7, 2022 - August 21, 2022March 19, 2022 - August 21, 2022November 13, 2021 - May 8, 2022November 20, 2021 - May 8, 2022October 30, 2021 - February 27, 2022June 19, 2021 - October 24, 2021September 3, 2021 - October 17, 2021April 10, 2021 - October 10, 2021May 29, 2021 - October 31, 2021May 29, 2021 - August 29, 2021May 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021March 13, 2021 - June 13, 2021January 28, 2021 - June 13, 2021

Lightcatcher Building

Jac Trautman is a photographer and artist from Seattle and a member of the Duwamish tribe. With this series of seven photographs, Trautman takes a single exposure with multiple projected images contained within and draws attention to the concepts of splitting and projection and their role in the history of interactions with the colonizer and the colonized. The photographs are installed as window vinyls in the Lightcatcher Courtyard.

The subjects of his photographs are tribal youth of the Lummi Nation who collaborate with Children of the Setting Sun Productions to create the Young and Indigenous podcast. The podcast is a forum for the Lummi community to express their opinions, voice ideas and concerns, and share untold stories important to Native people.

The podcast is also for people outside of Indigenous communities who would like to learn more about the issues important to Native people. Trautman folds the ideals of the podcast into visual form in his layered images. While critiquing the systems and conventions of settler-colonialism, he also presents intimate portrait studies of empowered Indigenous youth who, through contemporary technologies, share stories, languages, and landscapes that resist colonial definitions.

The Whatcom Museum is offering free admission to the Lightcatcher building* to Indigenous Peoples upon request at the attendant desk inside the Lightcatcher building, 250 Flora St. *excluding the Family Interactive Gallery (FIG).

Main image: Photo by Jac Trautman. Eliza Julius at the Wex’liem (Frog House), Lummi Nation, Bellingham, Washington. Courtesy of the artist.

1968: The Year That Rocked Washington

December 7, 2020/in Past Exhibitions /by Christina Claassen

May 5, 2022 - May 15, 2022May 7, 2022 - August 21, 2022March 19, 2022 - August 21, 2022November 13, 2021 - May 8, 2022November 20, 2021 - May 8, 2022October 30, 2021 - February 27, 2022June 19, 2021 - October 24, 2021September 3, 2021 - October 17, 2021April 10, 2021 - October 10, 2021May 29, 2021 - October 31, 2021May 29, 2021 - August 29, 2021May 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021March 13, 2021 - June 13, 2021January 28, 2021 - June 13, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021

Old City Hall

The year was 1968. Change was in the air. Everywhere. From Saigon to Seattle, Paris to Pasco. On college campuses, the campaign trail and evergreen peaks, Washingtonians were spurred to action. Legacy Washington looks back at 1968 and its impact on Washington state through the stories of some remarkable people who lived through it. On college campuses, the campaign trail and evergreen peaks, Washingtonians were spurred to action. Above all, 1968 showed the power of an individual to make a difference.

Whether it was Ralph Munro fighting for the rights of people with disabilities, Polly Dyer protecting natural treasures with cheerful tenacity, Maxine Mimms striving to improve educational opportunities for African-Americans, or the valor of Green Beret Sgt. Bryon Loucks deep in the jungles of Vietnam, these Washingtonians came from very different backgrounds. But they had one trait in common: the courage of their convictions.

Legacy Washington is an educational program of the Office of the Secretary of State, documenting extraordinary stories in Washington history.

Votes for Women: A Portrait of Persistence

December 1, 2020/in Past Exhibitions /by Christina Claassen

May 5, 2022 - May 15, 2022May 7, 2022 - August 21, 2022March 19, 2022 - August 21, 2022November 13, 2021 - May 8, 2022November 20, 2021 - May 8, 2022October 30, 2021 - February 27, 2022June 19, 2021 - October 24, 2021September 3, 2021 - October 17, 2021April 10, 2021 - October 10, 2021May 29, 2021 - October 31, 2021May 29, 2021 - August 29, 2021May 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021March 13, 2021 - June 13, 2021January 28, 2021 - June 13, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021

Old City Hall

The story of women’s suffrage is a story of voting rights, of inclusion in and exclusion from the franchise, and of our civic development as a nation. In 2020, the Smithsonian celebrated the 100th anniversary of the Nineteenth Amendment with Votes for Women: A Portrait of Persistence. This dynamic poster exhibition explores the complexity of the women’s suffrage movement and the relevance of this history to Americans’ lives today.

This exhibition is organized by the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service in collaboration with the National Portrait Gallery. This project received support from the Smithsonian American Women’s History Initiative.

Anatomy of a Collection: Recent Acquisitions and Promised Gifts

September 16, 2020/in Past Exhibitions /by Christina Claassen

May 5, 2022 - May 15, 2022May 7, 2022 - August 21, 2022March 19, 2022 - August 21, 2022November 13, 2021 - May 8, 2022November 20, 2021 - May 8, 2022October 30, 2021 - February 27, 2022June 19, 2021 - October 24, 2021September 3, 2021 - October 17, 2021April 10, 2021 - October 10, 2021May 29, 2021 - October 31, 2021May 29, 2021 - August 29, 2021May 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021March 13, 2021 - June 13, 2021January 28, 2021 - June 13, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021September 19, 2020 - March 21, 2021

Lightcatcher Building

Curated by Amy Chaloupka, Curator of Art

To mark ten years since the Lightcatcher building’s construction, the Whatcom Museum celebrates the works of art welcomed into the permanent collection during this time. We also acknowledge the long-standing relationships with area artists and patrons who have helped to shape and expand the collection through gifts of art. Their generous contributions support the Museum’s mission to stimulate inquiry about our changing cultural, natural, and historical landscapes by diversifying our exhibition and education programming.

Anatomy of a Collection also reflects the Museum’s goals to extend into new areas of collecting, centered around expanding conversations and interests of today’s audiences. Many acquisitions focus on under-represented artists with a multiplicity of perspectives, variety of themes, and diverse media. Additionally, the exhibition provides a unique look at the internal workings of museum collecting practices, making this process transparent to the community. The Museum values the idea that the artworks preserved in its buildings are held in public trust and serve as important visual connection points for education, critical analysis, preservation of culture, and storytelling.

Many recent acquisitions and promised gifts expand existing holdings of significant works by artists of the Pacific Northwest including works by Wendell Brazeau, Susan Bennerstrom, Mary Henry, Clayton James, Mark Tobey, and more. Other acquisitions are tied to important solo exhibitions hosted by the Museum that delve deep into an artist’s practice and career, such as Ed Bereal, John Cole, John Grade, and Lesley Dill. More than seventy works will be on view, many for the first time at the Museum.

Funding for this exhibition has been provided by the Whatcom Museum Foundation, the Museum Advocates, the City of Bellingham, and Mary Summerfield & Mike O’Neal. This project is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) with additional support provided by Humanities Washington and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act economic stabilization plan of 2020.

Featured image: Fay Jones; Lotus-Eaters, 1993; Aquatint; 31.5 x 43 in. Gift of the Washington Art Consortium through gift of Safeco Insurance, a member of the Liberty Mutual Group.

: Louis Bunce; Images of the Afternoon, 1942; Silkscreen on paper; 15 x 20 in. Gift of the Washington Art Consortium through gift of Safeco Insurance, a member of the Liberty Mutual Group.

: Darren Waterston; Mount Verna with Wound, 2007; Pigment print on Innova, Edition 1 of 20; 40 x 18.5 in framed. Gift of Greg Kucera and Larry Yocom in honor of Virginia Wright.

: Craig Langager; Who’s Afraid of Red, White, and Blue?, 2010; Cast urethane and epoxy, dyed ostrich feathers on steel base. Gift of the artist.

: Lesley Dill; Shimmer, 2005 – 2006; Wire, metal foil, 12 ft. x 60 ft. x 15 ft. Whatcom Museum # 2015.17.1

: Cris Bruch; Scantling, 2007; Vinyl, nylon, epoxy and pigment; 18 x 34 x 19.5 in. Gift of the Washington Art Consortium through gift of Safeco Insurance, a member of the Liberty Mutual Group.

Learn more from Amy Chaloupka, Curator of Art, about works in this exhibition that were a Gift of the Washington Art Consortium through a gift of Safeco Insurance, a member of the Liberty Mutual Group.

Get more insight into artist Lesley Dill’s art installation, Shimmer, which is featured in this exhibition.

Watch a series of collection highlights offering insight into specific artworks and artists. These short videos are written and narrated by Museum docents and reflect their interpretations of the works.

Whatcom Artist Studio Tour 2020 Virtual Showcase

August 25, 2020/in Past Exhibitions /by Christina Claassen

May 5, 2022 - May 15, 2022May 7, 2022 - August 21, 2022March 19, 2022 - August 21, 2022November 13, 2021 - May 8, 2022November 20, 2021 - May 8, 2022October 30, 2021 - February 27, 2022June 19, 2021 - October 24, 2021September 3, 2021 - October 17, 2021April 10, 2021 - October 10, 2021May 29, 2021 - October 31, 2021May 29, 2021 - August 29, 2021May 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021March 13, 2021 - June 13, 2021January 28, 2021 - June 13, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021September 19, 2020 - March 21, 2021September 3, 2020 - October 17, 2020

Old City Hall

For the past several years, the Museum has helped celebrate Whatcom County artists by providing a showcase of select artworks by those participating in the annual Whatcom Artist Studio Tour (WAST). This year, we are sharing this artistry through a virtual showcase, rather than in our Old City Hall galleries.

WAST was founded in 1995, with 10 artists participating, to bring the public into artists’ working studios for a two weekend self-guided tour and sale. Over its 25 year history, that number has grown to upwards of 40 artists, with sometimes more than 30 participating studios. The Studio Tour offers visitors insight into the creative process, work life, and work environment of area artists.

While a bit different this year, the Studio Tour will still have participating artists working in a variety of mediums — clay, painting, mixed media, photography, sculpted glass, and more. Artists will open their studios by appointment only from October 3 through 17, and all visitors must wear masks and maintain social distancing guidelines. New for this year on the WAST website will be a virtual photo gallery of artists in their studios. Visit the WAST website for more information about this year’s tour and guidelines and to see more works by our Whatcom artists.

Generous support for this virtual project provided by Art Bridges.

Click on an image below to enlarge it.

Painting of an owl — Deb Dole; Holding Wisdom; mixed media - acrylic, ink and oil; 12 x 12 in.

tea pot with bamboo handle — Linda Stone; Beachware Teapot; stoneware with bamboo handle; 5 x 9.5 x 9.5 in.

Polar bear made of recycled paper fiber and acrylics — Ruth SanPietro; On Thin Ice II; 100% recycled paper fiber and acrylics; 21 x 22 x 3 in.

Pendant made of sterling and turquoise — Liane Redpath; Pendant; sterling, turquoise, green sapphire, pendant

Painting of boats in a harbor — Joy Olney; Friday Harbor; oil; 13 x 15 in.

Prayer wheel in porcelain ceramic on metal turntable — Chris Moench; Deep Water Companions Prayer Wheel; porcelain ceramic on metal turntable; 14 x 9 in.

Painting of an eagle — Lorna Libert; Eagle Eyes; oil on canvas; 60 x 48 in.

Painting of nature scene — Ria Harboe; It’s a Sign; acrylic; 24 x 48 in.

Steel with fused and cast glass sculpture — Shirley Erickson; Mandala Guardian II; steel with fused and cast glass; free standing 66 x 19 x 9 in.

Stainless steel spiral sculpture on grass — Don Anderson; Spiral Fractal 5; stainless steel; 6’ x 17” x 16”

Necklace made of copper and beads — Suzanne Averre; Chinese Dragon Shield; necklace, copper and beads

Painting of a cloud with text that reads "my cloud" — Frank Frazee; She Found a Little Cloud and put it in a Box; acrylic on plywood; 9.5 x 8.5 in.

Painting of three people and a frog on a beach — Terry Brooks; Froggy Takes a Respite from Quarantine with a Cuba Libre and a Cigar; latex paint on board; 20 x 24 in.

Acrylic on slate — Richard Bulman; Snow Swept Cliff Palace; acrylic on slate; free standing 7 x 5 x 1 in.

Photograph of Fort Casey Bunker Stairs — Tommy Gibson; Fort Casey Bunker Stairs Pano; photography; 16 x 25 in.

Conversations Between Collections: The Smithsonian American Art Museum and the Whatcom Museum

March 30, 2020/in Past Exhibitions /by Christina Claassen

May 5, 2022 - May 15, 2022May 7, 2022 - August 21, 2022March 19, 2022 - August 21, 2022November 13, 2021 - May 8, 2022November 20, 2021 - May 8, 2022October 30, 2021 - February 27, 2022June 19, 2021 - October 24, 2021September 3, 2021 - October 17, 2021April 10, 2021 - October 10, 2021May 29, 2021 - October 31, 2021May 29, 2021 - August 29, 2021May 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021March 13, 2021 - June 13, 2021January 28, 2021 - June 13, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021September 19, 2020 - March 21, 2021September 3, 2020 - October 17, 2020February 1, 2020 - March 7, 2021

Lightcatcher Building

The Whatcom Museum is pleased to kick off a five-year exhibition partnership with the Smithsonian American Art Museum, as we present three masterworks from one of the nation’s most treasured collections of American art. Made possible through the support of Art Bridges and the Terra Foundation for American Art, two exhibitions titled Conversations Between Collections highlight the three works on view from the Smithsonian American Art Museum in conversation with works from the Whatcom Museum’s permanent collection.

Fritz Scholder’s Indian and Contemporary Chair (1970) and Jaune Quick-to-See Smith’s State Names (2000) upend traditional narratives and romanticized portrayals of Native Americans. These two works offer new insights while in dialogue with the Museum’s People of the Sea and Cedar exhibition, which explores the vibrant living history, culture, and art of regional Coast Salish tribes. The two masterworks present themes of identity and power dynamics in the American West and prompt examination and critique of dominant narratives.

The Coast of Genoa (1854), by Hudson River School painter Jasper Francis Cropsey, is featured alongside landscapes from prominent Northwest artists including works by Richard Gilkey, Nell Bradshaw, and Victoria Adams. With the intent to stimulate discussion between what is familiar and what is foreign in a landscape, visitors can observe and share how elements of each work denote place and, specifically, our place within the Pacific Northwest, and how the landscapes we love are deeply rooted to a sense of self.

All three outstanding works on loan from the Smithsonian American Art Museum allow for fresh perspectives around investigations of place and identity that emphasize the preservation and celebration of storytelling.

This is one in a series of American art exhibitions created through a multi-year, multi-institutional partnership formed by the Smithsonian American Art Museum as part of the Art Bridges + Terra Foundation Initiative. For more information about this five-year collaborative project, visit americanart.si.edu/about/american-west-consortium

Conversations Between Collections is generously sponsored by Peoples Bank, with additional support from Heritage Bank.

The Whatcom Museum acknowledges that we gather on the traditional territory of the Lhaq’temish – Lummi People – and the Nuxwsá7aq – Nooksack People – who have lived in the Coast Salish region from time immemorial. The Museum honors our relationship with all of our Coast Salish neighbors and our shared responsibilities to their homeland where we all reside today.

: Jaune Quick-To-See Smith, State Names, 2000, oil, collage and mixed media on canvas, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Elizabeth Ann Dugan and museum purchase, 2004.28, © 2000, Jaune Quick-To-See Smith

: Jasper Francis Cropsey, The Coast of Genoa, 1854, oil on canvas, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Aileen B. Train, Helen B. Spaulding and Julia B. Key, 1984.162

: Fritz Scholder, Indian and Contemporary Chair, 1970, oil on linen, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Judge and Mrs. Oliver Seth, 1983.111, © 1983, Fritz Scholder

Take a virtual gallery tour with Curator of Art Amy Chaloupka. These video tours are presented in two parts. The first focuses on the work of Jasper Francis Cropsey among highlighted Museum collection pieces. The second looks at the works of Fritz Scholder and Jaune Quick-To-See Smith in the People of the Sea and Cedar Gallery.

Two Views: Photographs by Ansel Adams and Leonard Frank

March 15, 2020/in Past Exhibitions /by Christina Claassen

May 5, 2022 - May 15, 2022May 7, 2022 - August 21, 2022March 19, 2022 - August 21, 2022November 13, 2021 - May 8, 2022November 20, 2021 - May 8, 2022October 30, 2021 - February 27, 2022June 19, 2021 - October 24, 2021September 3, 2021 - October 17, 2021April 10, 2021 - October 10, 2021May 29, 2021 - October 31, 2021May 29, 2021 - August 29, 2021May 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021March 13, 2021 - June 13, 2021January 28, 2021 - June 13, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021September 19, 2020 - March 21, 2021September 3, 2020 - October 17, 2020February 1, 2020 - March 7, 2021February 15, 2020 - December 6, 2020

Old City Hall

Two countries – two photographers. This compelling collection of photographs presents two views of internment and incarceration in the early 1940s.

The 1942 incarceration of people of Japanese descent in the United States and Canada following the bombing of Pearl Harbor is portrayed through this stunning collection of black and white photographs. Ansel Adams and Leonard Frank document the conditions and experiences of the Manzanar camp in California, and the camps and beet farms in Alberta, where coastal British Columbia residents were forcibly moved.

The experiences in the U.S. and Canada had many similarities, and also many differences. Ansel Adams took a personal and intimate approach to illustrate the vitality and fortitude of the people. In contrast, Leonard Frank’s photographs are a clinical documentation of the government process.

This collection of more than 60 photographs provides an opportunity to reflect on the nature of forced separation and uprooting that directly impacted our coastal region. Two Views is organized by the Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre in Burnaby, British Columbia.

: Ansel Adams; Benji Iguchi driving tractor, Manzanar Relocation Center, 1943; 16 x 20 in. Courtesy of the Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division

: Ansel Adams; Children at Sunday school class. Manzanar Relocation Center, 1943; 14 x 18 in. Courtesy of the Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division

: Ansel Adams; Mr. And Mrs. Dennis Shimizu. Manzanar Relocation Center, 1943; 14 x 18 in. Courtesy of the Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division

: Leonard Frank; Building A, Blanket Room (formerly Livestock Building), Hastings Park, Vancouver, BC, 1942; 14 x 18 in.; Eastwood Collection

: Ansel Adams; Richard Kobayashi, farmer with cabbages, Manzanar Relocation Center, 1943; 14 x 18 in. Courtesy of the Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division

: Leonard Frank; Arrival at Popoff, BC; 16 x 20 in. Eastwood Collection

: Leonard Frank; Japanese Internees Leaving Slocan Valley, BC; 20 x 24 in. Eastwood Collection

: Leonard Frank; Building A, Milk Laboratory, Diet Kitchen (formerly Livestock Building), Hastings Park, Vancouver, BC, 1942; 16 x 20 in.; Eastwood Collection

: Leonard Frank; Building A, Hospital Ward (formerly Livestock Building), Hastings Park, Vancouver, BC, 1942; 14 x 18 in. ; Eastwood Collection

: Leonard Frank; Building B, Medical Examining Room (formerly Horse Show Building), Hastings Park, Vancouver, BC, 1942; 16 x 20 in; Eastwood Collection

: Ansel Adams; Farm, farm workers, Mt. Williamson in background. Manzanar Relocation Center, 1943; 20 x 24 in.; Courtesy of the Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division.

: Leonard Frank; Building A, Children’s Dining Room (formerly Livestock Building), Hastings Park, Vancouver, BC, 1942; 14 x 18 in.; Eastwood Collection

: Ansel Adams; People leaving Buddhist church, winter. Manzanar Relocation Center, 1943; 16 x 20 in.; Courtesy of the Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division

: Leonard Frank; Building G, Kindergarten (formerly Manufacturer’s Building), Hastings Park, Vancouver, BC, 1942; 14 x 18 in.; Eastwood Collection

: Ansel Adams; Baseball Games, Manzanar Relocation Center, 1943; 16 x 20 in.; Courtesy of the Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division

: Ansel Adams; Tom Kobayashi (head against sky). Manzanar Relocation Center, 1943; 4 x 18 in.; Courtesy of the Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division

: Ansel Adams; Poultry farm, Mori Nakashima, Manzanar Relocation Center, 1943; 16 x 20 in.; Courtesy of the Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division

: Ansel Adams; Phil Hara relocation: in charge of work-offer signs, Manzanar Relocation Center, 1943; 16 x 20 in.; Courtesy of the Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division

: Leonard Frank; Building D, Laundry (formerly Church Dining Hall), Hastings Park, Vancouver, BC, 1942; 16 x 20 in.; Eastwood Collection

: Leonard Frank; Building D, Canteen (formerly Church Dining Hall), Hastings Park, Vancouver, BC, 1942; 14 x 18 in.; Eastwood Collection

: Leonard Frank; Building houses, New Denver, BC; 16 x 20 in.; Eastwood Collection

: Ansel Adams; High School recess period. Manzanar Relocation Center, 1943; 20 x 24 in.; Courtesy of the Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division

Righting a Wrong: Japanese Americans and World War II

March 10, 2020/in Past Exhibitions /by Christina Claassen

May 5, 2022 - May 15, 2022May 7, 2022 - August 21, 2022March 19, 2022 - August 21, 2022November 13, 2021 - May 8, 2022November 20, 2021 - May 8, 2022October 30, 2021 - February 27, 2022June 19, 2021 - October 24, 2021September 3, 2021 - October 17, 2021April 10, 2021 - October 10, 2021May 29, 2021 - October 31, 2021May 29, 2021 - August 29, 2021May 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021March 13, 2021 - June 13, 2021January 28, 2021 - June 13, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021September 19, 2020 - March 21, 2021September 3, 2020 - October 17, 2020February 1, 2020 - March 7, 2021February 15, 2020 - December 6, 2020February 15, 2020 - December 6, 2020

Old City Hall

Righting a Wrong poster exhibition traces the story of Japanese national and Japanese American incarceration during World War II and the people who survived it. Young and old lived crowded together in hastily built camps, endured poor living conditions, and were under the constant watch of military guards for two and a half years. Meanwhile, brave Japanese American men risked their lives fighting for the United States. Some 40 years later, members of the Japanese American community led the nation to confront the wrong it had done—and urged Congress to make it right. Based on an original exhibition at the National Museum of American History, the Righting a Wrong poster exhibition centers around eight core questions that encourage viewers to engage in a dialogue about how this happened and could it happen again. Embracing themes that are as relevant today as they were 75 years ago, the poster exhibition brings forth themes of identity, immigration, prejudice, civil rights, courage, and what it means to be an American.

