Bellingham Alive

Whatcom Genealogical Society
2025-09-08 14:00 - 16:00 (America/Denver)
Whatcom Genealogical
Society 1st Fall Meeting-Sharing Summer research results and reintroducing ourselves and our interests. Did you have a research trip or family reunion this summer? Maybe you are new to our group, and you have some questions about research. This is a great meeting to start off the Fall. Visitors are welcome!
https://www.whatcom-gen-soc.org

Untethered Odyssey opening reception
2025-10-03 18:00 - 21:00
October 3 – November 1st
Opening Reception: October 3, 6pm-9pm
1213 Cornwall Ave, Bellingham, WA 98225
Untethered Odyssey invites viewers on a journey through diverse artistic landscapes where meticulous craft meets unbounded imagination. This compelling group exhibition celebrates the courage to venture beyond familiar territories, exploring the delicate balance between control and spontaneity across four distinctive artistic voices.
The exhibition features Liz Cunningham’s exquisite beaded jewelry, lovingly constructed one tiny bead at a time into contemporary wearable sculptures; Jeana Esser-Lang’s bold and whimsical compositions that take fearless liberties with color and space; Libby Sullivan’s mixed media collages where mysterious women encounter otherworldly powers amid fragments of found materials; and Rock Morris’s philosophy of “perfect imperfection,” creating works of intense layering and strong lines that emerge from his creative subconscious to embody nature’s raw beauty.
Allied Arts is a non-profit gallery, all proceeds from sales go towards supporting the arts in our community.
For more information visit www.alliedarts.org, call us at 360-676-8548 or email us at gallery@alliedarts.org.

Untethered Odyssey gallery exhibition
2025-10-04 11:00 - 2025-11-01 16:00
Gallery Hours: Tuesday – Saturday 11am – 4pm
1213 Cornwall Ave, Bellingham, WA 98225
Untethered Odyssey invites viewers on a journey through diverse artistic landscapes where meticulous craft meets unbounded imagination. This compelling group exhibition celebrates the courage to venture beyond familiar territories, exploring the delicate balance between control and spontaneity across four distinctive artistic voices.
The exhibition features Liz Cunningham’s exquisite beaded jewelry, lovingly constructed one tiny bead at a time into contemporary wearable sculptures; Jeana Esser-Lang’s bold and whimsical compositions that take fearless liberties with color and space; Libby Sullivan’s mixed media collages where mysterious women encounter otherworldly powers amid fragments of found materials; and Rock Morris’s philosophy of “perfect imperfection,” creating works of intense layering and strong lines that emerge from his creative subconscious to embody nature’s raw beauty.
Allied Arts is a non-profit gallery, all proceeds from sales go towards supporting the arts in our community.
For more information visit www.alliedarts.org, call us at 360-676-8548 or email us at

PURE JOY - An exhibition of the works of Joy Olney
2025-10-11 14:00 - 16:00
Cordata Gallery is pleased to present PURE JOY, a solo
exhibition of local artist Joy Olney, celebrating the radiant
spirit that runs through her lifelong practice. Featuring a
selection of her favorite subjects (flowers, waterscapes, and portraits), the exhibition reflects the simple joy she finds in painting and the sense of peace her works convey.
Opening reception: Oct 11, 2-4pm
Open to public: Oct 11 – Dec 13, 2025
Tues-Sat, 11-4 and by appointment

Blaine Art Gallery Small Art, Big Impact Opening Reception
2025-10-11 16:00 - 19:00
The Blaine Art Gallery invites you to our inaugural juried show, Small Art, Big Impact, bringing artist works from all over the Western US. The Opening Reception is on 10/11/25, from 4pm – 7pm. Join us for art, conversation, and light refreshments.

Blessings of the Waters - James K. Papp Photography Exhibit
2025-10-16 09:30 - 2026-01-09 17:00
Blessings of the Waters: From Glacier to Sea Exhibit showcases Bellingham photographer James K. Papp’s stunning black and white images. From the Cascade Mountains to the Puget Sound, water is the connector between residents, tribes, farmers, fishers, municipalities, and industries, as well as nature’s flora and fauna. Informed by James K. Papp’s 40 years working in marine shipping and by countless hikes along the streams, lakes, and snowfields of the Evergreen State, this work highlights the increasing pressure on our precious water. We are called upon to care for and show gratitude to our shared waters in a deeper, even spiritual way for the benefit of generations to come.
Jansen Art Center, 321 Front Street, Lynden, WA
October 16, 2025 to January 9, 2026
Tuesdays through Saturdays
9:30a.m. to 5p.m.
https://www.inquirewithin.com/press-releases-2025/
lisa@inquirewithin.com