Righting a Wrong: Japanese Americans and World War II was developed by the National Museum of American History and adapted by the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service. The traveling exhibition and poster exhibition are supported by a grant from the Asian Pacific American Initiatives Pool, administered by the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center, the Terasaki Family Foundation, and C. L. Ehn & Ginger Lew.

Image credits: Left: Watanabe family suitcase, Minidoka camp in Idaho. Courtesy of National Museum of American History. Right: The Masuda family, owners of the Wanto Grocery in Oakland, California, proclaimed that they were American, even as they were forced to sell their business before they were incarcerated in August 1942. Dorothea Lange, Courtesy of National Archives.

Sonia Delaunay, Abstract Composition with Semicircles

Geometry and Color: Sonia Delaunay and Bellingham Public School Students

March 1, 2020/in Past Exhibitions /by Christina Claassen

May 5, 2022 - May 15, 2022May 7, 2022 - August 21, 2022March 19, 2022 - August 21, 2022November 13, 2021 - May 8, 2022November 20, 2021 - May 8, 2022October 30, 2021 - February 27, 2022June 19, 2021 - October 24, 2021September 3, 2021 - October 17, 2021April 10, 2021 - October 10, 2021May 29, 2021 - October 31, 2021May 29, 2021 - August 29, 2021May 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021March 13, 2021 - June 13, 2021January 28, 2021 - June 13, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021September 19, 2020 - March 21, 2021September 3, 2020 - October 17, 2020February 1, 2020 - March 7, 2021February 15, 2020 - December 6, 2020February 15, 2020 - December 6, 2020May 1, 2020 - December 31, 2021

Virtual

Sonia Delaunay, Abstract Composition with Semicircles, 1970; Color aquatint; 28 x 22 in. Edition 9/125. Collection of the Whatcom Museum, Gift of George and Pearl Yewell.

As part of their distance learning materials, local students were asked to make artwork in the style of influential, Paris-based artists Robert and Sonia Delaunay. While the Delaunays’ works have been displayed in exhibitions at museums around the world, it turns out that Sonia Delaunay’s work can be found closer to home.

The Whatcom Museum holds a Sonia Delaunay print entitled Abstract Composition with Semicircles in its permanent collection. May is Youth Art Month for Bellingham Public Schools and (virtual) Children’s Art Walk.

In the spirit of celebrating youth art, we are pleased to virtually display this piece in conjunction with the art of local students inspired by the Delaunays’ work, and are thrilled to see how their art is influencing young artists today!

Sonia (Terk) Delaunay (1885-1979), born Sara Stern in Ukraine, was a Paris-based artist who worked alongside her French husband Robert Delaunay (1885-1941). As a couple, they explored color theory and pioneered the modernist art movement Orphism. The Delaunays were central figures in Paris’’’s early twentieth century avant-garde circles, and they influenced the work of many of their artist-friends, including colorists Wassily Kandinsky and Paul Klee.

Sonia Delaunay wearing Casa Sonia creations, Madrid, c.1918-20. Public Domain. Created: circa 1918.

Melding aspects of Cubism and Fauvism, the Delaunays’ abstract Orphist works are characterized by interconnected blocks of vibrant color combinations, and consist primarily of rhythmically composed geometric forms.

While they both painted, Sonia also designed textiles, clothing, furniture, and print illustrations, all in her characteristic orphic style. After Robert’s death, Sonia expanded her practice to include etching while continuing to paint and design clothing, making her a foundational influence in modern fashion.

The work in the Whatcom Museum’s permanent collection was created sometime between the late 1960s and early 1970s, and illustrates how committed Delaunay was to her signature style. In 1964, she became the only woman to have an exhibition held at the Louvre while still living.

More recently, in 2015 the Tate Modern celebrated Sonia Delaunay with a comprehensive retrospective of her work.

Collection Citation (detail): Sonia Delaunay, Abstract Composition with Semicircles, 1970; Color aquatint; 28 x 22 in. Edition 9/125. Collection of the Whatcom Museum, Gift of George and Pearl Yewell.

Art by Pearl — By Pearl, Parkview Elementary

Art by Luke — By Luke, Columbia Elementary

Art by Miles — By Miles, Wade King Elementary

Art by Jazmin — By Jazmin, Cordata Elementary

Art by Elly — By Elly, Northern Heights Elementary

Art by Jake & Candice — By Jake & Candice, Cordata Elementary

Art by Olivia — By Olivia, Northern Heights Elementary

Art by Grayson — By Grayson, Wade King Elementary

Art by Maddie — By Maddie, Columbia Elementary

Art by Kason — By Kason, Wade King Elementary

Art by Camille — By Camille, Birchwood Elementary

Art by Jacob — By Jacob, Wade King Elementary

Art by Elliott — By Elliott, Northern Heights Elementary

Art by Abby — By Abby, Northern Heights Elementary

Man with cheetahs and mountain lions in circus act in 1910

Vintage Vaudevillians

February 24, 2020/in Past Exhibitions /by Christina Claassen

May 5, 2022 - May 15, 2022May 7, 2022 - August 21, 2022March 19, 2022 - August 21, 2022November 13, 2021 - May 8, 2022November 20, 2021 - May 8, 2022October 30, 2021 - February 27, 2022June 19, 2021 - October 24, 2021September 3, 2021 - October 17, 2021April 10, 2021 - October 10, 2021May 29, 2021 - October 31, 2021May 29, 2021 - August 29, 2021May 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021March 13, 2021 - June 13, 2021January 28, 2021 - June 13, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021September 19, 2020 - March 21, 2021September 3, 2020 - October 17, 2020February 1, 2020 - March 7, 2021February 15, 2020 - December 6, 2020February 15, 2020 - December 6, 2020May 1, 2020 - December 31, 2021September 19, 2020 - May 16, 2021

Old City Hall

Curated by Jeff Jewell, Historian and Archivist

Vintage Vaudevillians is a photographic exhibition that highlights a dozen vaudeville acts that performed in Bellingham in the early 20^th century. Originally used to promote the acts, these publicity photos were saved by James Warwick, stage manager at downtown theaters during vaudeville’s heyday.

James “Jim” Warwick had a 54-year career in Bellingham theaters, starting as a stagehand at the Lighthouse Theatre in 1897. He was stage manager at both Beck’s Opera House and The Grand during the heyday of vaudeville in the early 20^th century when Bellingham was on the competing Pantages and Sullivan-Considine circuits. Warwick worked directly with performers, catering to their needs and whims, and had a longstanding reputation as a dependable, gracious host.

Vaudevillians, once scheduled by a venue, commonly forwarded photographs of themselves to the theater for use in advance publicity. After their week-long gig, the promotional portraits were returned to the act or, more typically, thrown away. But Warwick kept them as souvenirs of the personalities and performances he witnessed on the Bellingham stage.

With the rise of motion pictures and subsequent disappearance of vaudeville, Warwick worked as a film projectionist for more than 30 years at the American Theater on Cornwall Avenue. After his death in 1967, his daughter Mary donated his collection — more than 750 photographs from the vaudeville era — to the Whatcom Museum.

The Whatcom Museum acknowledges that we gather on the traditional territory of the Lhaq’temish – Lummi People – and the Nuxwsá7aq – Nooksack People – who have lived in the Coast Salish region from time immemorial. The Museum honors our relationship with all of our Coast Salish neighbors and our shared responsibilities to their homeland where we all reside today.

Moving Forward, Looking Back: Washington’s First Women in Government

February 14, 2020/in Past Exhibitions /by Christina Claassen

May 5, 2022 - May 15, 2022May 7, 2022 - August 21, 2022March 19, 2022 - August 21, 2022November 13, 2021 - May 8, 2022November 20, 2021 - May 8, 2022October 30, 2021 - February 27, 2022June 19, 2021 - October 24, 2021September 3, 2021 - October 17, 2021April 10, 2021 - October 10, 2021May 29, 2021 - October 31, 2021May 29, 2021 - August 29, 2021May 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021March 13, 2021 - June 13, 2021January 28, 2021 - June 13, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021September 19, 2020 - March 21, 2021September 3, 2020 - October 17, 2020February 1, 2020 - March 7, 2021February 15, 2020 - December 6, 2020February 15, 2020 - December 6, 2020May 1, 2020 - December 31, 2021September 19, 2020 - May 16, 2021February 15, 2020 - May 10, 2020

Old City Hall

This traveling exhibit from Legacy Washington honors the centennial celebration of women’s suffrage and the passage of the 19th Amendment, giving women in the United States the right to vote. Moving Forward, Looking Back: Washington’s First Women in Government follows the lives of 14 women who soared to some of the most coveted offices in Washington politics never before held by women.

One of those women was Frances Axtell of Bellingham. Axtell served as a state representative from 1913-1915, where she was a fierce proponent of Washington’s minimum wage. She then went on to became the first woman appointed to a federal commission in 1917. Learn more about Frances Axtell here. Other remarkable women featured in the exhibit include Nena J Croake, Josephine Preston, Reba Hurn, Bertha Knight Landes, Belle Reeves, Catherine May, Dixy Lee Ray, Jeannette Hayner, Carolyn Dimmick, Jennifer Belcher, Deborah Senn, Christine Gregoire, and Patty Murray.

Join the League of Women Voters of Bellingham/Whatcom County for a variety of events and programs celebrating the centennial of women’s suffrage, including a a series of educational and thought-provoking programs: Towards a More Perfect Democracy: History & Future of the Struggle for Voice. Learn more here.

Note: This exhibition was originally scheduled to close May 17th, but will now be closing May 10th.

Photo: Suffragettes in Seattle, 1909. Gift of Gloria Martin. Whatcom Museum 1993.66.1

Funding provided by the Washington State Women’s Commission and the Washington State Historical Society through the Votes for Women Centennial Grant Program.

partners

The Global Language of Headwear: Cultural Identity, Rites of Passage, and Spirituality

January 30, 2020/in Past Exhibitions /by Christina Claassen

May 5, 2022 - May 15, 2022May 7, 2022 - August 21, 2022March 19, 2022 - August 21, 2022November 13, 2021 - May 8, 2022November 20, 2021 - May 8, 2022October 30, 2021 - February 27, 2022June 19, 2021 - October 24, 2021September 3, 2021 - October 17, 2021April 10, 2021 - October 10, 2021May 29, 2021 - October 31, 2021May 29, 2021 - August 29, 2021May 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021March 13, 2021 - June 13, 2021January 28, 2021 - June 13, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021September 19, 2020 - March 21, 2021September 3, 2020 - October 17, 2020February 1, 2020 - March 7, 2021February 15, 2020 - December 6, 2020February 15, 2020 - December 6, 2020May 1, 2020 - December 31, 2021September 19, 2020 - May 16, 2021February 15, 2020 - May 10, 2020February 1, 2020 - April 26, 2020

Lightcatcher Building

The Global Language of Headwear: Cultural Identity, Rites of Passage, and Spirituality presents 87 hats and headdresses carefully selected from a private collection of more than 1300 extraordinary pieces of international headwear. This exhibition features hats from 42 countries across Asia, Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and North and South America, and is a tribute to the stunning diversity of the world’s cultures. With a few exceptions, the pieces are from the mid-to-late 20th century, and many are still worn today in parts of the world for revelry, ritual, and the rhythms of everyday life.

More than utilitarian objects of material culture, each hat is a unique work of art—not merely because of the skill required to make it, but also as a singular expression of creativity and cultural meaning. The profusion of shapes, styles, and materials, as well as the ingenious use of embellishments to decorate the hats, are limited only by imagination.

The Global Language of Headwear is organized into five thematic sections: Cultural Identity; Power, Prestige, and Status; Ceremonies and Celebrations; Spiritual Beliefs; and Protection. Hats and headdresses communicate timeless ideas—not only of beauty, but also of what it means to be human.

The Museum will also present a variety of headwear from its permanent collection in conjunction with this collection, including Northwest Coast cedar bark hats.

About the Curator:
Stacey W. Miller is an independent curator of ethnographic headwear. She has spent more than 30 years collecting and researching the cultural significance of hats and headdresses. Since 2000, she has delivered educational programs, lectured, hosted special events, and curated numerous exhibitions based on her collection.

Stacey purchased her first hat in 1979 after joining a group of Spaniards driving from Madrid to India on a 4-month overland adventure. Learning more about other cultures—their customs, values, and traditions—with each new acquisition, Stacey realized that hats and headdresses can have a profound significance beyond their decorative qualities. Not only do they instill an awareness and appreciation of diverse cultures, but they can act as a bridge between peoples, reinforcing personal, spiritual, and social values that we as humans all share. Today, Stacey’s collection has grown to more than 1300 hats and headdresses from almost every corner of the world. Her long-term vision is to establish a museum of world cultures as a way to promote cross-cultural interest and understanding.

International Arts & Artists in Washington, DC, is a nonprofit arts service organization dedicated to increasing cross-cultural understanding and exposure to the arts internationally, through exhibitions, programs and services to artists, arts institutions, and the public. Visit www.ArtsandArtists.org.

Featured image credit: Kayapo/Mekranoti Headdress (Akkapa-ri), Brazil; Mid-20th century; Feathers, cotton, reed. Courtesy of International Arts & Artists.

: Tiger cap, China, early 20th century; silk, cotton, embroidery; ©2012 Courtesy of Hat Horizons. Photograph by Matthew Hillman

: Rupurero, Shaman’s hat, Huichol people, Mexico, mid-20th century; palm leaves, feathers, beads, velvet, yarn; ©2012 Courtesy of Hat Horizons. Photograph by Matthew Hillman

: Chieftain’s hat, Nung-Rawang tribe, Myanmar, mid 20th century; rattan, boar tusks; ©2012, Courtesy of Hat Horizons. Photograph by Matthew Hillman

: Chieftain’s hat, Pende tribe, Democratic Republic of the Congo, mid 20th century, fiber, beads©2012, Courtesy of Hat Horizons, Photograph by Matthew Hillman

: Kayapo/Mekranoti Headdress (Akkapa-ri), Brazil; Mid-20th century; Feathers, cotton, reed. Courtesy of International Arts & Artists.

: Tarabuqueño Hat, Pacha Montera, Bolivia, early 20th century, wood, cotton, wool, embroidery, sequins, coins, metallic thread©2012, Courtesy of Hat Horizons.

: Phami Akha headdress, Thailand, mid 20th century; metal, beads, coins, cotton; ©2012, Courtesy of Hat Horizons. Photograph by Matthew Hillman.

: Calabash helmet, Philippines, mid 20th century, Calabash gourd, cotton, beads ©2012, Courtesy of Hat Horizons, Photograph by Matthew Hillman

: Thunderbolt crown, Tibet, China, early 20th century, metal©2012, Courtesy of Hat Horizons, Photograph by Matthew Hillman

: Four Winds hat (Ciegahpir), Saami people, Norway, late 20th century, wool flannel, cotton, trimming©2012, Courtesy of Hat Horizons, Photograph by Stacey Miller.

: Ceremonial headdress, Dayak/Kenyah tribe, Indonesia/Borneo, mid 20th centuryrattan, cloth, glass beads, goat hair, hornbill feathers©2012, Courtesy of Hat Horizons, Photograph by Matthew Hillman

: Naga helmet, India, mid 20th century; cane, dyed goat hair, boar tusks; ©2012, Courtesy of Hat Horizons. Photograph by Matthew Hillman

: Bwami hat, Lega tribe, Democratic Republic of the Congo, fiber, buttons, beads, elephant tail hair©2014, Courtesy of Hat Horizons, Photograph by Kenzie Robbins

: Kupa, Kalash hood, Pakistan, mid 20th century, wool, cowrie shells, buttons, beads, ©2012, Courtesy of Hat Horizons, Photograph by Matthew Hillman

: Tatami kabuto helmet from the Museum’s collection.

: Victorian headdresses from the Museum’s collection.

Watch a series of “Headwear Highlights” with Community Engagement Manager, Katherine Everitt.

partners

Tribal Canoe Journeys: Paddle to Lummi

January 3, 2020/in Past Exhibitions /by Christina Claassen

May 5, 2022 - May 15, 2022May 7, 2022 - August 21, 2022March 19, 2022 - August 21, 2022November 13, 2021 - May 8, 2022November 20, 2021 - May 8, 2022October 30, 2021 - February 27, 2022June 19, 2021 - October 24, 2021September 3, 2021 - October 17, 2021April 10, 2021 - October 10, 2021May 29, 2021 - October 31, 2021May 29, 2021 - August 29, 2021May 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021March 13, 2021 - June 13, 2021January 28, 2021 - June 13, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021September 19, 2020 - March 21, 2021September 3, 2020 - October 17, 2020February 1, 2020 - March 7, 2021February 15, 2020 - December 6, 2020February 15, 2020 - December 6, 2020May 1, 2020 - December 31, 2021September 19, 2020 - May 16, 2021February 15, 2020 - May 10, 2020February 1, 2020 - April 26, 2020January 3, 2020 - March 8, 2020

Lightcatcher Building

The Whatcom Museum features photographs documenting the Tribal Canoe Journey of 2019, Paddle to Lummi. Since 1989, this significant cultural experience has occurred annually and is hosted by different tribal nations of and around the Salish Sea, with the Lummi Nation hosting the most recent journey in 2019.

The canoe journey is a two-week to month-long voyage undertaken in traditional 12-person canoes. It is followed by many days of gathering people and sharing food, song and dance. These ceremonial practices are vital to the indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast and coastal British Columbia. More than 100 canoes from different tribes and tribal nations traveled the waters of their ancestors to reach the completion of their journey. From their tribal village to the homelands of the Lummi people, participants pull the whole way in family canoes to reach the final potlatch, a celebration sharing food, dance, song, and gifts.

The images documenting the 2019 Canoe Journey were captured by Children of the Setting Sun Productions, Inc., whose mission is to enliven the rich history, legacies, stories and historical traditions of the Salish people using traditional and contemporary art mediums.

Photo courtesy of Children of the Setting Sun Productions, Inc.

Who Are We? Washington’s Kaleidoscope

September 7, 2019/in Past Exhibitions /by Christina Claassen

May 5, 2022 - May 15, 2022May 7, 2022 - August 21, 2022March 19, 2022 - August 21, 2022November 13, 2021 - May 8, 2022November 20, 2021 - May 8, 2022October 30, 2021 - February 27, 2022June 19, 2021 - October 24, 2021September 3, 2021 - October 17, 2021April 10, 2021 - October 10, 2021May 29, 2021 - October 31, 2021May 29, 2021 - August 29, 2021May 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021March 13, 2021 - June 13, 2021January 28, 2021 - June 13, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021September 19, 2020 - March 21, 2021September 3, 2020 - October 17, 2020February 1, 2020 - March 7, 2021February 15, 2020 - December 6, 2020February 15, 2020 - December 6, 2020May 1, 2020 - December 31, 2021September 19, 2020 - May 16, 2021February 15, 2020 - May 10, 2020February 1, 2020 - April 26, 2020January 3, 2020 - March 8, 2020October 18, 2019 - February 9, 2020

Old City Hall

Washington is a kaleidoscope of more than 7 million people, each with a unique story to tell. Where do we originate from, and who do we become? Is there a quintessential Washingtonian? Hardly. History has made it clear that we’re more than our identity and more than just techies, coffee lovers, or outdoor enthusiasts. We’re a kaleidoscope, a cultural melting pot. In this exhibit from Legacy Washington, see in-depth profiles of fascinating figures who’ve fought for our civil rights, advocated for the disabled, protected the environment, defended our nation, and pushed the boundaries of innovation in our state.

What Lies Beneath: Minerals of the Pacific Northwest

September 5, 2019/in Past Exhibitions /by Christina Claassen

May 5, 2022 - May 15, 2022May 7, 2022 - August 21, 2022March 19, 2022 - August 21, 2022November 13, 2021 - May 8, 2022November 20, 2021 - May 8, 2022October 30, 2021 - February 27, 2022June 19, 2021 - October 24, 2021September 3, 2021 - October 17, 2021April 10, 2021 - October 10, 2021May 29, 2021 - October 31, 2021May 29, 2021 - August 29, 2021May 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021March 13, 2021 - June 13, 2021January 28, 2021 - June 13, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021September 19, 2020 - March 21, 2021September 3, 2020 - October 17, 2020February 1, 2020 - March 7, 2021February 15, 2020 - December 6, 2020February 15, 2020 - December 6, 2020May 1, 2020 - December 31, 2021September 19, 2020 - May 16, 2021February 15, 2020 - May 10, 2020February 1, 2020 - April 26, 2020January 3, 2020 - March 8, 2020October 18, 2019 - February 9, 2020August 17, 2019 - February 2, 2020

Old City Hall

Rocks and minerals are the foundation of our planet. Minerals are the basic geological building blocks of the solid earth. They can be dazzling to the eye as light catches the naturally occurring facets. To a trained eye, some minerals might be fairly easy to find with a bit of digging; others require rappelling down the side of a cliff.

The Museum has partnered with members of the Friends of Mineralogy – Pacific Northwest Chapter to present an incredible display of minerals collected from throughout the Pacific Northwest. Two unique quartz specimens, widely believed to be the finest in the world and rarely on public display, will be the highlights. Both minerals were collected from Denny Mountain in King County.

What Lies Beneath will showcase more than 50 excellent specimens, including calcite, quartz, vesper garnet, thunder eggs, fluorite, natrolite, stilbite, heulandite, microcline, zaktzerite, and aegirine. Also included will be samples of marine and land fossils, including a cast replica of a “big track” fossil found in Washington.

From those the size of a fingernail to those requiring a forklift, learn how minerals are formed and where they are found. Photos and video document the field work involved and provide insight into the collection process. Complementing the exhibition will be a variety of programs and hands-on activities.

Join us for a “Cascades Crystals” lecture with mineral collector Randy Becker on Sun., Nov. 3, 2 – 3pm at Old City Hall. Learn more HERE.

Image: Quartz (Amethyst), from King County, Wash. Photo Credit: Cory Torpin.

City of Hope: Resurrection City & the 1968 Poor People’s Campaign

August 20, 2019/in Past Exhibitions /by Christina Claassen

May 5, 2022 - May 15, 2022May 7, 2022 - August 21, 2022March 19, 2022 - August 21, 2022November 13, 2021 - May 8, 2022November 20, 2021 - May 8, 2022October 30, 2021 - February 27, 2022June 19, 2021 - October 24, 2021September 3, 2021 - October 17, 2021April 10, 2021 - October 10, 2021May 29, 2021 - October 31, 2021May 29, 2021 - August 29, 2021May 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021March 13, 2021 - June 13, 2021January 28, 2021 - June 13, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021September 19, 2020 - March 21, 2021September 3, 2020 - October 17, 2020February 1, 2020 - March 7, 2021February 15, 2020 - December 6, 2020February 15, 2020 - December 6, 2020May 1, 2020 - December 31, 2021September 19, 2020 - May 16, 2021February 15, 2020 - May 10, 2020February 1, 2020 - April 26, 2020January 3, 2020 - March 8, 2020October 18, 2019 - February 9, 2020August 17, 2019 - February 2, 2020October 1, 2019 - January 5, 2020

Lightcatcher Building

City of Hope: Resurrection City and the 1968 Poor People’s Campaign honors Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s daring vision for economic justice and opportunity for every U.S. citizen. The poster exhibition examines the Poor People’s Campaign — a grassroots, multiracial movement that drew thousands of people to Washington, D.C. For 43 days between May and June 1968, demonstrators demanded social reforms while living side-by-side on the National Mall in a tent city known as Resurrection City.

Organized by the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES) in collaboration with the National Museum of African American History and Culture, City of Hope highlights a series of photographs and an array of protest signs and political buttons collected during the campaign. Featuring 18 posters, the exhibition aims to help visitors engage and contextualize the Poor People’s Campaign’s historical significance and present-day relevance.

Although President Lyndon B. Johnson declared a “war on poverty” in 1964, tens of millions of Americans were denied livable wages, adequate housing, nutritious food, quality education, and healthcare. Led by Drs. Martin Luther King Jr. and Ralph David Abernathy, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) organized the Poor People’s Campaign in response to poverty as a national human rights issue. Stretching 16 acres along the National Mall between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument, Resurrection City housed 3,000 protesters with structures for essential services like sanitation, communications, medical care and childcare. It included a dining tent, cultural center and a city hall along the encampment’s bustling “Main Street.”

The Poor People’s Campaign marked an important moment in U.S. history and set the stage for future social justice movements. Within months after Resurrection City’s evacuation, major strides were made toward economic equality influencing school lunch programs, rent subsidies and home ownership assistance for low-income families,

City of Hope: Resurrection City and the 1968 Poor People’s Campaign is organized by the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service in collaboration with the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

Image: “Hunger’s Wall,” plywood panels from mural at Resurrection City. Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Vincent DeForest.

WANTED: Ed Bereal for Disturbing the Peace

August 19, 2019/in Past Exhibitions /by Christina Claassen

May 5, 2022 - May 15, 2022May 7, 2022 - August 21, 2022March 19, 2022 - August 21, 2022November 13, 2021 - May 8, 2022November 20, 2021 - May 8, 2022October 30, 2021 - February 27, 2022June 19, 2021 - October 24, 2021September 3, 2021 - October 17, 2021April 10, 2021 - October 10, 2021May 29, 2021 - October 31, 2021May 29, 2021 - August 29, 2021May 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021March 13, 2021 - June 13, 2021January 28, 2021 - June 13, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021September 19, 2020 - March 21, 2021September 3, 2020 - October 17, 2020February 1, 2020 - March 7, 2021February 15, 2020 - December 6, 2020February 15, 2020 - December 6, 2020May 1, 2020 - December 31, 2021September 19, 2020 - May 16, 2021February 15, 2020 - May 10, 2020February 1, 2020 - April 26, 2020January 3, 2020 - March 8, 2020October 18, 2019 - February 9, 2020August 17, 2019 - February 2, 2020October 1, 2019 - January 5, 2020September 7, 2019 - January 5, 2020

Lightcatcher Building

Curated by Amy Chaloupka, Curator of Art

The Whatcom Museum is proud to present the work of Bellingham-based artist Ed Bereal for his first museum retrospective, Wanted: Ed Bereal for Disturbing the Peace, which chronicles the full scope of the artist’s diverse practice.

Born in Los Angeles in 1937 and raised in Riverside, California, Bereal was a child who grew up in the shadow of World War II and the segregation and racism that afflicted his immediate community. In the face of this, he was accepted into the renowned illustration program at Chouinard Art Institute and went on to make significant contributions to the arts of assemblage and performance burgeoning in Los Angeles in the 1960s. A shift in his work came in the summer of 1965 during the Watts Rebellion when Bereal was confronted by 10 National Guardsmen, including one pointing a machine gun at him. This profound experience prompted Bereal to step away from making commercially and critically successful artworks and move toward engaging members of his community in social justice work through guerrilla-style street performance. Now living on a farm in Whatcom County, Bereal processes his life’s experiences through a spectrum of provocative imagery and narratives in paintings and installations he terms “political cartoons.”

The exhibition features six decades of artwork, from Bereal’s never before exhibited early journal sketches and self-portraits to his symbolic assemblage to his radical street theater work of the 1960s and ’70s through his troupe Bodacious Buggerrilla. Many of Bereal’s more recent politically charged paintings and installations show a recurring motif of “Miss America,” as he examines racial inequity, gun violence, corporate greed, and political power structures. These issues came into sharp relief for Bereal during the Watts Rebellion and persist at the forefront of our national discourse today.

Now in his eighth decade, Bereal describes a newfound freedom in his practice. He feels unrestricted in the multilingual approach that allows him to express a range of ideas through pop art, abstraction, painterly realism, appropriated imagery, and assemblage. This freedom is visible in his most ambitious project to date, The Five Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Shown for the first time, the sprawling 40-foot-long installation is a visual manifestation of his uncompromising and unapologetic political and social vision of contemporary American society.

Funding for this exhibition is provided by Larry Bell, the City of Bellingham, RiverStyx Foundation, Michael & Barbara Ryan, and the Whatcom Museum Foundation, with additional support from Sharron Antholt, Antonella Antonini & Alan Stein, Patricia Burman, Heritage Bank, Galie Jean-Louis & Vincent Matteucci, Janet & Walter Miller Fund for Philanthropic Giving, Ann Morris, Peoples Bank, Charles & Phyllis Self, Mary Summerfield & Mike O’Neal, Jane Talbot & Kevin Williamson, Nancy Thomson & Bob Goldman, the Whatcom Community Foundation, and the Whatcom Museum Advocates.

Photo credit: Ed Bereal in his studio. Photo by David Scherrer.

: Untitled (self-portrait), c. 1958–1965; Graphite on paper; 11 x 8 ½ in. Courtesy of the artist.

: Untitled (Bodacious Buggerrilla performance still), c. 1968–1975; Archival digital print; 11 x 14 in. Courtesy of the artist.

: War Babies Exhibition at Huysman Gallery, Los Angeles, May 29–June 17, 1961; 21 7/8 x 17 in. Courtesy of the artist. Image: Jerry McMillan, Courtesy of Craig Krull Gallery, Santa Monica, Calif.

: Ronnie’s Purse, 1980; Mixed media; 44 x 11 ½ x 6 ½ in. In the Estate of Ron Miyashiro.

: The Birthing of the American Middle Class, 1999; Oil on composite material; 80 x 50 in. Courtesy of the artist.

: The Birthing of the American Middle Class, 1999; Oil on composite material; 80 x 50 in. Courtesy of the artist.

docent tours

Take a docent-led tour beginning Sat., Sept. 14 and learn more about the artist and his works featured in WANTED: Ed Bereal for Disturbing the Peace. Our trained docents will provide insight into his works, as well as discuss Bereal’s background. Tours begin in the lobby of the Lightcatcher and last one hour.

partners

Art, Politics, and Community
A Conversation Inspired by Ed Bereal’s Work
Saturday, Sept. 21, 4 – 5:30pm
Free with ticket
Old City Hall | 121 Prospect St.

Join the Whatcom Museum and the Whatcom Dispute Resolution Center for an exciting and collaborative conversation inspired by the exhibition Wanted: Ed Bereal for Disturbing the Peace. Community leaders, including WWU Political Science Professor Vernon Damani Johnson and Bellingham Chief of Police David Doll, will join artist Ed Bereal in leading participants in round-table discussions focused around art, politics, and their impacts in our community. Participants will break out into smaller groups allowing for constructive conversation that promotes tolerance, respect, and nonviolent communication. Ticket information coming soon.

Image credit: Ed Bereal; Untitled (preparatory sketch), c. 1989; Oil and mixed media on board; 14 × 17 in. Courtesy of the artist.

Whatcom Artist Studio Tour 2019 Showcase

August 10, 2019/in Past Exhibitions /by Christina Claassen

May 5, 2022 - May 15, 2022May 7, 2022 - August 21, 2022March 19, 2022 - August 21, 2022November 13, 2021 - May 8, 2022November 20, 2021 - May 8, 2022October 30, 2021 - February 27, 2022June 19, 2021 - October 24, 2021September 3, 2021 - October 17, 2021April 10, 2021 - October 10, 2021May 29, 2021 - October 31, 2021May 29, 2021 - August 29, 2021May 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021March 13, 2021 - June 13, 2021January 28, 2021 - June 13, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021September 19, 2020 - March 21, 2021September 3, 2020 - October 17, 2020February 1, 2020 - March 7, 2021February 15, 2020 - December 6, 2020February 15, 2020 - December 6, 2020May 1, 2020 - December 31, 2021September 19, 2020 - May 16, 2021February 15, 2020 - May 10, 2020February 1, 2020 - April 26, 2020January 3, 2020 - March 8, 2020October 18, 2019 - February 9, 2020August 17, 2019 - February 2, 2020October 1, 2019 - January 5, 2020September 7, 2019 - January 5, 2020August 3, 2019 - October 13, 2019

Old City Hall

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Whatcom Artist Studio Tour. Each year the two-weekend event offers visitors insight into the creative process, work-life, and work-environment of nearly 40 artists. For the third year, the Museum will provide a showcase of select artworks from several participating Studio Tour artists.

Artists include: Don Anderson, Suzanne Averre, Terry Brooks, Rick Bulman, Mary Byme, Nancy Canyon, Deborah Dole, Tom and Jennifer Dolese, Shirley Erickson, Diane Ferree, Frank Frazee, Ria Harboe, Joe Janey, Brian Kerkvliet, Maren Larson, Lorna Libert, Rebecca Meloy, Dave Nichols, Joy Olney, Brian Oneill, Michel Petersen, Liane Redpath, Larry Richmond, Karen Theusen, Stewart Wurtz, and Stefan Straka.

Visitors will get to see artworks in a variety of mediums, including watercolor, acrylic on canvas, sculpted glass, pottery, oil on linen, and more.

: Brian Kerkvliet, Clear Marble Vessel

: Deb Dole, Introspection

: Don Anderson, Dance 10

: Joy Olney, Sand Castle

: Karen Theusen, The wall

: Larry Richmond

: Maren Larson, Boys Will Be Boys

: Mary Byrne, Love Rocks

: Suzanne Averre, Bird’s Nest

In the Spirit of the People: Native Contemporary Artists

August 7, 2019/in Past Exhibitions /by Christina Claassen

May 5, 2022 - May 15, 2022May 7, 2022 - August 21, 2022March 19, 2022 - August 21, 2022November 13, 2021 - May 8, 2022November 20, 2021 - May 8, 2022October 30, 2021 - February 27, 2022June 19, 2021 - October 24, 2021September 3, 2021 - October 17, 2021April 10, 2021 - October 10, 2021May 29, 2021 - October 31, 2021May 29, 2021 - August 29, 2021May 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021March 13, 2021 - June 13, 2021January 28, 2021 - June 13, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021September 19, 2020 - March 21, 2021September 3, 2020 - October 17, 2020February 1, 2020 - March 7, 2021February 15, 2020 - December 6, 2020February 15, 2020 - December 6, 2020May 1, 2020 - December 31, 2021September 19, 2020 - May 16, 2021February 15, 2020 - May 10, 2020February 1, 2020 - April 26, 2020January 3, 2020 - March 8, 2020October 18, 2019 - February 9, 2020August 17, 2019 - February 2, 2020October 1, 2019 - January 5, 2020September 7, 2019 - January 5, 2020August 3, 2019 - October 13, 2019August 1, 2019 - February 28, 2020

Lightcatcher Building

In the Spirit of the People: Native Contemporary Artists features works by Native American artists in the Museum’s gallery and public spaces on a rotating basis. The series is meant to highlight outstanding contemporary Native artwork and allow the Museum to work more closely with members of area tribes. Works in the series may also be displayed in the People of the Sea and Cedar exhibit gallery.

Raya Friday, People of the Fire

Lightcatcher lobby

To kick off the series, Lummi Nation glass artist Raya Friday installed her piece People of the Fire in the Lightcatcher lobby in July of 2019. The sculpture is made of glass, bronze, and stone and weighs roughly 2,700 pounds. Friday said the piece represents the spirituality of the elements and the idea that “everything in the natural world has its own energy, its own spirit.”

It took Raya about eight months to create the sculpture of glass and bronze set into a pedestal of stone, which she completed in 2007. Raya was involved with each element, from mixing the bronze to cutting the stone to pouring the molten glass. The flames get their color from frit, or concentrated crushed glass. This gives the unpolished sides a slightly rough appearance. Raya used sand casting to create each flame, then hand-carved faces into the surface. Located in the Lightcatcher lobby, the sculpture is illuminated by the natural light coming through the large glass windows.

Read more about Raya Friday on the Museum’s blog. The Museum Store is currently featuring a variety of glass art created by Raya for purchase.

Modern Quilts: Designs of the New Century

May 31, 2019/in Past Exhibitions /by Christina Claassen

May 5, 2022 - May 15, 2022May 7, 2022 - August 21, 2022March 19, 2022 - August 21, 2022November 13, 2021 - May 8, 2022November 20, 2021 - May 8, 2022October 30, 2021 - February 27, 2022June 19, 2021 - October 24, 2021September 3, 2021 - October 17, 2021April 10, 2021 - October 10, 2021May 29, 2021 - October 31, 2021May 29, 2021 - August 29, 2021May 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021March 13, 2021 - June 13, 2021January 28, 2021 - June 13, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021September 19, 2020 - March 21, 2021September 3, 2020 - October 17, 2020February 1, 2020 - March 7, 2021February 15, 2020 - December 6, 2020February 15, 2020 - December 6, 2020May 1, 2020 - December 31, 2021September 19, 2020 - May 16, 2021February 15, 2020 - May 10, 2020February 1, 2020 - April 26, 2020January 3, 2020 - March 8, 2020October 18, 2019 - February 9, 2020August 17, 2019 - February 2, 2020October 1, 2019 - January 5, 2020September 7, 2019 - January 5, 2020August 3, 2019 - October 13, 2019August 1, 2019 - February 28, 2020June 1, 2019 - August 25, 2019

Lightcatcher Building

June 1 – August 25, 2019; Lightcatcher building

Curated by Riane Menardi Morrison, Alissa Haight Carlton, and Heather Grant of the Modern Quilt Guild

Modern quilts are utilitarian art. They tell stories. They are graphic, improvisational, or minimalist. They break the rules. They make a statement. Modern quilts are creative expressions made with needle and thread, fabric, and time, expressing today’s aesthetic through a generations-old traditional craft. Modern quilters respect the rich tradition of quilts throughout history, recognizing that they are makers in a lineage that stretches back centuries.

docent tours

Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays beginning June 1, 1:30-2:30 PM.

Tours begin in the lobby of the Lightcatcher, last one hour, and are included with admission/free to members.

partners

1889: Blazes, Rails, and the Year of Statehood

April 20, 2019/in Past Exhibitions /by Christina Claassen

May 5, 2022 - May 15, 2022May 7, 2022 - August 21, 2022March 19, 2022 - August 21, 2022November 13, 2021 - May 8, 2022November 20, 2021 - May 8, 2022October 30, 2021 - February 27, 2022June 19, 2021 - October 24, 2021September 3, 2021 - October 17, 2021April 10, 2021 - October 10, 2021May 29, 2021 - October 31, 2021May 29, 2021 - August 29, 2021May 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021March 13, 2021 - June 13, 2021January 28, 2021 - June 13, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021September 19, 2020 - March 21, 2021September 3, 2020 - October 17, 2020February 1, 2020 - March 7, 2021February 15, 2020 - December 6, 2020February 15, 2020 - December 6, 2020May 1, 2020 - December 31, 2021September 19, 2020 - May 16, 2021February 15, 2020 - May 10, 2020February 1, 2020 - April 26, 2020January 3, 2020 - March 8, 2020October 18, 2019 - February 9, 2020August 17, 2019 - February 2, 2020October 1, 2019 - January 5, 2020September 7, 2019 - January 5, 2020August 3, 2019 - October 13, 2019August 1, 2019 - February 28, 2020June 1, 2019 - August 25, 2019April 20, 2019 - July 21, 2019

Old City Hall

A year of big dreams, big burns, and big politics, 1889 captured a place in our history as a time of great prosperity and adversity. The face of Washington changed. Pioneers arrived, and townsfolk rebuilt from the rubble. Finally, on November 11, 1889, Washington rose as the 42nd state in the union. This exhibit from Legacy Washington introduces you to the people and events shaping the territory in the days leading up to statehood.

About the image: The traveling Great Eastern Photographic & Advertising Co. captured this view of Pacific House, at the NW corner of F and 13th (W. Holly) streets, in 1888, just prior to Statehood. Whatcom was still in “Wash[ington] Terr[itory].” Whatcom Museum #1996.10.13550.

Firsts in Flight: A Hidden History

April 13, 2019/in Past Exhibitions /by Christina Claassen

May 5, 2022 - May 15, 2022May 7, 2022 - August 21, 2022March 19, 2022 - August 21, 2022November 13, 2021 - May 8, 2022November 20, 2021 - May 8, 2022October 30, 2021 - February 27, 2022June 19, 2021 - October 24, 2021September 3, 2021 - October 17, 2021April 10, 2021 - October 10, 2021May 29, 2021 - October 31, 2021May 29, 2021 - August 29, 2021May 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021March 13, 2021 - June 13, 2021January 28, 2021 - June 13, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021September 19, 2020 - March 21, 2021September 3, 2020 - October 17, 2020February 1, 2020 - March 7, 2021February 15, 2020 - December 6, 2020February 15, 2020 - December 6, 2020May 1, 2020 - December 31, 2021September 19, 2020 - May 16, 2021February 15, 2020 - May 10, 2020February 1, 2020 - April 26, 2020January 3, 2020 - March 8, 2020October 18, 2019 - February 9, 2020August 17, 2019 - February 2, 2020October 1, 2019 - January 5, 2020September 7, 2019 - January 5, 2020August 3, 2019 - October 13, 2019August 1, 2019 - February 28, 2020June 1, 2019 - August 25, 2019April 20, 2019 - July 21, 2019April 13, 2019 - August 4, 2019

Old City Hall

Take a “timeline tour” outlining the significant contributions made by women and African Americans – particularly by African American women – to our country’s history of aviation and space flight. Meet pioneer aviator Bessie Coleman, who in 1921, became the first African American woman to earn her pilot’s license. And before her, in 1911 Harriet Quimby became the first American woman of any race to secure her pilot’s license. Meet other “hidden figures,” including the African American women who played a pivotal role in the country’s space program in the second half of the twentieth century.

In Puget Sound, there were the WASPs – Women Airforce Service Pilots – trained pilots who tested Boeing aircraft, ferried aircraft, and trained other pilots during World War II. Hear their stories in a video narrative provided by the Museum of Flight.

Other “hidden figures” include Bellingham’s women who worked in the factories and shipyards during World War II, including Marie Manning, the first female welder at the Bellingham Marine Railway & Boatbuilding Company in 1943.

The exhibit includes the short videos “Trailblazers and Heroes: African Americans Who Flew First” and “Doing the Math for NASA: African American Human Computers.”

This exhibition was provided, in part, by the Morehead Planetarium & Science Center at the University of North Carolina. Special thanks to Seattle’s Museum of Flight. Additional support is provided by the Whatcom Museum Foundation, the City of Bellingham, and the Whatcom Museum Advocates.

Black and white negative of a girl and two rabbits

All Is Not Lost: Images Salvaged from Damaged Glass Negatives

April 3, 2019/in Past Exhibitions /by Christina Claassen

May 5, 2022 - May 15, 2022May 7, 2022 - August 21, 2022March 19, 2022 - August 21, 2022November 13, 2021 - May 8, 2022November 20, 2021 - May 8, 2022October 30, 2021 - February 27, 2022June 19, 2021 - October 24, 2021September 3, 2021 - October 17, 2021April 10, 2021 - October 10, 2021May 29, 2021 - October 31, 2021May 29, 2021 - August 29, 2021May 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021March 13, 2021 - June 13, 2021January 28, 2021 - June 13, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021September 19, 2020 - March 21, 2021September 3, 2020 - October 17, 2020February 1, 2020 - March 7, 2021February 15, 2020 - December 6, 2020February 15, 2020 - December 6, 2020May 1, 2020 - December 31, 2021September 19, 2020 - May 16, 2021February 15, 2020 - May 10, 2020February 1, 2020 - April 26, 2020January 3, 2020 - March 8, 2020October 18, 2019 - February 9, 2020August 17, 2019 - February 2, 2020October 1, 2019 - January 5, 2020September 7, 2019 - January 5, 2020August 3, 2019 - October 13, 2019August 1, 2019 - February 28, 2020June 1, 2019 - August 25, 2019April 20, 2019 - July 21, 2019April 13, 2019 - August 4, 2019April 3, 2019 - September 1, 2019

Lightcatcher Building

Hundreds of glass negatives have been donated to the Whatcom Museum over the years, many arriving in damaged condition after decades of poor storage and rough handling. The pictures in this exhibition are derived from time-ravaged Silver Gelatin Dry Plate Negatives and will feature their accumulated scratches, cracks, lost corners, mold stains and water damage. Though marred, the century-old negatives can still render images of historical significance.

Image credit: Bunny Girl, c. 1920 from a water damaged 5×7 by J. W. Sandison. Whatcom Museum # 1996.10.5941

Bellingham National 2019—Water’s Edge: Landscapes for Today

February 2, 2019/in Past Exhibitions /by Christina Claassen

May 5, 2022 - May 15, 2022May 7, 2022 - August 21, 2022March 19, 2022 - August 21, 2022November 13, 2021 - May 8, 2022November 20, 2021 - May 8, 2022October 30, 2021 - February 27, 2022June 19, 2021 - October 24, 2021September 3, 2021 - October 17, 2021April 10, 2021 - October 10, 2021May 29, 2021 - October 31, 2021May 29, 2021 - August 29, 2021May 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021March 13, 2021 - June 13, 2021January 28, 2021 - June 13, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021September 19, 2020 - March 21, 2021September 3, 2020 - October 17, 2020February 1, 2020 - March 7, 2021February 15, 2020 - December 6, 2020February 15, 2020 - December 6, 2020May 1, 2020 - December 31, 2021September 19, 2020 - May 16, 2021February 15, 2020 - May 10, 2020February 1, 2020 - April 26, 2020January 3, 2020 - March 8, 2020October 18, 2019 - February 9, 2020August 17, 2019 - February 2, 2020October 1, 2019 - January 5, 2020September 7, 2019 - January 5, 2020August 3, 2019 - October 13, 2019August 1, 2019 - February 28, 2020June 1, 2019 - August 25, 2019April 20, 2019 - July 21, 2019April 13, 2019 - August 4, 2019April 3, 2019 - September 1, 2019February 2, 2019 - May 19, 2019

Lightcatcher Building

Juried by Bruce Guenther, Adjunct Curator for Special Exhibitions at the Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education

The Whatcom Museum is hosting the third biennial Bellingham National 2019 Juried Art Exhibition and Awards. Juried by Bruce Guenther, Adjunct Curator for Special Exhibitions at the Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education, the theme of the exhibition is Water’s Edge: Landscapes for Today. Guenther selected artwork submitted by artists from across the United States that represents an investigation of contemporary art practices, and addresses our understandings of the Earth, climate change, and the evolving relationships of humanity to Nature. Works range from traditional interpretations of the observed landscape to the metaphoric and spiritual manifestations of the landscape through image, color, language, and mapping of our felt responses to Nature and the world. The top three artists, chosen by the juror, received cash awards at the opening reception, and the exhibition includes a “People’s Choice” award, based on the public’s vote for their favorite piece.

Juror’s Choice Award Winners:
1st place: Philip Govedare; Artifact; Oil on canvas
2nd place: Natalie Niblack; Watershed; Oil on canvas
3rd place: Patti Bowman; Wave 1; Encaustic on panel

docent tours

Take a docent-led tour Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays at 1:30pm to learn more about the artists and artwork chosen for Bellingham National 2019 Juried Art Exhibition & Awards. Our trained docents will provide insight into the theme of the exhibition, as well as the background behind some of guest juror Bruce Guenther’s selections for the exhibition. Tours start in the lobby of the Lightcatcher building, last one hour, and are included with admission.

Washington Remembers WWII: Their Sacrifice. Our Freedom.

January 19, 2019/in Past Exhibitions /by Christina Claassen

May 5, 2022 - May 15, 2022May 7, 2022 - August 21, 2022March 19, 2022 - August 21, 2022November 13, 2021 - May 8, 2022November 20, 2021 - May 8, 2022October 30, 2021 - February 27, 2022June 19, 2021 - October 24, 2021September 3, 2021 - October 17, 2021April 10, 2021 - October 10, 2021May 29, 2021 - October 31, 2021May 29, 2021 - August 29, 2021May 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021March 13, 2021 - June 13, 2021January 28, 2021 - June 13, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021September 19, 2020 - March 21, 2021September 3, 2020 - October 17, 2020February 1, 2020 - March 7, 2021February 15, 2020 - December 6, 2020February 15, 2020 - December 6, 2020May 1, 2020 - December 31, 2021September 19, 2020 - May 16, 2021February 15, 2020 - May 10, 2020February 1, 2020 - April 26, 2020January 3, 2020 - March 8, 2020October 18, 2019 - February 9, 2020August 17, 2019 - February 2, 2020October 1, 2019 - January 5, 2020September 7, 2019 - January 5, 2020August 3, 2019 - October 13, 2019August 1, 2019 - February 28, 2020June 1, 2019 - August 25, 2019April 20, 2019 - July 21, 2019April 13, 2019 - August 4, 2019April 3, 2019 - September 1, 2019February 2, 2019 - May 19, 2019January 19, 2019 - April 14, 2019

Old City Hall

Before they liberated concentration camps or freed countries from tyranny, men and women in uniform fought enemy forces everywhere — in factories on the Washington home front and on beaches abroad. They braved the unknown, lived through the unthinkable, and changed who we are.

“I’ve had a wonderful life. … I would go through it again to keep our freedom, really. … I know I could be angry for what I had to go through, but it made life worth living.”

— Capt. Joseph F. Moser, U.S. Army Air Forces, shot down over north-central France in 1944, POW held at Buchenwald concentration camp, resident of Whatcom County.

This is just one of the emotion-packed stories documenting the personal experiences of men and women who fought for freedom on the battlefield and on the home-front in the exhibit Washington Remembers WWII: Their Sacrifice. Our Freedom.

The Legacy Washington exhibit was created through the Office of the Secretary of State to honor the tens of thousands of Washingtonians who served in the war. “The profiles allow World War II veterans a chance to share stories that haven’t been told. The time to hear their stories is now. Every three minutes in this country, we lose a World War II veteran. These heroes offer first-hand accounts of the war, a personal perspective to history, that we can’t afford to lose,” said Secretary of State Kim Wyman.

In addition to the Legacy stories, the exhibit will highlight a variety of WWII artifacts, documents, and historic photographs from the Whatcom Museum’s collection.

The Elephant in the Room: The Allure of Ivory and Its Tragic Legacy

September 1, 2018/in Past Exhibitions /by Christina Claassen

May 5, 2022 - May 15, 2022May 7, 2022 - August 21, 2022March 19, 2022 - August 21, 2022November 13, 2021 - May 8, 2022November 20, 2021 - May 8, 2022October 30, 2021 - February 27, 2022June 19, 2021 - October 24, 2021September 3, 2021 - October 17, 2021April 10, 2021 - October 10, 2021May 29, 2021 - October 31, 2021May 29, 2021 - August 29, 2021May 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021March 13, 2021 - June 13, 2021January 28, 2021 - June 13, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021September 19, 2020 - March 21, 2021September 3, 2020 - October 17, 2020February 1, 2020 - March 7, 2021February 15, 2020 - December 6, 2020February 15, 2020 - December 6, 2020May 1, 2020 - December 31, 2021September 19, 2020 - May 16, 2021February 15, 2020 - May 10, 2020February 1, 2020 - April 26, 2020January 3, 2020 - March 8, 2020October 18, 2019 - February 9, 2020August 17, 2019 - February 2, 2020October 1, 2019 - January 5, 2020September 7, 2019 - January 5, 2020August 3, 2019 - October 13, 2019August 1, 2019 - February 28, 2020June 1, 2019 - August 25, 2019April 20, 2019 - July 21, 2019April 13, 2019 - August 4, 2019April 3, 2019 - September 1, 2019February 2, 2019 - May 19, 2019January 19, 2019 - April 14, 2019September 8, 2018 - March 31, 2019

Old City Hall

September 8, 2018 – March 31, 2019; Old City Hall

In conjunction with our Lightcatcher exhibition, Endangered Species: Artists on the Front Line of Biodiversity, the Museum will explore the story of ivory from pre-history to modern times, featuring a selection of ivory from the Museum’s collection. The exhibition will cover areas of research in elephant communication, the devastating effects of ivory hunting, and highlight how organizations are trying to save these incredible animals around the world.

Meet filmmaker Patricia Sims, director of the documentaries Return to the Forest and When Elephants Were Young, in the Old City Hall exhibition The Elephant in the Room: The Allure of Ivory and Its Tragic Legacy on Saturday, October 6 at noon to learn more about elephants, the importance of their tusks, and other facts about these majestic creatures. Sims will answer questions about Asian elephants and talk about some of the topics addressed in the exhibition. Sims has documented the plight of endangered Asian elephants in Thailand since 2010. Her films explore new strategies for the future of human-elephant relations and the survival of all elephants. Join us at 1pm in the Rotunda Room of Old City Hall for a screening of the short documentary Return to the Forest. (31 min.), about the successful reintroduction of Asian elephants into the wild in Thailand. Narrated by William Shatner, Return to the Forest is the heartfelt story of the Elephant Reintroduction Foundation in Thailand and its mission to return captive Asian elephants back to the wild, saving them from abuse, exploitation, and extinction. Director Patricia Sims will give a behind-the-scenes discussion after the film. All ages are welcome! Included with admission/Members free.

partners

Join the Whatcom Museum Wed., Oct. 10, 5:30pm for a free film showing during Doctober at the Pickford Film Center of the documentary, When Elephants Were Young (90 min.), tying into the Museum’s exhibition, The Elephant in the Room: The Allure of Ivory and Its Tragic Legacy. Directed by Victoria, BC, director Patricia Sims, this film is about Wok and his young elephant Nong Mai, who share a life of struggle and street begging in gritty Bangkok. Their tender bond reveals a complex relationship where elephants live with humans even though they are wild animals. Find more info here.

Endangered Species: Artists on the Front Line of Biodiversity

August 29, 2018/in Major Exhibitions, Past Exhibitions /by Eric Shew

May 5, 2022 - May 15, 2022May 7, 2022 - August 21, 2022March 19, 2022 - August 21, 2022November 13, 2021 - May 8, 2022November 20, 2021 - May 8, 2022October 30, 2021 - February 27, 2022June 19, 2021 - October 24, 2021September 3, 2021 - October 17, 2021April 10, 2021 - October 10, 2021May 29, 2021 - October 31, 2021May 29, 2021 - August 29, 2021May 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021March 13, 2021 - June 13, 2021January 28, 2021 - June 13, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021September 19, 2020 - March 21, 2021September 3, 2020 - October 17, 2020February 1, 2020 - March 7, 2021February 15, 2020 - December 6, 2020February 15, 2020 - December 6, 2020May 1, 2020 - December 31, 2021September 19, 2020 - May 16, 2021February 15, 2020 - May 10, 2020February 1, 2020 - April 26, 2020January 3, 2020 - March 8, 2020October 18, 2019 - February 9, 2020August 17, 2019 - February 2, 2020October 1, 2019 - January 5, 2020September 7, 2019 - January 5, 2020August 3, 2019 - October 13, 2019August 1, 2019 - February 28, 2020June 1, 2019 - August 25, 2019April 20, 2019 - July 21, 2019April 13, 2019 - August 4, 2019April 3, 2019 - September 1, 2019February 2, 2019 - May 19, 2019January 19, 2019 - April 14, 2019September 8, 2018 - March 31, 2019September 8, 2018 - January 6, 2019

Lightcatcher Building

Endangered Species presents the work of sixty artists from around the world who convey both the wonder and fragility of life on Earth through the exploration of five separate themes.

Nick Brandt; Line of Rangers Holding the Tusks of Elephants Killed at the Hands of Man, Amboseli, from the book Across the Ravaged Land, 2011; Archival pigment print, 44 x 78 in. Courtesy of the artist.

September 8, 2018 – January 6, 2019

Curated by Barbara Matilsky, Whatcom Museum Curator of Art

Endangered Species presents the work of sixty artists from around the world who convey both the wonder and fragility of life on Earth through five interconnected themes. Spanning two hundred years, the exhibition reflects the vital relationship between art and natural science. It also highlights art’s pivotal contribution to the legacy of nature conservation, which is now threatened. The artist’s message is more important than ever.

A calendar of tours, lectures, films, and other related programming is available here.

For more information, see the bibliography, timeline, and list of artists in this exhibition. A complete illustrated exhibition catalogue is available for purchase at the Museum Store.

Martin Johnson Heade; Cattleya Orchid, Two Hummingbirds and a Beetle, c.1875–1890; Oil on canvas, 24 x 31.5 x 4 in. framed. Courtesy of Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, AR, 2010.67.

first theme

Celebrating Biodiversity’s beauty and Complexity:

from landscapes to microscopic imagery

We focus on artists who illuminate biodiversity’s stunning variety on its most grand and intimate scales. By examining the shared practices that inspire artists and natural scientists, such as exploration, observation, and documentation, visitors can learn about biodiversity and its importance.

: Sanna Kannisto, Finnish, b. 1974; Private Collection, 2003; Digital C-print, 51 x 63 in. Courtesy of the artist.

: David Liittschwager, American, b. 1961; Costa Rica Collage, from “A World in One Cubic Foot,” 2012; Archival inkjet prints, 30 x 20 in. and 30 x 60 in. Courtesy of the artist

: Macoto Murayama, Japanese, b. 1984; Commelina communis L. front view – ow, 2011; C-print 39.5 x 39.5 in. Courtesy of Frantic Gallery, Tokyo.

: Fred Tomaselli American, b. 1956; Gravity in Four Directions (detail of), 2001; Leaves, pills, printed paper, acrylic, and resin on wood panel, 72 x 72 in. Courtesy of Paul G. Allen Family Collection.

: Tom Uttech, American, b. 1942; Nin Maminawendam, 2006; Oil on canvas; 73.25 x 78.75 in. Collection of the Tucson Museum of Art, Gift of the Contemporary Art Society, 2009.5.1.

Additional images related to this theme are available here.

From so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been, and are being, evolved.

CHARLES DARWIN

On the Origin of Species, 1859

Charles Knight; Wooly Mammoth and Hunter, 1909; Oil on canvas, 27.5 x 39.5 in. Courtesy of American Museum of Natural History, New York.

second theme

MAMMOTHS AND DINOSAURS:

interpreting natural extinction

We introduce the concept of extinction—the complete loss of an animal or plant species. When natural scientists first discovered fossils of early life, nineteenth-century artists presented convincing visions of animals roaming primeval habitats in best-selling natural history books and panoramic murals commissioned by museums. The exhibition showcases examples of these illustrated books and paintings. The work of scientists and artists who interpret naturally occurring extinction helps us contemplate the consequences of the current unraveling of biodiversity.

: John Martin, English, 1789–1854; Country of the Iguanodon, from Gideon Mantell’s Wonders of Geology, vol. 1, 1838; Steel mezzotint engraving, 7 x 4.75 x 1.25 in. Courtesy of Linda Hall Library of Science, Engineering, and Technology, Kansas City, Missouri.

: Édouard Riou, French, 1833–1900; Apparition de l’Homme (Appearance of Man) from Louis Figuier’s Terre avant le Déluge (The World before the Deluge), 1866; Engraving, 9.5 x 6.75 x 1.375 in. Courtesy of Linda Hall Library of Science, Engineering, and Technology, Kansas City, Missouri.

: David W. Miller, American, b. 1957; Quetzalcoatlus, 2002; Oil and acrylic on illustration board, 16 x 12 in. Courtesy of the New York State Museum, Albany.

Additional images related to this theme are available here.

Why has not anyone seen that fossils alone gave birth to a theory about the formation of the earth, that without them, no one would have ever dreamed that
there were successive epochs in the formation of the globe.

GEORGES CUVIER

Discourse on the Revolutionary Upheavals on the Surface of the Earth, 1825

Harri Kallio; Les Gris Gris #3, Mauritius, from The Dodo and Mauritius Island, Imaginary Encounters, 2004; Archival inkjet print, 29.5 x 36 in. Courtesy of the artist.

third theme

PORTRAITS OF LOSS:

extinction by human actions

We explore how artists transform scientific documentation about early human-induced extinctions of species such as the dodo, the great auk, and the passenger pigeon, among others, into stirring portraits and still life paintings. Their artworks reflect meticulous research and observational analysis of specimens from natural history museum collections. By reviving past life in sometimes startling ways, artists imprint their memory on our consciousness and spark awareness about the contemporary extinction crisis.

: Isabella Kirkland, American, b. 1954; Gone, from the Taxa series, 2004; Oil and alkyd on canvas over panel, 48 x 36 in. Private Collection.

: Sara Angelucci, Canadian, b. 1962; Aviary (Female Passenger Pigeon/extinct), 2013; C-print, 38 x 26 in. Courtesy of artist.

: Sara Angelucci, Canadian, b. 1962; Aviary (Male Passenger Pigeon/extinct), 2013; C-print, 38 x 26 in. Courtesy of artist.

: Christy Rupp, American, b. 1949; Great Auk, from Extinct Birds Previously Consumed by Humans, 2005–2008; Steel, chicken bones, mixed media, 30 x 17 x 21.5 in. Courtesy of the artist.

: John James Audubon, American, 1785–1851; Passenger Pigeon, from Birds of America, vol. 5, plate 285; 1842 Hand-colored lithograph, 10.375 x 7 x 2.125 in. Courtesy of Linda Hall Library of Science, Engineering, and Technology, Kansas City, Missouri.

Additional images related to this theme are available here.

How can you expect the birds to sing when the groves are cut down?

HENRY DAVID THOREAU

Life in the Woods, 1854

George Catlin; Buffalo Bull, Grazing on the Prairie, 1832–1833; Oil on canvas, 24 x 29 in. Courtesy of Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Mrs. Joseph Harrison, Jr.

fourth theme

ENDANGERED SPECIES:

plants and animals on the edge of survival

We examine threatened ecosystems and the global decline of biodiversity. The artworks call attention to just a few of the 10,000 endangered and critically endangered species classified by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. Artists heighten public awareness about the current condition of life and environmental distress through their artworks, and they offer a unique form of communication that taps into the core of human culture—beauty and emotion.

: Michael J. Felber, American, b. England, 1946; Arctic Father, 2017; Colored pencil, 22.5 x 30 in. ©Michael Felber 2018. Courtesy of the artist.

: Madeline von Foerster, American, b. 1973; Carnival Insectivora (Cabinet for Cornell and Haeckel), 2013; Oil and egg tempera on panel, 20 x 16 in. Collection of John Brusger.

: Nicholas Galanin, Tlingit-Aleut, b. 1979; Inert Wolf, 2009; Wolf pelts and felt, 74 x 65 x 24 in. Courtesy of the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture, catalogue number 2012-83/1.

: Preston Singletary, American Tlingit, b. 1963; Killer Whale, made at Museum of Glass, 2009; Blown glass and sand-carved glass 25 x 16 x 7 in. Collection of Museum of Glass, Tacoma, Washington. Gift of the artist.

Additional images related to this theme are available here.

Every seed is awakened and so has all animal life.
It is through this mysterious power that we too have our being, And we therefore yield to our neighbors, Even our animal neighbors, The same right as ourselves, to inhabit this land.

Attributed to SITTING BULL (Tȟatȟáŋka Íyotake), Hunkpapa Lakota

Jason deCaires Taylor; Museo Subacuático de Arte (MUSA), 2011; Video (photographic detail). Courtesy of the artist.

fifth theme

AT THE CROSSROADS:

destruction or preservation of biodiversity

Contemporary artists not only portray animal and plant species at risk, they also interpret the human actions that lead to their precarious status: habitat loss, invasive species, pollution, population growth, and over-hunting and fishing. Artists are at the forefront of working with scientists, museums, policy makers, and citizens to envision new and creative strategies for enhancing life and restoring the essential bond between people and the natural world.

: Daniel Beltrá, American and Spanish, b. 1964; Man-Made Fires to Clear the Land for Cattle or Crops: Amazon Rainforest, 2008; Archival digital print, 40 x 60 in. Courtesy of the artist.

: Daniel Beltrà, American and Spanish, b. 1964; Large areas of Savannah have been turned to fast-growing eucalyptus forests in the past decade to provide the Japanese and European paper-making industries, 2017; Archival digital print, 40 x 60 in. Courtesy of the artist.

: Darius Kinsey and Tabitha Kinsey, American, 1869–1945 and 1875–1963; Man lying in the completed undercut of a twelve-foot cedar, 1906; Black-and-white photograph made from an 11 x 14 in. silver gelatin dry plate negative. Whatcom Museum, 1978.84.185.

: Joel Sartore, American, b. 1962; Captive Northern Spotted Owl, Merlin, Oregon, 2007; Archival inkjet print, 30 x 45 in. ©Joel Sartore, Courtesy of the artist.

: Jason Walker, American, b. 1973; A Hand in Two Worlds, 2008; Porcelain, underglaze, luster, and concrete, 13.5 x 19 x 7 in. Collection of Deb McCunn.

Additional images related to this theme are available here.

We stand now where two roads diverge. But unlike the roads in Robert Frost’s familiar poem, they are not equally fair. The road we have long been traveling is deceptively easy, a smooth superhighway on which we progress at great speed, but at its end lies disaster.

The other fork of the road, the one “less traveled by” offers our last, our only chance to reach a destination that assures the preservation of our earth. The choice, after all, is ours to make.

RACHEL CARSON

Silent Spring, 1962

Major funding for the exhibition and catalogue has been provided by the National Endowment for the Arts and The Norcliffe Foundation with additional support from the City of Bellingham, Whatcom Museum Foundation and Advocates, Alexandre Gallery, and Heritage Bank. To find out more about how National Endowment for the Arts grants impact individuals and communities, visit www.arts.gov.

Whatcom Artist Studio Tour 2018 Showcase

August 20, 2018/in Past Exhibitions /by Christina Claassen

May 5, 2022 - May 15, 2022May 7, 2022 - August 21, 2022March 19, 2022 - August 21, 2022November 13, 2021 - May 8, 2022November 20, 2021 - May 8, 2022October 30, 2021 - February 27, 2022June 19, 2021 - October 24, 2021September 3, 2021 - October 17, 2021April 10, 2021 - October 10, 2021May 29, 2021 - October 31, 2021May 29, 2021 - August 29, 2021May 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021March 13, 2021 - June 13, 2021January 28, 2021 - June 13, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021September 19, 2020 - March 21, 2021September 3, 2020 - October 17, 2020February 1, 2020 - March 7, 2021February 15, 2020 - December 6, 2020February 15, 2020 - December 6, 2020May 1, 2020 - December 31, 2021September 19, 2020 - May 16, 2021February 15, 2020 - May 10, 2020February 1, 2020 - April 26, 2020January 3, 2020 - March 8, 2020October 18, 2019 - February 9, 2020August 17, 2019 - February 2, 2020October 1, 2019 - January 5, 2020September 7, 2019 - January 5, 2020August 3, 2019 - October 13, 2019August 1, 2019 - February 28, 2020June 1, 2019 - August 25, 2019April 20, 2019 - July 21, 2019April 13, 2019 - August 4, 2019April 3, 2019 - September 1, 2019February 2, 2019 - May 19, 2019January 19, 2019 - April 14, 2019September 8, 2018 - March 31, 2019September 8, 2018 - January 6, 2019September 1, 2018 - September 30, 2018

Old City Hall

This showcase highlights a variety of artwork from artists participating in the Whatcom Artist Studio Tour this coming October, and displays a wide range of artistic mediums. The Whatcom Artist Studio Tour takes place October 6–7 and 13–14, 2018, and offers the public an opportunity to visit artists’ working studios and gain insight into the creative process, work-life, and the work environment of local artists. The self-guided tour also provides an opportunity for people to purchase art directly from artists. Visit www.studiotour.net for more information about this year’s Studio Tour.

The Intimate Diebenkorn: Works on Paper, 1949-1992

May 19, 2018/in Past Exhibitions /by Christina Claassen

May 5, 2022 - May 15, 2022May 7, 2022 - August 21, 2022March 19, 2022 - August 21, 2022November 13, 2021 - May 8, 2022November 20, 2021 - May 8, 2022October 30, 2021 - February 27, 2022June 19, 2021 - October 24, 2021September 3, 2021 - October 17, 2021April 10, 2021 - October 10, 2021May 29, 2021 - October 31, 2021May 29, 2021 - August 29, 2021May 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021March 13, 2021 - June 13, 2021January 28, 2021 - June 13, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021September 19, 2020 - March 21, 2021September 3, 2020 - October 17, 2020February 1, 2020 - March 7, 2021February 15, 2020 - December 6, 2020February 15, 2020 - December 6, 2020May 1, 2020 - December 31, 2021September 19, 2020 - May 16, 2021February 15, 2020 - May 10, 2020February 1, 2020 - April 26, 2020January 3, 2020 - March 8, 2020October 18, 2019 - February 9, 2020August 17, 2019 - February 2, 2020October 1, 2019 - January 5, 2020September 7, 2019 - January 5, 2020August 3, 2019 - October 13, 2019August 1, 2019 - February 28, 2020June 1, 2019 - August 25, 2019April 20, 2019 - July 21, 2019April 13, 2019 - August 4, 2019April 3, 2019 - September 1, 2019February 2, 2019 - May 19, 2019January 19, 2019 - April 14, 2019September 8, 2018 - March 31, 2019September 8, 2018 - January 6, 2019September 1, 2018 - September 30, 2018May 19, 2018 - August 19, 2018

Lightcatcher Building

Richard Diebenkorn; Untitled, c.1988-92; Gouache, pasted paper, graphite, and crayon on paper, 9 1/2 x 6 3/8 in. (24.1 x 16.2 cm). Catalogue raisonné no. 4695 © Richard Diebenkorn Foundation

May 19 – August 19, 2018; Lightcatcher building

This exhibition features fifty-two of Richard Diebenkorn’s (1922–1993) drawings and paintings on paper, which reveal the working hand and mind of one of America’s most respected and admired twentieth century artists. Created while living and teaching in different locations—Albuquerque, New Mexico, Sausalito, Berkeley, Ocean Park, and Healdsburg, California—these works represent a painter of profound lyricism and curiosity.

Diebenkorn developed a reputation for ethereal, large-scale abstractions. Although his early work is associated with Abstract Expressionism and the Bay Area Figurative Movement of the 1950s and 1960s, his vision was truly unique. The later Ocean Park series culminated in his receiving worldwide acclaim. Diebenkorn’s rich, intimate works have inspired generations of artists, as well as art lovers.

This national touring exhibition is organized by the Richard Diebenkorn Foundation. Additional support has been provided by the Whatcom Museum Foundation, the Whatcom Museum Advocates, and the City of Bellingham.

PARTY > Members See it First! Member reception, Friday, May 18, 5 – 7pm at the Lightcatcher

DOCENT TOURS > Offered on select dates based on volunteer availability at 1:30pmat the Lightcatcher. Check our online calendar for specific dates.

CURATOR’S LECTURE > Chester Arnold presents, “Richard Diebenkorn: A Life in Art,” Saturday, June 23, 2pm at Old City Hall.

: Richard Diebenkorn; UNTITLED, 1972, pastel on paper, 11 x 17 in. (27.9 x 43.2 cm). Catalogue raisonné no. 4094 © Richard Diebenkorn Foundation.

: Richard Diebenkorn, UNTITLED, c. 1967, ink and graphite on paper, 22 x 15 in. (55.9 x 38.1 cm). Catalogue raisonné no. 3795 © Richard Diebenkorn Foundation.

: Richard Diebenkorn, UNTITLED, c. 1958–64, gouache on paper, 11 x 17 in. (27.9 x 43.2 cm). Catalogue raisonné no. 2261 © Richard Diebenkorn Foundation.

Crow’s Shadow Institute of the Arts at 25

May 19, 2018/in Past Exhibitions /by Christina Claassen

May 5, 2022 - May 15, 2022May 7, 2022 - August 21, 2022March 19, 2022 - August 21, 2022November 13, 2021 - May 8, 2022November 20, 2021 - May 8, 2022October 30, 2021 - February 27, 2022June 19, 2021 - October 24, 2021September 3, 2021 - October 17, 2021April 10, 2021 - October 10, 2021May 29, 2021 - October 31, 2021May 29, 2021 - August 29, 2021May 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021March 13, 2021 - June 13, 2021January 28, 2021 - June 13, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021September 19, 2020 - March 21, 2021September 3, 2020 - October 17, 2020February 1, 2020 - March 7, 2021February 15, 2020 - December 6, 2020February 15, 2020 - December 6, 2020May 1, 2020 - December 31, 2021September 19, 2020 - May 16, 2021February 15, 2020 - May 10, 2020February 1, 2020 - April 26, 2020January 3, 2020 - March 8, 2020October 18, 2019 - February 9, 2020August 17, 2019 - February 2, 2020October 1, 2019 - January 5, 2020September 7, 2019 - January 5, 2020August 3, 2019 - October 13, 2019August 1, 2019 - February 28, 2020June 1, 2019 - August 25, 2019April 20, 2019 - July 21, 2019April 13, 2019 - August 4, 2019April 3, 2019 - September 1, 2019February 2, 2019 - May 19, 2019January 19, 2019 - April 14, 2019September 8, 2018 - March 31, 2019September 8, 2018 - January 6, 2019September 1, 2018 - September 30, 2018May 19, 2018 - August 19, 2018May 19, 2018 - August 19, 2018

Lightcatcher Building

May 19 – August 19, 2018; Lightcatcher

This exhibition, organized by the Hallie Ford Museum of Art in partnership with the Crow’s Shadow Institute of the Arts, chronicles the history of Crow’s Shadow over the past twenty-five years as it developed into an important native printmaking atelier in Pendleton, Oregon. Founded by Oregon painter and printmaker James Lavadour (Walla Walla), who envisioned a traditional arts studio focused on printmaking, Crow’s Shadow is the only professional printmaking studio located on a reservation community in the United States.

The exhibition presents more than 70 prints drawn from the Crow’s Shadow Print Archive and focuses on themes of Abstraction, Landscape, Media and Process, Portraiture, and Word and Image. In addition to the prints on display, the exhibition is accompanied by text panels, chat panels, and a video that showcases Crow’s Shadow Institute of the Art. Both Native and non-Native artists who have worked at Crow’s Shadow are featured, including Rick Bartow (Wiyot), Pat Boas (US), Joe Feddersen (Colville Confederated Tribes), Edgar Heap of Birds (Cheyenne), Brenda Mallory (Cherokee), Wendy Red Star (Apsáalooke), and Marie Watt (Seneca), among others.

Support for this exhibition has been provided by Mary Summerfield & Mike O’Neal, the Whatcom Museum Foundation, the Whatcom Museum Advocates, and the City of Bellingham.

PARTY > Members See it First! Member reception, Friday, May 18, 5 – 7pm at the Lightcatcher.

DOCENT TOURS > Offered on select dates based on volunteer availability at 1:30pmat the Lightcatcher. Check our online calendar for specific dates.

: Wendy Red Star (Apsáalooke, b. 1981); enit, ed. 12, 2010; Six-color lithograph on Rives BFK white paper with chine-collé archival pigment ink photographs on Moab Entrada paper, 22.375 x 30 in. Courtesy Crow’s Shadow Institute of the Arts.

: Rick Bartow (Wiyot, 1946–2016); Crow Shadow, 2013, series of 20; Monoprint on Rives BFK white paper; 30.125 x 22.5 in. Crow’s Shadow Institute of the Arts Archive, Hallie Ford Museum of Art, Willamette University.

: Marie Watt (Seneca, b. 1967); Blankets, 2003, ed. 16; Five-color lithograph on Rives BFK grey paper, 19.75 x 25.75 in. Courtesy of Crow’s Shadow Institute of the Arts.

From Tin to Table: The Art of the Salmon Label

May 16, 2018/in Past Exhibitions /by Christina Claassen

May 5, 2022 - May 15, 2022May 7, 2022 - August 21, 2022March 19, 2022 - August 21, 2022November 13, 2021 - May 8, 2022November 20, 2021 - May 8, 2022October 30, 2021 - February 27, 2022June 19, 2021 - October 24, 2021September 3, 2021 - October 17, 2021April 10, 2021 - October 10, 2021May 29, 2021 - October 31, 2021May 29, 2021 - August 29, 2021May 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021March 13, 2021 - June 13, 2021January 28, 2021 - June 13, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021September 19, 2020 - March 21, 2021September 3, 2020 - October 17, 2020February 1, 2020 - March 7, 2021February 15, 2020 - December 6, 2020February 15, 2020 - December 6, 2020May 1, 2020 - December 31, 2021September 19, 2020 - May 16, 2021February 15, 2020 - May 10, 2020February 1, 2020 - April 26, 2020January 3, 2020 - March 8, 2020October 18, 2019 - February 9, 2020August 17, 2019 - February 2, 2020October 1, 2019 - January 5, 2020September 7, 2019 - January 5, 2020August 3, 2019 - October 13, 2019August 1, 2019 - February 28, 2020June 1, 2019 - August 25, 2019April 20, 2019 - July 21, 2019April 13, 2019 - August 4, 2019April 3, 2019 - September 1, 2019February 2, 2019 - May 19, 2019January 19, 2019 - April 14, 2019September 8, 2018 - March 31, 2019September 8, 2018 - January 6, 2019September 1, 2018 - September 30, 2018May 19, 2018 - August 19, 2018May 19, 2018 - August 19, 2018May 16, 2018 - August 26, 2018

Old City Hall

May 16 – August 26, 2018; Old City Hall

Curated by Jeff Jewell, Photo Archives Historian

Salmon can labels have long been collected for their variety and beauty, a decorative prize for the avid recycler. The labels reproduced in this exhibit all originated with Pacific American Fisheries (PAF), headquartered in Fairhaven at the foot of Harris Avenue. PAF, which was founded in 1899 and operated until 1965, was once the world’s largest canning company. See historic photos, label reproductions, and prints at this new exhibit on the first floor of Old City Hall, then head upstairs to the Maritime History Gallery to learn more about Bellingham’s maritime heritage and industry.

Hidden in the Bundle: A Look Inside the Whatcom Museum’s Basketry Collection

February 3, 2018/in Past Exhibitions /by Christina Claassen

May 5, 2022 - May 15, 2022May 7, 2022 - August 21, 2022March 19, 2022 - August 21, 2022November 13, 2021 - May 8, 2022November 20, 2021 - May 8, 2022October 30, 2021 - February 27, 2022June 19, 2021 - October 24, 2021September 3, 2021 - October 17, 2021April 10, 2021 - October 10, 2021May 29, 2021 - October 31, 2021May 29, 2021 - August 29, 2021May 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021March 13, 2021 - June 13, 2021January 28, 2021 - June 13, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021September 19, 2020 - March 21, 2021September 3, 2020 - October 17, 2020February 1, 2020 - March 7, 2021February 15, 2020 - December 6, 2020February 15, 2020 - December 6, 2020May 1, 2020 - December 31, 2021September 19, 2020 - May 16, 2021February 15, 2020 - May 10, 2020February 1, 2020 - April 26, 2020January 3, 2020 - March 8, 2020October 18, 2019 - February 9, 2020August 17, 2019 - February 2, 2020October 1, 2019 - January 5, 2020September 7, 2019 - January 5, 2020August 3, 2019 - October 13, 2019August 1, 2019 - February 28, 2020June 1, 2019 - August 25, 2019April 20, 2019 - July 21, 2019April 13, 2019 - August 4, 2019April 3, 2019 - September 1, 2019February 2, 2019 - May 19, 2019January 19, 2019 - April 14, 2019September 8, 2018 - March 31, 2019September 8, 2018 - January 6, 2019September 1, 2018 - September 30, 2018May 19, 2018 - August 19, 2018May 19, 2018 - August 19, 2018May 16, 2018 - August 26, 2018February 3, 2018 - June 10, 2018

Old City Hall

Lidded basket, Inuit. Gift of Dr. Gay Wickersham Davis. Whatcom Museum #2008.68.1.

February 3 – June 10, 2018; Old City Hall

Curated by Rebecca Hutchins, Curator of Collections

Hidden in the Bundle features a selection of baskets from the Whatcom Museum’s extensive Native American and First Nations collection. Representing different eras and cultures, the baskets showcase some unique, innovative, and even playful elements of design or decoration. The viewer can explore these creative and practical adaptations while pondering the role of individual expression in the world of basket-making.

: Carrying basket, Salish. Gift of the Estate of Carl Cary. Whatcom Museum # 1992.7.24.

: Woven bottle basket, Nootka. Gift of the Estate of Carl Cary. Whatcom Museum # 1992.7.69.

Rooted, Revived, Reinvented: Basketry in America

September 21, 2017/in Past Exhibitions /by Christina Claassen

May 5, 2022 - May 15, 2022May 7, 2022 - August 21, 2022March 19, 2022 - August 21, 2022November 13, 2021 - May 8, 2022November 20, 2021 - May 8, 2022October 30, 2021 - February 27, 2022June 19, 2021 - October 24, 2021September 3, 2021 - October 17, 2021April 10, 2021 - October 10, 2021May 29, 2021 - October 31, 2021May 29, 2021 - August 29, 2021May 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021March 13, 2021 - June 13, 2021January 28, 2021 - June 13, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021September 19, 2020 - March 21, 2021September 3, 2020 - October 17, 2020February 1, 2020 - March 7, 2021February 15, 2020 - December 6, 2020February 15, 2020 - December 6, 2020May 1, 2020 - December 31, 2021September 19, 2020 - May 16, 2021February 15, 2020 - May 10, 2020February 1, 2020 - April 26, 2020January 3, 2020 - March 8, 2020October 18, 2019 - February 9, 2020August 17, 2019 - February 2, 2020October 1, 2019 - January 5, 2020September 7, 2019 - January 5, 2020August 3, 2019 - October 13, 2019August 1, 2019 - February 28, 2020June 1, 2019 - August 25, 2019April 20, 2019 - July 21, 2019April 13, 2019 - August 4, 2019April 3, 2019 - September 1, 2019February 2, 2019 - May 19, 2019January 19, 2019 - April 14, 2019September 8, 2018 - March 31, 2019September 8, 2018 - January 6, 2019September 1, 2018 - September 30, 2018May 19, 2018 - August 19, 2018May 19, 2018 - August 19, 2018May 16, 2018 - August 26, 2018February 3, 2018 - June 10, 2018February 3, 2018 - May 6, 2018

Lightcatcher Building

Coiled feather basket; Central California (possibly Yokuts), c. 1890. Sumac, devil’s claw, wool, quail feathers, 6 x 8 x 8 in. Lent by Lois Russell. Courtesy of the University of Missouri.

February 3 – May 6, 2018; Lightcatcher

Rooted, Revived, Reinvented: Basketry in America chronicles a history of American basketry from its origins in Native American, immigrant, and slave communities to its presence within the contemporary fine art world. Baskets convey meaning through the artists’ selection of materials; the techniques they use; and the colors, designs, patterns, and textures they employ.

Historical baskets were rooted in local landscapes and shaped by cultural traditions. The rise of the industrial revolution and mass production at the end of the nineteenth century led basket makers to create works for new audiences and markets, including tourists, collectors and fine art museums. Today the story continues. Some contemporary artists seek to maintain and revive traditions practiced for centuries. Others combine age-old techniques with nontraditional materials to generate cultural commentary. Still others challenge viewers’ expectations by experimenting with form, materials, and scale. Divided into five sections—Cultural Origins, New Basketry, Living Traditions, Basket as Vessel, and Beyond the Basket—this exhibition of approximately 95 objects has two primary goals: to model how to look at, talk about, and analyze baskets aesthetically, critically and historically; and to contextualize American basketry within art and craft history specifically and American culture generally.

This exhibition is generously sponsored in part by the National Basketry Organization, University of Missouri, the Windgate Charitable Foundation, the Center for Craft, Creativity, and Design, and numerous private donors. Additional support is provided by the Northwest Basket Weavers Vi Phillips Guild, the City of Bellingham, the Whatcom Museum Advocates, and the Whatcom Museum Foundation.

PARTY > Members see it first at the member reception, Friday, February 2, 5 – 7 PM at the Lightcatcher building

DOCENT TOURS (In conjunction with Jeweled Objects of Desire) > Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays, 1:30pm beginning February 10th.

SHOWING CONCURRENTLY AT OLD CITY HALL > Gathered Together: A Show of Work Celebrating Members of the Northwest Basket Weavers Guild and Hidden in the Bundle: A Look Inside the Whatcom Museum’s Basketry Collection.

: Kate Anderson; Lichtenstein Teapot/Girl with Ribbon, 2005. Waxed linen, stainless steel, 8.5 x 9.25 x 1.75 in. Lent by David and Jacqueline Charak. Courtesy of the University of Missouri.

: Pat Courtney Gold; Yuppie Indian Couple, 2003. Acrylic yarn, Hungarian hemp, 9 x 7 in. Lent by the artist. Courtesy of the University of Missouri.

: Dorothy McGuinness; Satellite, 2012. Watercolor paper, acrylic paint, waxed linen thread, 12 x 15 x 12 in. Lent by the artist. Courtesy of the University of Missouri.

: Leona Waddell; White-oak egg basket, 2004. White oak, brass pins, 10 x 13 x 8.5 in. Lent by Scott Gilbert and Beth Hester. Courtesy of the University of Missouri.

: Shan Goshorn; They Were Called Kings (set of 3), 2013. Watercolor paper, archival inks, acrylic paint, 13.5 x 8.5 x 7 in. Lent by the Shan Goshorn Family. Courtesy of the University of Missouri.

Gathered Together: A Show of Work Celebrating Members of the Northwest Basket Weavers Guild

September 20, 2017/in Past Exhibitions /by Christina Claassen

May 5, 2022 - May 15, 2022May 7, 2022 - August 21, 2022March 19, 2022 - August 21, 2022November 13, 2021 - May 8, 2022November 20, 2021 - May 8, 2022October 30, 2021 - February 27, 2022June 19, 2021 - October 24, 2021September 3, 2021 - October 17, 2021April 10, 2021 - October 10, 2021May 29, 2021 - October 31, 2021May 29, 2021 - August 29, 2021May 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021March 13, 2021 - June 13, 2021January 28, 2021 - June 13, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021September 19, 2020 - March 21, 2021September 3, 2020 - October 17, 2020February 1, 2020 - March 7, 2021February 15, 2020 - December 6, 2020February 15, 2020 - December 6, 2020May 1, 2020 - December 31, 2021September 19, 2020 - May 16, 2021February 15, 2020 - May 10, 2020February 1, 2020 - April 26, 2020January 3, 2020 - March 8, 2020October 18, 2019 - February 9, 2020August 17, 2019 - February 2, 2020October 1, 2019 - January 5, 2020September 7, 2019 - January 5, 2020August 3, 2019 - October 13, 2019August 1, 2019 - February 28, 2020June 1, 2019 - August 25, 2019April 20, 2019 - July 21, 2019April 13, 2019 - August 4, 2019April 3, 2019 - September 1, 2019February 2, 2019 - May 19, 2019January 19, 2019 - April 14, 2019September 8, 2018 - March 31, 2019September 8, 2018 - January 6, 2019September 1, 2018 - September 30, 2018May 19, 2018 - August 19, 2018May 19, 2018 - August 19, 2018May 16, 2018 - August 26, 2018February 3, 2018 - June 10, 2018February 3, 2018 - May 6, 2018February 3, 2018 - May 6, 2018

Old City Hall

Judy Zugish, Breathe; Willow, 22 x 8 x 5 in. Courtesy of the Artist.

February 3 – May 6, 2018; Old City Hall

View a selection of artwork at Old City Hall by members of the Northwest Basket Weavers Guild (NWBW) in an exhibition juried by Lisa Telford and Katherine Lewis, artists featured in Rooted, Revived, Reinvented. Members of NWBW will be on hand on opening day to talk about basketry and the artwork on display.

The Northwest Basket Weavers, Vi Phillips Guild began with a group of 16 people who loved to get together at Vi Phillips’ house on Whidbey Island, Washington to make baskets and share information. These weavers used reed, cedar bark and root, sweet grass, pine needles, and other natural materials to make traditional baskets. Thirty-five years later, the 180 guild members today weave both traditional and contemporary baskets. Several members are nationally known teachers and artists, who have baskets featured in Rooted, Revived, Reinvented: Basketry in America.

Gallery Tours > Sunday, February 11, March 11, and April 8, 1:30 PM; Knowledgeable members of the Northwest Basket Weavers Guild will be available to guide visitors through the exhibit, offering insights into the weaving materials, techniques, cultural and historical context, and how the traditional and contemporary variations on display are linked. Included with admission/Museum members free.

: Katherine Lewis, Irish Potato Skib; Willow, 24 x 3.5 in. Photo by Steven Lospalluto.

: Barbara Osborne, Daphne Wrapped; Pine needles with glycerin, dye, and beeswax, rocks, 8.5 x 7.5 x 8 in. Courtesy of the artist.

: Dorothy McGuinness, Twister; Arches watercolor paper, 8 x 27 x 8 in. Courtesy of the artist.

Jeweled Objects of Desire: From Ordinary to Extraordinary

September 15, 2017/in Past Exhibitions /by Christina Claassen

May 5, 2022 - May 15, 2022May 7, 2022 - August 21, 2022March 19, 2022 - August 21, 2022November 13, 2021 - May 8, 2022November 20, 2021 - May 8, 2022October 30, 2021 - February 27, 2022June 19, 2021 - October 24, 2021September 3, 2021 - October 17, 2021April 10, 2021 - October 10, 2021May 29, 2021 - October 31, 2021May 29, 2021 - August 29, 2021May 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021March 13, 2021 - June 13, 2021January 28, 2021 - June 13, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021September 19, 2020 - March 21, 2021September 3, 2020 - October 17, 2020February 1, 2020 - March 7, 2021February 15, 2020 - December 6, 2020February 15, 2020 - December 6, 2020May 1, 2020 - December 31, 2021September 19, 2020 - May 16, 2021February 15, 2020 - May 10, 2020February 1, 2020 - April 26, 2020January 3, 2020 - March 8, 2020October 18, 2019 - February 9, 2020August 17, 2019 - February 2, 2020October 1, 2019 - January 5, 2020September 7, 2019 - January 5, 2020August 3, 2019 - October 13, 2019August 1, 2019 - February 28, 2020June 1, 2019 - August 25, 2019April 20, 2019 - July 21, 2019April 13, 2019 - August 4, 2019April 3, 2019 - September 1, 2019February 2, 2019 - May 19, 2019January 19, 2019 - April 14, 2019September 8, 2018 - March 31, 2019September 8, 2018 - January 6, 2019September 1, 2018 - September 30, 2018May 19, 2018 - August 19, 2018May 19, 2018 - August 19, 2018May 16, 2018 - August 26, 2018February 3, 2018 - June 10, 2018February 3, 2018 - May 6, 2018February 3, 2018 - May 6, 2018February 3, 2018 - May 6, 2018

Lightcatcher Building

John Sinkankas; Quartz egg with faceted corundum. Photo courtesy of Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History.

February 3 – May 6, 2018; Lightcatcher

This exhibition features rarely seen items from the vaults of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History. Each piece in this exhibit demonstrates the skill and ingenuity of various artists in transforming simple materials into striking treasures. Originally curated by Cynthia Duval, who was then Chief Curator of the Florida International Museum in St. Petersburg, Florida, this exhibit creates a sense of awe at the vision required to take the rough to polished, the mundane to exceptional, and the simple to complex.

Whether it is a faceted quartz crystal egg, a gold sardine can, a gold and pearl-studded corn cob, or a gold yoyo, each of these creations irresistibly attracts our attention and appeals to our imagination, encouraging us to think about why and how each piece was made. Let these rarely seen objects inspire as you explore this exhibit. Learn more about featured artist Sidney Mobell in this Smithsonian article.

Jeweled Objects of Desire is sponsored by Smith & Vallee Gallery, Mary Summerfield & Mike O’Neal, the Whatcom Museum Advocates, the Whatcom Museum Foundation, and the City of Bellingham.

PARTY > Members see it first at our member reception, Friday, February 2, 5 – 7 PM at the Lightcatcher Building

DOCENT TOURS (In conjunction with Rooted, Revived, Reinvented) > Thursday, Saturdays, and Sundays, 1:30 PM, beginning February 10

: Unknown; Lazurite Figurine; Lazurite. Photo courtesy of Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History.

: Sidney Mobell; Sardine Can; 14K gold sardine can with Russian diamonds. Photo courtesy of Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History.

: Sidney Mobell; Cell Phone; Jewel encrusted gold cell phone with corundum. Photo courtesy of Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History.

: Sidney Mobell; Mouse Trap; 14K gold mouse trap with diamond encrusted cheese wedge. Photo courtesy of Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History.

Art of the American West: Highlights of the Haub Family Collection from the Tacoma Art Museum

September 1, 2017/in Past Exhibitions /by Christina Claassen

May 5, 2022 - May 15, 2022May 7, 2022 - August 21, 2022March 19, 2022 - August 21, 2022November 13, 2021 - May 8, 2022November 20, 2021 - May 8, 2022October 30, 2021 - February 27, 2022June 19, 2021 - October 24, 2021September 3, 2021 - October 17, 2021April 10, 2021 - October 10, 2021May 29, 2021 - October 31, 2021May 29, 2021 - August 29, 2021May 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021March 13, 2021 - June 13, 2021January 28, 2021 - June 13, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021September 19, 2020 - March 21, 2021September 3, 2020 - October 17, 2020February 1, 2020 - March 7, 2021February 15, 2020 - December 6, 2020February 15, 2020 - December 6, 2020May 1, 2020 - December 31, 2021September 19, 2020 - May 16, 2021February 15, 2020 - May 10, 2020February 1, 2020 - April 26, 2020January 3, 2020 - March 8, 2020October 18, 2019 - February 9, 2020August 17, 2019 - February 2, 2020October 1, 2019 - January 5, 2020September 7, 2019 - January 5, 2020August 3, 2019 - October 13, 2019August 1, 2019 - February 28, 2020June 1, 2019 - August 25, 2019April 20, 2019 - July 21, 2019April 13, 2019 - August 4, 2019April 3, 2019 - September 1, 2019February 2, 2019 - May 19, 2019January 19, 2019 - April 14, 2019September 8, 2018 - March 31, 2019September 8, 2018 - January 6, 2019September 1, 2018 - September 30, 2018May 19, 2018 - August 19, 2018May 19, 2018 - August 19, 2018May 16, 2018 - August 26, 2018February 3, 2018 - June 10, 2018February 3, 2018 - May 6, 2018February 3, 2018 - May 6, 2018February 3, 2018 - May 6, 2018September 30, 2017 - January 7, 2018

Lightcatcher Building

Walter Ufer (German | American, 1876 – 1936); Evening Rays, circa 1923; Oil on canvas; 25 x 25 in. Courtesy of the Tacoma Art Museum, Haub Family Collection, Gift of Erivan and Helga Haub, 2014.6.132.

September 30, 2017 – January 7, 2018, Lightcatcher

This fall, the Whatcom Museum will feature a selection of artwork on loan from the Tacoma Art Museum, featuring works of Western American Art. The Haub Family Collection of Western American Art is unrivaled in its scope in the Pacific Northwest. The collection includes prominent nineteenth-century artists who influenced our views of Native Americans, mountain men, cowboys, and pristine American landscapes, including Henry Inman, Paul Kane, John Mix Stanley, and Charles M. Russell.

From the twentieth century, the exhibition includes artists who brought modern art movements west and who explored western history and American identity, such as E. Martin Hennings, Maynard Dixon, Robert Henri, and Georgia O’Keeffe. The collection also includes many artists who are active and working today. Contemporary Native American artists John Nieto and Kevin Red Star take a fresh approach and portray Native American culture in a modern light, and pop artist Bill Schenck uses humor and satire to challenge long-held assumptions about the American West.

The artworks in the exhibition examine ideas of American identity over time, delve into storytelling and myth-making, and explore the vast American landscape. Visitors will see how concepts of the West, both real and imagined, have continually changed and evolved, and still influence people today. Learn more about this collection from the Tacoma Art Museum.

Art of the American West: Highlights of the Haub Family Collection from the Tacoma Art Museum was organized by Tacoma Art Museum, Tacoma, Washington. This exhibition is supported by Mary Summerfield & Mike O’Neal, Patti & Frank Imhof, Sue Lobland, the Whatcom Museum Advocates, the Whatcom Museum Foundation, and the City of Bellingham.

: Bill Schenck (American, born 1947); Cowgirl Over Kachina Mesa, 1996; Oil on canvas; 35 x 45 in. Courtesy of the Tacoma Art Museum, Haub Family Collection, Gift of Erivan and Helga Haub, 2014.6.113.

: Maynard Dixon (American, 1875 – 1946); A Desert Valley, 1922; Oil on board; 22 × 22 in. Courtesy of the Tacoma Art Museum, Haub Family Collection, Gift of Erivan and Helga Haub, 2014.6.44.

: Joellyn Duesberry (American, 1944 – 2016); Approaching Storm, Spring Creek, MT, 1994; Oil on linen; 28 x 20 in. Courtesy of the Tacoma Art Museum, Haub Family Collection, Gift of Erivan and Helga Haub, 2015.29.3.

: Edgar Payne (American, 1883 – 1947); Desert Clouds, circa 1930; Oil on canvas; 20 x 24 in. Courtesy of the Tacoma Art Museum, Haub Family Collection, Gift of Erivan and Helga Haub, 2015.29.11.

Making History: Art from the Archive

August 29, 2017/in Past Exhibitions /by Christina Claassen

May 5, 2022 - May 15, 2022May 7, 2022 - August 21, 2022March 19, 2022 - August 21, 2022November 13, 2021 - May 8, 2022November 20, 2021 - May 8, 2022October 30, 2021 - February 27, 2022June 19, 2021 - October 24, 2021September 3, 2021 - October 17, 2021April 10, 2021 - October 10, 2021May 29, 2021 - October 31, 2021May 29, 2021 - August 29, 2021May 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021March 13, 2021 - June 13, 2021January 28, 2021 - June 13, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021September 19, 2020 - March 21, 2021September 3, 2020 - October 17, 2020February 1, 2020 - March 7, 2021February 15, 2020 - December 6, 2020February 15, 2020 - December 6, 2020May 1, 2020 - December 31, 2021September 19, 2020 - May 16, 2021February 15, 2020 - May 10, 2020February 1, 2020 - April 26, 2020January 3, 2020 - March 8, 2020October 18, 2019 - February 9, 2020August 17, 2019 - February 2, 2020October 1, 2019 - January 5, 2020September 7, 2019 - January 5, 2020August 3, 2019 - October 13, 2019August 1, 2019 - February 28, 2020June 1, 2019 - August 25, 2019April 20, 2019 - July 21, 2019April 13, 2019 - August 4, 2019April 3, 2019 - September 1, 2019February 2, 2019 - May 19, 2019January 19, 2019 - April 14, 2019September 8, 2018 - March 31, 2019September 8, 2018 - January 6, 2019September 1, 2018 - September 30, 2018May 19, 2018 - August 19, 2018May 19, 2018 - August 19, 2018May 16, 2018 - August 26, 2018February 3, 2018 - June 10, 2018February 3, 2018 - May 6, 2018February 3, 2018 - May 6, 2018February 3, 2018 - May 6, 2018September 30, 2017 - January 7, 2018September 1, 2017 - September 30, 2017

Virtual

September 1 – 30, 2017, Make.Shift Gallery, 306 Flora Street

Make.Shift Gallery and the Whatcom Museum have joined forces for a juried exhibition inspired by photos from the Museum’s archives. Original artworks in various media will be on display with a copy of the archive photo that inspired the work beside it. Make.Shift Gallery is open Tues. – Sat., noon – 5pm. Admission is by donation. Attend the opening on Fri., Sept. 1, 6-10pm during Downtown Art Walk.

Whatcom Artist Studio Tour 2017 Exhibition

June 5, 2017/in Past Exhibitions /by Christina Claassen

May 5, 2022 - May 15, 2022May 7, 2022 - August 21, 2022March 19, 2022 - August 21, 2022November 13, 2021 - May 8, 2022November 20, 2021 - May 8, 2022October 30, 2021 - February 27, 2022June 19, 2021 - October 24, 2021September 3, 2021 - October 17, 2021April 10, 2021 - October 10, 2021May 29, 2021 - October 31, 2021May 29, 2021 - August 29, 2021May 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021March 13, 2021 - June 13, 2021January 28, 2021 - June 13, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021September 19, 2020 - March 21, 2021September 3, 2020 - October 17, 2020February 1, 2020 - March 7, 2021February 15, 2020 - December 6, 2020February 15, 2020 - December 6, 2020May 1, 2020 - December 31, 2021September 19, 2020 - May 16, 2021February 15, 2020 - May 10, 2020February 1, 2020 - April 26, 2020January 3, 2020 - March 8, 2020October 18, 2019 - February 9, 2020August 17, 2019 - February 2, 2020October 1, 2019 - January 5, 2020September 7, 2019 - January 5, 2020August 3, 2019 - October 13, 2019August 1, 2019 - February 28, 2020June 1, 2019 - August 25, 2019April 20, 2019 - July 21, 2019April 13, 2019 - August 4, 2019April 3, 2019 - September 1, 2019February 2, 2019 - May 19, 2019January 19, 2019 - April 14, 2019September 8, 2018 - March 31, 2019September 8, 2018 - January 6, 2019September 1, 2018 - September 30, 2018May 19, 2018 - August 19, 2018May 19, 2018 - August 19, 2018May 16, 2018 - August 26, 2018February 3, 2018 - June 10, 2018February 3, 2018 - May 6, 2018February 3, 2018 - May 6, 2018February 3, 2018 - May 6, 2018September 30, 2017 - January 7, 2018September 1, 2017 - September 30, 2017August 4, 2017 - September 17, 2017

Old City Hall

August 4 – September 17, 2017, Old City Hall

In anticipation of the Whatcom Artist Studio Tour in October, we’re showcasing a variety of artwork in this exhibition featuring participating Studio Tour artists. Learn more about the Whatcom Artist Studio Tour at www.studiotour.net.

The Whatcom Artist Studio Tour is a FREE, juried event offering an opportunity to meet the region’s finest artists in their own creative spaces. In its twenty-third year, the Tour features 44 artists working in eleven different media, showing their work throughout Bellingham and Whatcom County. Read more →

Bellingham National 2017 Juried Art Exhibition and Awards @ Whatcom Museum

May 3, 2017/in Past Exhibitions /by Christina Claassen

May 5, 2022 - May 15, 2022May 7, 2022 - August 21, 2022March 19, 2022 - August 21, 2022November 13, 2021 - May 8, 2022November 20, 2021 - May 8, 2022October 30, 2021 - February 27, 2022June 19, 2021 - October 24, 2021September 3, 2021 - October 17, 2021April 10, 2021 - October 10, 2021May 29, 2021 - October 31, 2021May 29, 2021 - August 29, 2021May 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021March 13, 2021 - June 13, 2021January 28, 2021 - June 13, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021September 19, 2020 - March 21, 2021September 3, 2020 - October 17, 2020February 1, 2020 - March 7, 2021February 15, 2020 - December 6, 2020February 15, 2020 - December 6, 2020May 1, 2020 - December 31, 2021September 19, 2020 - May 16, 2021February 15, 2020 - May 10, 2020February 1, 2020 - April 26, 2020January 3, 2020 - March 8, 2020October 18, 2019 - February 9, 2020August 17, 2019 - February 2, 2020October 1, 2019 - January 5, 2020September 7, 2019 - January 5, 2020August 3, 2019 - October 13, 2019August 1, 2019 - February 28, 2020June 1, 2019 - August 25, 2019April 20, 2019 - July 21, 2019April 13, 2019 - August 4, 2019April 3, 2019 - September 1, 2019February 2, 2019 - May 19, 2019January 19, 2019 - April 14, 2019September 8, 2018 - March 31, 2019September 8, 2018 - January 6, 2019September 1, 2018 - September 30, 2018May 19, 2018 - August 19, 2018May 19, 2018 - August 19, 2018May 16, 2018 - August 26, 2018February 3, 2018 - June 10, 2018February 3, 2018 - May 6, 2018February 3, 2018 - May 6, 2018February 3, 2018 - May 6, 2018September 30, 2017 - January 7, 2018September 1, 2017 - September 30, 2017August 4, 2017 - September 17, 2017June 11, 2017 - September 10, 2017

Lightcatcher Building

Kelly Bjork, Seattle, WA; Tiger Overhead, 2016; Gouache and pencil on paper, 19 x 15 in. Courtesy of the artist.

June 11 – September 10, 2017, Lightcatcher

Juror: Catharina Manchanda, Jon and Mary Shirley Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art, Seattle Art Museum

This exhibition is supported by the Whatcom Museum Advocates, the Whatcom Museum Foundation, and the City of Bellingham.

The Whatcom Museum is hosting the second Bellingham National Juried Art Exhibition and Awards. Featuring more than 60 artworks by 29 artists from around the country, the artwork represents interpretations on the theme of “drawing practice” in a variety of media. The top three artists, chosen by the juror, received cash awards, and the exhibition includes a popular choice award. The artwork selected features modern ideas of language, writing, notation, mapping, movement, dance, performance, as well as connections to space and architecture.

Juror’s Choice Award Winners:
1st Place, Dawn Cerny, Seattle, WA
2nd Place, Lou Watson, Portland, OR
3rd Place, Ann Leda Shapiro, Vashon, WA

Popular Choice Award Winner:
Jenna Lynch, Mahopac, NY

The flood of images disseminated on the internet, and with it the attendant information overload, invite renewed attention to drawing as a comparably “slow” medium. Traditionally tied to the conception and development of ideas, drawing remained the stepchild to the more durable mediums of painting and sculpture well into the 1960s. The subsequent interest in process and fragment rather than the finished product allowed drawing to assume a far more influential position. In our contemporary moment, drawing practices warrant particular attention as they open new avenues for artistic thought and expression, especially vis-à-vis digital modes of communication and information sharing. Read more →

Focus on 50: Whatcom Community College

March 15, 2017/in Past Exhibitions /by Christina Claassen

May 5, 2022 - May 15, 2022May 7, 2022 - August 21, 2022March 19, 2022 - August 21, 2022November 13, 2021 - May 8, 2022November 20, 2021 - May 8, 2022October 30, 2021 - February 27, 2022June 19, 2021 - October 24, 2021September 3, 2021 - October 17, 2021April 10, 2021 - October 10, 2021May 29, 2021 - October 31, 2021May 29, 2021 - August 29, 2021May 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021March 13, 2021 - June 13, 2021January 28, 2021 - June 13, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021September 19, 2020 - March 21, 2021September 3, 2020 - October 17, 2020February 1, 2020 - March 7, 2021February 15, 2020 - December 6, 2020February 15, 2020 - December 6, 2020May 1, 2020 - December 31, 2021September 19, 2020 - May 16, 2021February 15, 2020 - May 10, 2020February 1, 2020 - April 26, 2020January 3, 2020 - March 8, 2020October 18, 2019 - February 9, 2020August 17, 2019 - February 2, 2020October 1, 2019 - January 5, 2020September 7, 2019 - January 5, 2020August 3, 2019 - October 13, 2019August 1, 2019 - February 28, 2020June 1, 2019 - August 25, 2019April 20, 2019 - July 21, 2019April 13, 2019 - August 4, 2019April 3, 2019 - September 1, 2019February 2, 2019 - May 19, 2019January 19, 2019 - April 14, 2019September 8, 2018 - March 31, 2019September 8, 2018 - January 6, 2019September 1, 2018 - September 30, 2018May 19, 2018 - August 19, 2018May 19, 2018 - August 19, 2018May 16, 2018 - August 26, 2018February 3, 2018 - June 10, 2018February 3, 2018 - May 6, 2018February 3, 2018 - May 6, 2018February 3, 2018 - May 6, 2018September 30, 2017 - January 7, 2018September 1, 2017 - September 30, 2017August 4, 2017 - September 17, 2017June 11, 2017 - September 10, 2017March 18, 2017 - May 31, 2017

Old City Hall

March 18 – May 31, 2017, Old City Hall

From the beginning of its 50-year history, Whatcom Community College (WCC) has been recognized as an innovator. Talk to people who worked at the College in the early days (when the college offered classes at a hodgepodge of buildings throughout the county) and you’ll hear some unbelievable stories. But the College, and its graduates, thrived. Today, Whatcom is regarded as one of the nation’s top two-year colleges. This exhibition will engage visitors with “groovy” WCC memorabilia, recorded memories and opportunities for guests to share their own Whatcom stories. Join us as we showcase how WCC helps graduates to transform their lives and our community to thrive. Learn more at whatcom.edu/50.

Images of Resilience: Chicana/o Art and Its Mexican Roots

March 12, 2017/in Past Exhibitions /by Christina Claassen

May 5, 2022 - May 15, 2022May 7, 2022 - August 21, 2022March 19, 2022 - August 21, 2022November 13, 2021 - May 8, 2022November 20, 2021 - May 8, 2022October 30, 2021 - February 27, 2022June 19, 2021 - October 24, 2021September 3, 2021 - October 17, 2021April 10, 2021 - October 10, 2021May 29, 2021 - October 31, 2021May 29, 2021 - August 29, 2021May 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021March 13, 2021 - June 13, 2021January 28, 2021 - June 13, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021September 19, 2020 - March 21, 2021September 3, 2020 - October 17, 2020February 1, 2020 - March 7, 2021February 15, 2020 - December 6, 2020February 15, 2020 - December 6, 2020May 1, 2020 - December 31, 2021September 19, 2020 - May 16, 2021February 15, 2020 - May 10, 2020February 1, 2020 - April 26, 2020January 3, 2020 - March 8, 2020October 18, 2019 - February 9, 2020August 17, 2019 - February 2, 2020October 1, 2019 - January 5, 2020September 7, 2019 - January 5, 2020August 3, 2019 - October 13, 2019August 1, 2019 - February 28, 2020June 1, 2019 - August 25, 2019April 20, 2019 - July 21, 2019April 13, 2019 - August 4, 2019April 3, 2019 - September 1, 2019February 2, 2019 - May 19, 2019January 19, 2019 - April 14, 2019September 8, 2018 - March 31, 2019September 8, 2018 - January 6, 2019September 1, 2018 - September 30, 2018May 19, 2018 - August 19, 2018May 19, 2018 - August 19, 2018May 16, 2018 - August 26, 2018February 3, 2018 - June 10, 2018February 3, 2018 - May 6, 2018February 3, 2018 - May 6, 2018February 3, 2018 - May 6, 2018September 30, 2017 - January 7, 2018September 1, 2017 - September 30, 2017August 4, 2017 - September 17, 2017June 11, 2017 - September 10, 2017March 18, 2017 - May 31, 2017February 4, 2017 - May 28, 2017

Lightcatcher Building

Alfredo Arreguin; La Alameda, 2011; Oil on canvas, 58 x 42 in. Courtesy of the artist.

February 4 – May 28, 2017, Lightcatcher Building

Curated by Patricia Leach, Executive Director

Sponsored by Heritage Bank

Images of Resilience: Chicana/o Art and its Mexican Roots is an exhibition that explores the development of Chicana/o art, from its beginnings in Mexican art of the early 1900s, to the Chicana/o movement of the 1960s and ’70s, to its relevance today. Images of Resilience reflects how Chicana/o art has been a part of community building, history making, and cultural citizenship for Mexican-Americans and Chicana/os. The exhibition will feature artwork focusing on Mexican art trends in the early twentieth century, as well as artworks that arose from the Chicana/o civil rights movement of the 1960s and ’70s. Post-revolution Mexican art is typified by a shift from European academic styles to what we consider traditional Mexican art today, including illustrations of skeletons, or calaveras.

The exhibition features work from Los Tres Grandes—Diego Rivera, David Alfaro Siquieros, and Jose Clemente Orozco, three internationally prominent artists originally hired by the Mexican government in the 1920s to create identifiably Mexican art. This new style emphasized their cultural roots with a respect for non-Spanish traditions and instilled a patriotic pride in the Mexican people. The Chicana/o movement of the ’60s and ’70s grew from a cultural reclamation and struggle for social justice. Drawing on styles created post-revolution, this era of Chicana/o art deals with rural themes—agriculture, religious holidays, folk heritage—and the new urbanized lives that the Mexican-Americans were living, shown through pop culture, cars, and Hollywood iconography.

PARTY > Members see it first at the member reception! Friday, February 3, 5 – 7 PM at the Lightcatcher building.

ARTIST LECTURE > Featuring Seattle-based artists Cecilia Concepción Alvarez and Alfredo Arreguín, Saturday, February 4, 2pm at Old City Hall.

DOCENT TOURS > Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays, 1:30 PM at the Lightcatcher building, beginning February 12, 2017.

FILM SCREENING > The Bellingham Human Rights Film Festival presents Chicano Legacy: 40 Años, Sunday, February 19, 2pm at Old City Hall.

LECTURE > Featuring artist and scholar Amalia Mesa-Bains, Wednesday, March 22, 12:30pm at Old City Hall.

: Frank Romero; The Closing of Whittier Blvd.; 1990, Serigraph. Courtesy of The Mexican Museum.

: Ester Hernandez; Sun Mad; 1982, Serigraph on paper. Gift to The Mexican Museum from Ester Hernandez. Courtesy of The Mexican Museum.

: Carmen Lomas Garza; Tamaledera; 1990, Lithograph on paper. Courtesy of The Mexican Museum.

: Patssi Valdez; The Altar, 1991; Acrylic on canvas. Courtesy of The Mexican Museum.

: Cecilia Concepcion Alvarez; Las Cuatas Diego/The Diego Twins, 1979; Oil on canvas, 20 x 27 x 2 in. Courtesy of the artist.

The Katrina Decade: Images of an Altered City

March 11, 2017/in Past Exhibitions /by Christina Claassen

May 5, 2022 - May 15, 2022May 7, 2022 - August 21, 2022March 19, 2022 - August 21, 2022November 13, 2021 - May 8, 2022November 20, 2021 - May 8, 2022October 30, 2021 - February 27, 2022June 19, 2021 - October 24, 2021September 3, 2021 - October 17, 2021April 10, 2021 - October 10, 2021May 29, 2021 - October 31, 2021May 29, 2021 - August 29, 2021May 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021March 13, 2021 - June 13, 2021January 28, 2021 - June 13, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021September 19, 2020 - March 21, 2021September 3, 2020 - October 17, 2020February 1, 2020 - March 7, 2021February 15, 2020 - December 6, 2020February 15, 2020 - December 6, 2020May 1, 2020 - December 31, 2021September 19, 2020 - May 16, 2021February 15, 2020 - May 10, 2020February 1, 2020 - April 26, 2020January 3, 2020 - March 8, 2020October 18, 2019 - February 9, 2020August 17, 2019 - February 2, 2020October 1, 2019 - January 5, 2020September 7, 2019 - January 5, 2020August 3, 2019 - October 13, 2019August 1, 2019 - February 28, 2020June 1, 2019 - August 25, 2019April 20, 2019 - July 21, 2019April 13, 2019 - August 4, 2019April 3, 2019 - September 1, 2019February 2, 2019 - May 19, 2019January 19, 2019 - April 14, 2019September 8, 2018 - March 31, 2019September 8, 2018 - January 6, 2019September 1, 2018 - September 30, 2018May 19, 2018 - August 19, 2018May 19, 2018 - August 19, 2018May 16, 2018 - August 26, 2018February 3, 2018 - June 10, 2018February 3, 2018 - May 6, 2018February 3, 2018 - May 6, 2018February 3, 2018 - May 6, 2018September 30, 2017 - January 7, 2018September 1, 2017 - September 30, 2017August 4, 2017 - September 17, 2017June 11, 2017 - September 10, 2017March 18, 2017 - May 31, 2017February 4, 2017 - May 28, 2017January 14, 2017 - May 14, 2017

Lightcatcher Building

David G. Spielman; Central City, 2012 from The Katrina Decade: Images of an Altered City. Courtesy of The Historic New Orleans Collection 2015.

January 14 – May 14, 2017, Lightcatcher building

The Historic New Orleans Collection marked the 10th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina with the release of the book and exhibition The Katrina Decade: Images of an Altered City. Traveling to the Whatcom Museum, courtesy of The Historic New Orleans Collection, this photo exhibition features the haunting black-and-white images of New Orleans-based photographer David G. Spielman. His photographs chronicle the destruction wrought by Hurricane Katrina and the arrested processes of rebuilding and recovery that persist in many neighborhoods. Spielman and his camera have canvassed the city since Katrina’s landfall, marking the passage of time through a slow decay of architecture and a rapid growth of plant life.

His confrontation with his subjects is unflinching, and from his photographs emerge stories of neglect, renewal, and perseverance within an altered cityscape. Spielman captured the essence of hope and despair in his powerful pictures of Katrina’s devastation, and even after ten years, the recovery of the city is both amazing and incomplete. The result is this poignant portrait of rebirth and blight, perfect for an artist who’s a master of black and white.

Although these photographs document a part of America that is far from the Pacific Northwest, it is a reminder that we are all affected by natural disasters. The effects of earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanoes are a concern to us in the Northwest and we hope this exhibition will help people consider the importance of disaster preparedness.

: David G. Spielman; Central City, 2012 from The Katrina Decade: Images of an Altered City. Courtesy of The Historic New Orleans Collection 2015.

: David G. Spielman; Central City, 2012 from The Katrina Decade: Images of an Altered City. Courtesy of The Historic New Orleans Collection 2015.

: David G. Spielman; Central City, 2012 from The Katrina Decade: Images of an Altered City. Courtesy of The Historic New Orleans Collection 2015.

Nostalgic Saturation: Mid-Century Bellingham in Historic Color

March 10, 2017/in Past Exhibitions /by Christina Claassen

May 5, 2022 - May 15, 2022May 7, 2022 - August 21, 2022March 19, 2022 - August 21, 2022November 13, 2021 - May 8, 2022November 20, 2021 - May 8, 2022October 30, 2021 - February 27, 2022June 19, 2021 - October 24, 2021September 3, 2021 - October 17, 2021April 10, 2021 - October 10, 2021May 29, 2021 - October 31, 2021May 29, 2021 - August 29, 2021May 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021March 13, 2021 - June 13, 2021January 28, 2021 - June 13, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021September 19, 2020 - March 21, 2021September 3, 2020 - October 17, 2020February 1, 2020 - March 7, 2021February 15, 2020 - December 6, 2020February 15, 2020 - December 6, 2020May 1, 2020 - December 31, 2021September 19, 2020 - May 16, 2021February 15, 2020 - May 10, 2020February 1, 2020 - April 26, 2020January 3, 2020 - March 8, 2020October 18, 2019 - February 9, 2020August 17, 2019 - February 2, 2020October 1, 2019 - January 5, 2020September 7, 2019 - January 5, 2020August 3, 2019 - October 13, 2019August 1, 2019 - February 28, 2020June 1, 2019 - August 25, 2019April 20, 2019 - July 21, 2019April 13, 2019 - August 4, 2019April 3, 2019 - September 1, 2019February 2, 2019 - May 19, 2019January 19, 2019 - April 14, 2019September 8, 2018 - March 31, 2019September 8, 2018 - January 6, 2019September 1, 2018 - September 30, 2018May 19, 2018 - August 19, 2018May 19, 2018 - August 19, 2018May 16, 2018 - August 26, 2018February 3, 2018 - June 10, 2018February 3, 2018 - May 6, 2018February 3, 2018 - May 6, 2018February 3, 2018 - May 6, 2018September 30, 2017 - January 7, 2018September 1, 2017 - September 30, 2017August 4, 2017 - September 17, 2017June 11, 2017 - September 10, 2017March 18, 2017 - May 31, 2017February 4, 2017 - May 28, 2017January 14, 2017 - May 14, 2017July 2, 2016 - March 5, 2017

Old City Hall

Riding the Octopus on Cornwall Avenue, July 1964; 35mm Kodachrome slide. Whatcom Museum #2002.36.125

July 2, 2016 – March 5, 2017, Old City Hall

Curated by Jeff Jewell, Photo Archives Historian

History isn’t all in black and white. This exhibition features photographs from a not-so-distant past as captured by Ektachrome®, Kodachrome® and Technicolor slide film, as well as 4 x 5 inch color transparencies. Focused on the 1940s, ’50s and ’60s, Nostalgic Saturation highlights a Bellingham that isn’t beyond present memory, yet at the same time has recently become within the range of history.

: Old Town thrift shops, 1972. Whatcom Museum 2002.36.144

: State Street deliveries, 1964. Whatcom Museum 2002.36.142

: Up Holly across Cornwall, 1964. Whatcom Museum 2002.36.143

Yesteryear Athletes: Sports Photos from the Archives

January 9, 2017/in Past Exhibitions /by Christina Claassen

May 5, 2022 - May 15, 2022May 7, 2022 - August 21, 2022March 19, 2022 - August 21, 2022November 13, 2021 - May 8, 2022November 20, 2021 - May 8, 2022October 30, 2021 - February 27, 2022June 19, 2021 - October 24, 2021September 3, 2021 - October 17, 2021April 10, 2021 - October 10, 2021May 29, 2021 - October 31, 2021May 29, 2021 - August 29, 2021May 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021March 13, 2021 - June 13, 2021January 28, 2021 - June 13, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021September 19, 2020 - March 21, 2021September 3, 2020 - October 17, 2020February 1, 2020 - March 7, 2021February 15, 2020 - December 6, 2020February 15, 2020 - December 6, 2020May 1, 2020 - December 31, 2021September 19, 2020 - May 16, 2021February 15, 2020 - May 10, 2020February 1, 2020 - April 26, 2020January 3, 2020 - March 8, 2020October 18, 2019 - February 9, 2020August 17, 2019 - February 2, 2020October 1, 2019 - January 5, 2020September 7, 2019 - January 5, 2020August 3, 2019 - October 13, 2019August 1, 2019 - February 28, 2020June 1, 2019 - August 25, 2019April 20, 2019 - July 21, 2019April 13, 2019 - August 4, 2019April 3, 2019 - September 1, 2019February 2, 2019 - May 19, 2019January 19, 2019 - April 14, 2019September 8, 2018 - March 31, 2019September 8, 2018 - January 6, 2019September 1, 2018 - September 30, 2018May 19, 2018 - August 19, 2018May 19, 2018 - August 19, 2018May 16, 2018 - August 26, 2018February 3, 2018 - June 10, 2018February 3, 2018 - May 6, 2018February 3, 2018 - May 6, 2018February 3, 2018 - May 6, 2018September 30, 2017 - January 7, 2018September 1, 2017 - September 30, 2017August 4, 2017 - September 17, 2017June 11, 2017 - September 10, 2017March 18, 2017 - May 31, 2017February 4, 2017 - May 28, 2017January 14, 2017 - May 14, 2017July 2, 2016 - March 5, 2017January 8, 2016 - April 2, 2017

Lightcatcher Building

February 2016 – March 2017, 2nd floor passageway of the Lightcatcher Building

Fairhaven High School gym class display their new exercise “suits” purchased in 1919 with funds they raised through candy sales. Photo by J.W. Sandison, Whatcom Museum #3254

Featuring fifteen historical sports images from Bellingham’s past, these black and white photos from the Museum’s Archives include team portraits, action shots of playground champs, gym class tumblers, track & field high-hurdlers, lacrosse pioneers, and field hockey icons, among others. The ephemeral “glory days” of amateur athletes, fodder for embellishment later in life, were captured by gifted photographers J.W. Sandison, Jack Carver, Dobbs & Fleming, Ray Clift and Tore Ofteness.

National Geographic’s 50 Greatest Photographs

September 1, 2016/in Past Exhibitions /by Christina Claassen

May 5, 2022 - May 15, 2022May 7, 2022 - August 21, 2022March 19, 2022 - August 21, 2022November 13, 2021 - May 8, 2022November 20, 2021 - May 8, 2022October 30, 2021 - February 27, 2022June 19, 2021 - October 24, 2021September 3, 2021 - October 17, 2021April 10, 2021 - October 10, 2021May 29, 2021 - October 31, 2021May 29, 2021 - August 29, 2021May 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021March 13, 2021 - June 13, 2021January 28, 2021 - June 13, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021September 19, 2020 - March 21, 2021September 3, 2020 - October 17, 2020February 1, 2020 - March 7, 2021February 15, 2020 - December 6, 2020February 15, 2020 - December 6, 2020May 1, 2020 - December 31, 2021September 19, 2020 - May 16, 2021February 15, 2020 - May 10, 2020February 1, 2020 - April 26, 2020January 3, 2020 - March 8, 2020October 18, 2019 - February 9, 2020August 17, 2019 - February 2, 2020October 1, 2019 - January 5, 2020September 7, 2019 - January 5, 2020August 3, 2019 - October 13, 2019August 1, 2019 - February 28, 2020June 1, 2019 - August 25, 2019April 20, 2019 - July 21, 2019April 13, 2019 - August 4, 2019April 3, 2019 - September 1, 2019February 2, 2019 - May 19, 2019January 19, 2019 - April 14, 2019September 8, 2018 - March 31, 2019September 8, 2018 - January 6, 2019September 1, 2018 - September 30, 2018May 19, 2018 - August 19, 2018May 19, 2018 - August 19, 2018May 16, 2018 - August 26, 2018February 3, 2018 - June 10, 2018February 3, 2018 - May 6, 2018February 3, 2018 - May 6, 2018February 3, 2018 - May 6, 2018September 30, 2017 - January 7, 2018September 1, 2017 - September 30, 2017August 4, 2017 - September 17, 2017June 11, 2017 - September 10, 2017March 18, 2017 - May 31, 2017February 4, 2017 - May 28, 2017January 14, 2017 - May 14, 2017July 2, 2016 - March 5, 2017January 8, 2016 - April 2, 2017October 1, 2016 - January 15, 2017

Lightcatcher Building

Steve McCurry; Afghan Border, Pakistan 1984. Haunting eyes and a tattered garment tell the plight of a girl who fled Afghanistan for a refugee camp in Pakistan. Courtesy of National Geographic.

October 1, 2016 – January 15, 2017, Lightcatcher Building

The Whatcom Museum will open a major traveling exhibition this fall, National Geographic’s 50 Greatest Photographs, in the Lightcatcher building, the only West Coast stop of the national tour. The exhibition, which showcases some of National Geographic’s most compelling photographs, runs through January 15, 2017. From Steve McCurry’s unforgettable Afghan girl to Nick Nichols’ iconic image of Jane Goodall with a chimpanzee to Thomas Abercrombie’s never-before-seen view of Mecca, the exhibition includes some of National Geographic magazine’s most-remembered and celebrated photographs from its more-than-120-year history.

In addition to seeing the photographs as they appeared in the magazine, visitors to the exhibition will learn the stories behind the photos through text panels and video interviews with the photographers. For some images, visitors will be able to see the “near frames” taken by the photographer: the sequence of images made in the field before and after the perfect shot. The exhibition is based on the popular iPad app released by National Geographic in 2011 and featured by iTunes as an iPad “App of the Week.” Read more →

Spineless: Portraits of Marine Invertebrates

June 30, 2016/in Past Exhibitions /by Christina Claassen

May 5, 2022 - May 15, 2022May 7, 2022 - August 21, 2022March 19, 2022 - August 21, 2022November 13, 2021 - May 8, 2022November 20, 2021 - May 8, 2022October 30, 2021 - February 27, 2022June 19, 2021 - October 24, 2021September 3, 2021 - October 17, 2021April 10, 2021 - October 10, 2021May 29, 2021 - October 31, 2021May 29, 2021 - August 29, 2021May 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021March 13, 2021 - June 13, 2021January 28, 2021 - June 13, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021September 19, 2020 - March 21, 2021September 3, 2020 - October 17, 2020February 1, 2020 - March 7, 2021February 15, 2020 - December 6, 2020February 15, 2020 - December 6, 2020May 1, 2020 - December 31, 2021September 19, 2020 - May 16, 2021February 15, 2020 - May 10, 2020February 1, 2020 - April 26, 2020January 3, 2020 - March 8, 2020October 18, 2019 - February 9, 2020August 17, 2019 - February 2, 2020October 1, 2019 - January 5, 2020September 7, 2019 - January 5, 2020August 3, 2019 - October 13, 2019August 1, 2019 - February 28, 2020June 1, 2019 - August 25, 2019April 20, 2019 - July 21, 2019April 13, 2019 - August 4, 2019April 3, 2019 - September 1, 2019February 2, 2019 - May 19, 2019January 19, 2019 - April 14, 2019September 8, 2018 - March 31, 2019September 8, 2018 - January 6, 2019September 1, 2018 - September 30, 2018May 19, 2018 - August 19, 2018May 19, 2018 - August 19, 2018May 16, 2018 - August 26, 2018February 3, 2018 - June 10, 2018February 3, 2018 - May 6, 2018February 3, 2018 - May 6, 2018February 3, 2018 - May 6, 2018September 30, 2017 - January 7, 2018September 1, 2017 - September 30, 2017August 4, 2017 - September 17, 2017June 11, 2017 - September 10, 2017March 18, 2017 - May 31, 2017February 4, 2017 - May 28, 2017January 14, 2017 - May 14, 2017July 2, 2016 - March 5, 2017January 8, 2016 - April 2, 2017October 1, 2016 - January 15, 2017September 17, 2016 - December 31, 2016

Lightcatcher Building

Photographs by Susan Middleton
September 17 – December 31, 2016, Lightcatcher Building

Susan Middleton; Pacific Giant Octopus (juvenile), Enteroctopus dofleini; Archival pigment print, 24 x 36 in. Friday Harbor Marine Laboratories, University of Washington.

The result of seven years of fieldwork across the Pacific Ocean, and showcasing the photographic techniques Susan Middleton has developed over the past three decades, this exhibition presents 50 portraits of rarely or never-before-seen ocean dwellers. Middleton visually isolates each creature she photographs to best capture its individual character and to spotlight the dazzling natural blueprints inherent in the marine invertebrate realm of life. From a juvenile Pacific Giant Octopus, to the Widehand Hermit Crab, Middleton’s images open our eyes to both the fragility and the resiliency of these species.

Susan Middleton is an acclaimed photographer, author, and lecturer specializing in portraiture of rare and endangered animals, plants, sites, and cultures. The recipient of a Guggenheim fellowship in 2009, for many years she was the chair of the Department of Photography at the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco, where she currently serves as research associate. Her photographs have been exhibited worldwide in fine art and natural history contexts and are represented in the permanent collections of the National Academy of Sciences and the National Gallery of Art. She is the author of Evidence of Evolution and Spineless: Portraits of Marine Invertebrates, The Backbone of Life. Read more →

Kinseys in Color

June 5, 2016/in Past Exhibitions /by Christina Claassen

May 5, 2022 - May 15, 2022May 7, 2022 - August 21, 2022March 19, 2022 - August 21, 2022November 13, 2021 - May 8, 2022November 20, 2021 - May 8, 2022October 30, 2021 - February 27, 2022June 19, 2021 - October 24, 2021September 3, 2021 - October 17, 2021April 10, 2021 - October 10, 2021May 29, 2021 - October 31, 2021May 29, 2021 - August 29, 2021May 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021March 13, 2021 - June 13, 2021January 28, 2021 - June 13, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021September 19, 2020 - March 21, 2021September 3, 2020 - October 17, 2020February 1, 2020 - March 7, 2021February 15, 2020 - December 6, 2020February 15, 2020 - December 6, 2020May 1, 2020 - December 31, 2021September 19, 2020 - May 16, 2021February 15, 2020 - May 10, 2020February 1, 2020 - April 26, 2020January 3, 2020 - March 8, 2020October 18, 2019 - February 9, 2020August 17, 2019 - February 2, 2020October 1, 2019 - January 5, 2020September 7, 2019 - January 5, 2020August 3, 2019 - October 13, 2019August 1, 2019 - February 28, 2020June 1, 2019 - August 25, 2019April 20, 2019 - July 21, 2019April 13, 2019 - August 4, 2019April 3, 2019 - September 1, 2019February 2, 2019 - May 19, 2019January 19, 2019 - April 14, 2019September 8, 2018 - March 31, 2019September 8, 2018 - January 6, 2019September 1, 2018 - September 30, 2018May 19, 2018 - August 19, 2018May 19, 2018 - August 19, 2018May 16, 2018 - August 26, 2018February 3, 2018 - June 10, 2018February 3, 2018 - May 6, 2018February 3, 2018 - May 6, 2018February 3, 2018 - May 6, 2018September 30, 2017 - January 7, 2018September 1, 2017 - September 30, 2017August 4, 2017 - September 17, 2017June 11, 2017 - September 10, 2017March 18, 2017 - May 31, 2017February 4, 2017 - May 28, 2017January 14, 2017 - May 14, 2017July 2, 2016 - March 5, 2017January 8, 2016 - April 2, 2017October 1, 2016 - January 15, 2017September 17, 2016 - December 31, 2016June 1, 2016 - February 28, 2020

Old City Hall

June 2016 – February 2020, Old City Hall

Curated by Jeff Jewell, Photo Archives Historian

Before the development of color film, there was a way to make a color photograph — you painted it by hand! Known as tinting, it’s a meticulous, time-consuming process. The exhibition Kinseys In Color features fifteen examples of this art form by Darius and Tabitha Kinsey, whose half-century in commercial photography is renowned for views of the early Northwest timber industry. Kinseys In Color offers a different aspect of the Kinsey legacy, one focused on scenic views and Tabitha’s talent at hand-tinting prints.

Colorfast: Vivid Installations Make Their Mark

June 4, 2016/in Past Exhibitions /by Christina Claassen

May 5, 2022 - May 15, 2022May 7, 2022 - August 21, 2022March 19, 2022 - August 21, 2022November 13, 2021 - May 8, 2022November 20, 2021 - May 8, 2022October 30, 2021 - February 27, 2022June 19, 2021 - October 24, 2021September 3, 2021 - October 17, 2021April 10, 2021 - October 10, 2021May 29, 2021 - October 31, 2021May 29, 2021 - August 29, 2021May 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021March 13, 2021 - June 13, 2021January 28, 2021 - June 13, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021September 19, 2020 - March 21, 2021September 3, 2020 - October 17, 2020February 1, 2020 - March 7, 2021February 15, 2020 - December 6, 2020February 15, 2020 - December 6, 2020May 1, 2020 - December 31, 2021September 19, 2020 - May 16, 2021February 15, 2020 - May 10, 2020February 1, 2020 - April 26, 2020January 3, 2020 - March 8, 2020October 18, 2019 - February 9, 2020August 17, 2019 - February 2, 2020October 1, 2019 - January 5, 2020September 7, 2019 - January 5, 2020August 3, 2019 - October 13, 2019August 1, 2019 - February 28, 2020June 1, 2019 - August 25, 2019April 20, 2019 - July 21, 2019April 13, 2019 - August 4, 2019April 3, 2019 - September 1, 2019February 2, 2019 - May 19, 2019January 19, 2019 - April 14, 2019September 8, 2018 - March 31, 2019September 8, 2018 - January 6, 2019September 1, 2018 - September 30, 2018May 19, 2018 - August 19, 2018May 19, 2018 - August 19, 2018May 16, 2018 - August 26, 2018February 3, 2018 - June 10, 2018February 3, 2018 - May 6, 2018February 3, 2018 - May 6, 2018February 3, 2018 - May 6, 2018September 30, 2017 - January 7, 2018September 1, 2017 - September 30, 2017August 4, 2017 - September 17, 2017June 11, 2017 - September 10, 2017March 18, 2017 - May 31, 2017February 4, 2017 - May 28, 2017January 14, 2017 - May 14, 2017July 2, 2016 - March 5, 2017January 8, 2016 - April 2, 2017October 1, 2016 - January 15, 2017September 17, 2016 - December 31, 2016June 1, 2016 - February 28, 2020June 5, 2016 - September 18, 2016

Lightcatcher Building

Installations by Damien Gilley, Katy Stone and Ashley V. Blalock in the Lightcatcher Markiewicz Gallery. Photo by Amy Chaloupka

June 5 – September 18, 2016, Lightcatcher Building

Guest-Curated by Amy Chaloupka

“Color stimulates certain moods in us. It awakens joy or fear in accordance with its configuration. In fact, the whole world, as we experience it visually, comes to us through the mystic realm of color. Our entire being is nourished by it. This mystic quality of color should likewise find expression in a work of art.” – Hans Hofmann

When it comes to the topic of color, everybody has an opinion. Typically the first question a child asks after “what is your name” is “what is your favorite color?” This is a critical question of identity for a child. Perhaps this is because before a child even comprehends or learns language, she is engaged in a world of color that speaks to her, loud and clear, with sensorial delight. For adults, color choices permeate every facet of daily life. Color belongs to the world of marketing and consumerism, science and optics, art and literature, psychology and nature. Home Depot does not own orange, nor does Coca-Cola claim rights to red, and we are not really “green with envy,” yet culture most certainly influences opinions and perceptions of color. The artists in this exhibition understand the elemental impact of color and wield it in their work with striking effect. Color does not always behave. It amplifies, it spills, and stains.

Contemporary artists Ashley V. Blalock (Calif.), Elizabeth Gahan (Wash.), Damien Gilley (Ore.), and Katy Stone (Wash.), create site-specific installations fueled by vivid color for the Lightcatcher this summer. With varied media and processes, color meets improvisation, and intuitive response meets open space in a co-mingling of movement, light, shadow, and striking hues. Viewers walk through, around, over, and under active fields of color. Much the way color is tied to memory, perception, and identity, we are enveloped by it. Color cannot be contained as installations escape the gallery, spilling into the hall and exterior spaces of the museum. Read more →

Just Women

March 21, 2016/in Past Exhibitions /by Christina Claassen

May 5, 2022 - May 15, 2022May 7, 2022 - August 21, 2022March 19, 2022 - August 21, 2022November 13, 2021 - May 8, 2022November 20, 2021 - May 8, 2022October 30, 2021 - February 27, 2022June 19, 2021 - October 24, 2021September 3, 2021 - October 17, 2021April 10, 2021 - October 10, 2021May 29, 2021 - October 31, 2021May 29, 2021 - August 29, 2021May 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021March 13, 2021 - June 13, 2021January 28, 2021 - June 13, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021September 19, 2020 - March 21, 2021September 3, 2020 - October 17, 2020February 1, 2020 - March 7, 2021February 15, 2020 - December 6, 2020February 15, 2020 - December 6, 2020May 1, 2020 - December 31, 2021September 19, 2020 - May 16, 2021February 15, 2020 - May 10, 2020February 1, 2020 - April 26, 2020January 3, 2020 - March 8, 2020October 18, 2019 - February 9, 2020August 17, 2019 - February 2, 2020October 1, 2019 - January 5, 2020September 7, 2019 - January 5, 2020August 3, 2019 - October 13, 2019August 1, 2019 - February 28, 2020June 1, 2019 - August 25, 2019April 20, 2019 - July 21, 2019April 13, 2019 - August 4, 2019April 3, 2019 - September 1, 2019February 2, 2019 - May 19, 2019January 19, 2019 - April 14, 2019September 8, 2018 - March 31, 2019September 8, 2018 - January 6, 2019September 1, 2018 - September 30, 2018May 19, 2018 - August 19, 2018May 19, 2018 - August 19, 2018May 16, 2018 - August 26, 2018February 3, 2018 - June 10, 2018February 3, 2018 - May 6, 2018February 3, 2018 - May 6, 2018February 3, 2018 - May 6, 2018September 30, 2017 - January 7, 2018September 1, 2017 - September 30, 2017August 4, 2017 - September 17, 2017June 11, 2017 - September 10, 2017March 18, 2017 - May 31, 2017February 4, 2017 - May 28, 2017January 14, 2017 - May 14, 2017July 2, 2016 - March 5, 2017January 8, 2016 - April 2, 2017October 1, 2016 - January 15, 2017September 17, 2016 - December 31, 2016June 1, 2016 - February 28, 2020June 5, 2016 - September 18, 2016June 18, 2016 - September 4, 2016

Lightcatcher Building

Leah Sheves (b. 1947); Essence of an Ornament, 2006; Hand-built stoneware, under glazes. Whatcom Museum, Gift of the artist.

Leah Sheves; Essence of an Ornament, 2006; Hand-built stoneware. Whatcom Museum, gift of the artist.

June 18 – September 4, 2016, Lightcatcher Building

Curated by Barbara Matilsky

In 2010, the Whatcom Museum presented the pioneering exhibition, Show of Hands: Northwest Women Artists, 1800-2010, which marked the centennial of women’s suffrage in Washington State. Six years later, with the possibility of a woman becoming president of the United States, Just Women will once again focus on women’s contributions to the arts.

Drawn from the Whatcom Museum’s extensive collection of artwork by female artists, this exhibition explores a wide range of subjects—portraiture, abstraction, landscape, social commentary—in a variety of media, including painting, drawing, printmaking, photography, sculpture, and video. Although most of the featured artists hail from the Pacific Northwest, many established their careers outside the region: London, New York City, Paris, and Tel Aviv. Artists such as Anne Appleby, Doris Chase, Elizabeth Colborne, Louise Dahl-Wolfe, Sonia Delaunay, Lesley Dill, Mary Henry, Helmi Juvonen, Helen Loggie, Mary Randlett, Bridget Riley, and Leah Sheves are featured in this exhibition.

The installation of Just Women reveals unexpected, thought-provoking juxtapositions, and provides visitors with an opportunity to consider the history and future of women in art, both close to home, and globally.

: Louise Dahl-Wolfe; Untitled, Gelatin silver print; 10.5 x 9.5 in. Whatcom Museum, gift of George and Pearl Yewell.

: Yvonne Twining Humber; Ruin, c. 1949; Oil on masonite, 24 x 28 in. Whatcom Museum, gift of David F. Martin and Dominic A. Zambito in memory of the artist.

: Dale Gottlieb; Tuskegee Airmen, 1995; Hand-knotted wool rug, 8 x 5 ft. Whatcom Museum.

: Margaret Tomkins; Twice Sun White, 1963; Oil on canvas, 45 x 60.5 in. Whatcom Museum, gift of the Virginia Wright Fund.

: Karen Rudd; Last Stand: Cedar, 2009; Reclaimed corrugated cardboard, 35 x 48 x 48 in. Whatcom Museum, anonymous gift.

Back at the Park: Vintage Views from the Photo Archives

March 15, 2016/in Past Exhibitions /by Christina Claassen

May 5, 2022 - May 15, 2022May 7, 2022 - August 21, 2022March 19, 2022 - August 21, 2022November 13, 2021 - May 8, 2022November 20, 2021 - May 8, 2022October 30, 2021 - February 27, 2022June 19, 2021 - October 24, 2021September 3, 2021 - October 17, 2021April 10, 2021 - October 10, 2021May 29, 2021 - October 31, 2021May 29, 2021 - August 29, 2021May 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021March 13, 2021 - June 13, 2021January 28, 2021 - June 13, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021September 19, 2020 - March 21, 2021September 3, 2020 - October 17, 2020February 1, 2020 - March 7, 2021February 15, 2020 - December 6, 2020February 15, 2020 - December 6, 2020May 1, 2020 - December 31, 2021September 19, 2020 - May 16, 2021February 15, 2020 - May 10, 2020February 1, 2020 - April 26, 2020January 3, 2020 - March 8, 2020October 18, 2019 - February 9, 2020August 17, 2019 - February 2, 2020October 1, 2019 - January 5, 2020September 7, 2019 - January 5, 2020August 3, 2019 - October 13, 2019August 1, 2019 - February 28, 2020June 1, 2019 - August 25, 2019April 20, 2019 - July 21, 2019April 13, 2019 - August 4, 2019April 3, 2019 - September 1, 2019February 2, 2019 - May 19, 2019January 19, 2019 - April 14, 2019September 8, 2018 - March 31, 2019September 8, 2018 - January 6, 2019September 1, 2018 - September 30, 2018May 19, 2018 - August 19, 2018May 19, 2018 - August 19, 2018May 16, 2018 - August 26, 2018February 3, 2018 - June 10, 2018February 3, 2018 - May 6, 2018February 3, 2018 - May 6, 2018February 3, 2018 - May 6, 2018September 30, 2017 - January 7, 2018September 1, 2017 - September 30, 2017August 4, 2017 - September 17, 2017June 11, 2017 - September 10, 2017March 18, 2017 - May 31, 2017February 4, 2017 - May 28, 2017January 14, 2017 - May 14, 2017July 2, 2016 - March 5, 2017January 8, 2016 - April 2, 2017October 1, 2016 - January 15, 2017September 17, 2016 - December 31, 2016June 1, 2016 - February 28, 2020June 5, 2016 - September 18, 2016June 18, 2016 - September 4, 2016September 1, 2016 - January 31, 2018

Lightcatcher Building

Ice skating in Broadway Park, December 5, 1909. Photo by J.W. Sandison. Whatcom Museum 3705.

Fall 2016 – January 2018, Old City Hall

Curated by Jeff Jewell, Photo Archives Historian

Bellingham’s parks have always been a locally loved and widely admired part of the city. This collection from the Whatcom Museum’s Photo Archives combines two previous photo exhibitions with a parks theme. The collection features historical views of Bellingham parks including images of Cornwall, Fairhaven, Whatcom Falls, and Elizabeth parks, among others. It’s a celebration of the community green in glorious black and white.

Romantically Modern: Pacific Northwest Landscapes

March 1, 2016/in Past Exhibitions /by Christina Claassen

May 5, 2022 - May 15, 2022May 7, 2022 - August 21, 2022March 19, 2022 - August 21, 2022November 13, 2021 - May 8, 2022November 20, 2021 - May 8, 2022October 30, 2021 - February 27, 2022June 19, 2021 - October 24, 2021September 3, 2021 - October 17, 2021April 10, 2021 - October 10, 2021May 29, 2021 - October 31, 2021May 29, 2021 - August 29, 2021May 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021March 13, 2021 - June 13, 2021January 28, 2021 - June 13, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021September 19, 2020 - March 21, 2021September 3, 2020 - October 17, 2020February 1, 2020 - March 7, 2021February 15, 2020 - December 6, 2020February 15, 2020 - December 6, 2020May 1, 2020 - December 31, 2021September 19, 2020 - May 16, 2021February 15, 2020 - May 10, 2020February 1, 2020 - April 26, 2020January 3, 2020 - March 8, 2020October 18, 2019 - February 9, 2020August 17, 2019 - February 2, 2020October 1, 2019 - January 5, 2020September 7, 2019 - January 5, 2020August 3, 2019 - October 13, 2019August 1, 2019 - February 28, 2020June 1, 2019 - August 25, 2019April 20, 2019 - July 21, 2019April 13, 2019 - August 4, 2019April 3, 2019 - September 1, 2019February 2, 2019 - May 19, 2019January 19, 2019 - April 14, 2019September 8, 2018 - March 31, 2019September 8, 2018 - January 6, 2019September 1, 2018 - September 30, 2018May 19, 2018 - August 19, 2018May 19, 2018 - August 19, 2018May 16, 2018 - August 26, 2018February 3, 2018 - June 10, 2018February 3, 2018 - May 6, 2018February 3, 2018 - May 6, 2018February 3, 2018 - May 6, 2018September 30, 2017 - January 7, 2018September 1, 2017 - September 30, 2017August 4, 2017 - September 17, 2017June 11, 2017 - September 10, 2017March 18, 2017 - May 31, 2017February 4, 2017 - May 28, 2017January 14, 2017 - May 14, 2017July 2, 2016 - March 5, 2017January 8, 2016 - April 2, 2017October 1, 2016 - January 15, 2017September 17, 2016 - December 31, 2016June 1, 2016 - February 28, 2020June 5, 2016 - September 18, 2016June 18, 2016 - September 4, 2016September 1, 2016 - January 31, 2018March 1, 2016 - June 19, 2016

Old City Hall

March – June 19, 2016, Old City Hall

Kathleen Houlahan, Mount Baker, 1930s; Oil on canvas, 2014.29.1. Gift of Nora Borgstrom.

Back by popular demand and displayed in the Old City Hall galleries, this exhibition highlights the rich legacy of landscape painting in the Pacific Northwest. All of the artworks, drawn from the collection of the Whatcom Museum, reflect the artists’ search for a spiritual experience that was often described as sublime in nineteenth-century Romantic art and literature. At the same time, the twentieth-century artists featured here interpret nature and express their emotional response to the landscape through modernist styles.

Faith in a Seed: Philip McCracken’s Sculpture and Mixed-Media Painting

February 15, 2016/in Past Exhibitions /by Christina Claassen

May 5, 2022 - May 15, 2022May 7, 2022 - August 21, 2022March 19, 2022 - August 21, 2022November 13, 2021 - May 8, 2022November 20, 2021 - May 8, 2022October 30, 2021 - February 27, 2022June 19, 2021 - October 24, 2021September 3, 2021 - October 17, 2021April 10, 2021 - October 10, 2021May 29, 2021 - October 31, 2021May 29, 2021 - August 29, 2021May 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021March 13, 2021 - June 13, 2021January 28, 2021 - June 13, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021March 4, 2021 - July 1, 2021September 19, 2020 - March 21, 2021September 3, 2020 - October 17, 2020February 1, 2020 - March 7, 2021February 15, 2020 - December 6, 2020February 15, 2020 - December 6, 2020May 1, 2020 - December 31, 2021September 19, 2020 - May 16, 2021February 15, 2020 - May 10, 2020February 1, 2020 - April 26, 2020January 3, 2020 - March 8, 2020October 18, 2019 - February 9, 2020August 17, 2019 - February 2, 2020October 1, 2019 - January 5, 2020September 7, 2019 - January 5, 2020August 3, 2019 - October 13, 2019August 1, 2019 - February 28, 2020June 1, 2019 - August 25, 2019April 20, 2019 - July 21, 2019April 13, 2019 - August 4, 2019April 3, 2019 - September 1, 2019February 2, 2019 - May 19, 2019January 19, 2019 - April 14, 2019September 8, 2018 - March 31, 2019September 8, 2018 - January 6, 2019September 1, 2018 - September 30, 2018May 19, 2018 - August 19, 2018May 19, 2018 - August 19, 2018May 16, 2018 - August 26, 2018February 3, 2018 - June 10, 2018February 3, 2018 - May 6, 2018February 3, 2018 - May 6, 2018February 3, 2018 - May 6, 2018September 30, 2017 - January 7, 2018September 1, 2017 - September 30, 2017August 4, 2017 - September 17, 2017June 11, 2017 - September 10, 2017March 18, 2017 - May 31, 2017February 4, 2017 - May 28, 2017January 14, 2017 - May 14, 2017July 2, 2016 - March 5, 2017January 8, 2016 - April 2, 2017October 1, 2016 - January 15, 2017September 17, 2016 - December 31, 2016June 1, 2016 - February 28, 2020June 5, 2016 - September 18, 2016June 18, 2016 - September 4, 2016September 1, 2016 - January 31, 2018March 1, 2016 - June 19, 2016February 27, 2016 - June 5, 2016

Lightcatcher Building

February 27 – June 5, 2016, Lightcatcher Building

Virtual

May 5, 2022 - May 15, 2022

Lightcatcher Building

May 5, 2022 - May 15, 2022May 7, 2022 - August 21, 2022

Lightcatcher Building

May 5, 2022 - May 15, 2022May 7, 2022 - August 21, 2022March 19, 2022 - August 21, 2022

Lightcatcher Building

Central Themes

Rip, Write, Reflect. Community Art Experience

Multi-Institutional Partnership

Support Provided By:

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May 5, 2022 - May 15, 2022May 7, 2022 - August 21, 2022March 19, 2022 - August 21, 2022November 13, 2021 - May 8, 2022

Old City Hall

May 5, 2022 - May 15, 2022May 7, 2022 - August 21, 2022March 19, 2022 - August 21, 2022November 13, 2021 - May 8, 2022November 20, 2021 - May 8, 2022

Old City Hall

May 5, 2022 - May 15, 2022May 7, 2022 - August 21, 2022March 19, 2022 - August 21, 2022November 13, 2021 - May 8, 2022November 20, 2021 - May 8, 2022October 30, 2021 - February 27, 2022

Lightcatcher Building

Docent Tours

Curator Tours

Artists featured in Up Close & Personal:

May 5, 2022 - May 15, 2022May 7, 2022 - August 21, 2022March 19, 2022 - August 21, 2022November 13, 2021 - May 8, 2022November 20, 2021 - May 8, 2022October 30, 2021 - February 27, 2022June 19, 2021 - October 24, 2021

Lightcatcher Building

partners

May 5, 2022 - May 15, 2022May 7, 2022 - August 21, 2022March 19, 2022 - August 21, 2022November 13, 2021 - May 8, 2022November 20, 2021 - May 8, 2022October 30, 2021 - February 27, 2022June 19, 2021 - October 24, 2021September 3, 2021 - October 17, 2021

Old City Hall

May 5, 2022 - May 15, 2022May 7, 2022 - August 21, 2022March 19, 2022 - August 21, 2022November 13, 2021 - May 8, 2022November 20, 2021 - May 8, 2022October 30, 2021 - February 27, 2022June 19, 2021 - October 24, 2021September 3, 2021 - October 17, 2021April 10, 2021 - October 10, 2021

Lightcatcher Building

partners

Old City Hall

Old City Hall

Virtual

Lightcatcher Building

Lightcatcher Building

Old City Hall

Old City Hall

Lightcatcher Building

Learn more from Amy Chaloupka, Curator of Art, about works in this exhibition that were a Gift of the Washington Art Consortium through a gift of Safeco Insurance, a member of the Liberty Mutual Group.

Get more insight into artist Lesley Dill’s art installation, Shimmer, which is featured in this exhibition.

Watch a series of collection highlights offering insight into specific artworks and artists. These short videos are written and narrated by Museum docents and reflect their interpretations of the works.

Old City Hall

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Old City Hall

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Old City Hall

Virtual

Old City Hall

Old City Hall

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Lightcatcher Building

Watch a series of “Headwear Highlights” with Community Engagement Manager, Katherine Everitt.

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Old City Hall

Old City Hall

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Lightcatcher Building

docent tours

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Raya Friday, People of the Fire

Lightcatcher Building

June 1 – August 25, 2019; Lightcatcher building

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Old City Hall

Old City Hall

Lightcatcher Building

Lightcatcher Building

docent tours

Old City Hall