Artist Showcase Series
2025-10-25 13:00 - 16:00
Three Artists with Unique Connections To Each Other
Bellingham, October 2, 2025 – Chuckanut Bay Gallery and Sculpture Garden presents an amazing afternoon with three artists sharing not only their artwork but the stories that connect them. On Saturday, October 25, 2025, from 1PM to 4PM Bob Hogan, Jan Griggs and Rick Griggs will be a part of the Artist Showcase Series including live painting demonstrations.
The Artists
• Jan Griggs – an abstract artist, originally from Spokane. “I love painting abstracts. Colors, shapes, lights and darks can be arranged and re-arranged to create the feeling and emotion coming from within the artist.”
• Bob Hogan – a regional artist who lives in Anacortes, WA. “The beautiful San Juan Islands provide me with limitless inspiration. My style explores local color while incorporating a slight contemporary edge to landscapes, wildlife and the iconic regional beauty.”
• Rick Griggs – creates live edge tables and wall art. “I blend wood and stone with a sense of architecture, style and imagination to create each work so its natural beauty and qualities flourish. Each piece is an experience in tactile and visual beauty!”
The Stories
• Rick and Bob worked together in broadcasting before evolving into artists.
• Jan and Rick have been a team for more than forty years.
• Bob illustrated the bestselling children’s book, Tortoise from Anacortes, which happens to be written by his wife, Claudia.
Quote
“Chuckanut Bay Gallery is honored to have these three incredibly talented artists and friends showing their art! We are so excited to share their phenomenal work with you. Come in and be dazzled!”
Media Contact: Jill Jameson 360-734-4885, chuckanutbaygallery@gmail.com

Wintering Exhibition Opening
2025-11-06 18:00 - 21:00
This winter, Voxel Gallery presents Wintering—a women-driven exhibition that celebrates the mystery and beauty of the winter solstice through landscape and abstract paintings. Opening reception November 6, 2025, from 6-9PM, 312 West Champion Street, Bellingham www.voxelgallery.com

Lummi Island Holiday Art Tour
2025-11-08 10:00 - 2025-11-09 17:00
Lummi Island Holiday Art Tour 2025
November 8th and 9th – 10am to 5pm
More than 14 artists and craftspeople are offering their work at 7 locations around the island. Enjoy paintings, drawings, prints, notecards, jewelry, photography, sculpture, glass, woodwork, pottery, metalwork, stonework, quilts, clothing, knitwear, and more!
Maps are available online at lummi-island.com or pick up a copy in The Islander, one block south of the ferry dock .The featured artist is Meredith Moench, One Earth Studio. Meredith’s current focus is watercolor. Preview the art tour artists on Instagram at lummi.island.art.studio.tour and Facebook at Lummi Island Art Studio Tour.
To get to Lummi Island: Take I-5 exit 260, go west on Slater Road to Haxton Way. Turn left on Haxton to the ferry dock at Gooseberry Point. Line up to take the Whatcom Chief ferry. The 8-minute ferry ride leaves at ten past every hour (plus extra trips as needed)

Shop Small Holiday Makers Market
2025-11-29 12:00 - 2025-11-30 18:00, 2025-12-20 10:00 - 2025-12-21 18:00
Get into the festive spirit and discover unique, locally made gifts while supporting talented artisans at our Shop Small Holiday Makers Market! Join us November 29–30 and December 20–21, 2025 at the Bellingham Cruise Terminal (355 Harris Ave, Bellingham, WA).
Open Saturday from 12–6 PM and Sunday from 10 AM–5 PM, the market features 50 local makers offering everything from handcrafted soaps and sustainable goods to tasty treats, cozy textiles, candles, and jewelry.
Food trucks Dane Good and WTF will have hot beverages, baked goods and delicious dishes available to order.
Each weekend brings a new lineup of vendors, so stop by in both November and December for a fresh selection of gifts. Free and open to the public, this festive, holiday-decorated market is the perfect way to shop small and celebrate the season in the heart of Historic Fairhaven.

Coffee& Canvas
2025-12-07 11:00 - 13:00
Come paint and let the creativity flow while sipping on Bellingham’s finest coffee.

Winter Paint & Sip
2025-12-23 16:00 - 18:00
Join Semiahmoo Resort for a winter-inspired Paint & Sip on Tuesday, December 23, from 4–6 PM. Whether you’re a seasoned artist or just picking up a brush for fun, you’ll create your own winter masterpiece with step-by-step guidance from our instructor. No experience needed, just a little imagination and a love for the season.
All supplies are provided, and tasty food and drink upgrades will be available to keep the creativity (and cocktails) flowing.

Peregrination - Solo Exhibition by Susan Van Gundy
2026-01-02 18:00 - 2026-01-31 21:00
BELLINGHAM, WA — Voxel Gallery is pleased to announce Peregrination, a solo exhibition by Bellingham-based abstract painter Susan Van Gundy, opening Friday, January 2, 2026, at 312 West Champion in downtown Bellingham. The public is invited to attend the opening reception from 6:00–9:00 PM.

David Syre: Mind and Method at Work
2026-01-18 14:00 - 16:00
Cordata Gallery is pleased to invite you to ‘David Syre: Mind and Method at Work’, an exhibition focused on the wide range of techniques that make David Syre such a unique artist. From his earliest drawings to his most recent paintings, this exhibition is the first opportunity to experience works from years of experimentation all in one place. ‘Mind and Method at Work’ is more than a title—it is the living process behind David Syre’s entire artistic journey and we invite you to be part of it.

Puzzle Hustle
2026-01-23 18:00 - 2026-03-06 19:30
Join us for a night of fun where teams of up to four
people will have 1 hour and 30 minutes to complete the
same jigsaw puzzle — the three fastest teams win prizes!
Pre-registration is required.
DAY/DATES: Fridays / January 23 or March 6
TIME: 6:00-7:30 pm
AGES: All ages
LOCATION: Bloedel Donovan Community Building
COST: $30 per team per date (maximum 4 people per
team, only 1 member registers for the team)
https://anc.apm.activecommunities.com/bellingham/activity/search?locale=en-US&activity_select_param=2&activity_keyword=puzzle&viewMode=list

Illuminight
2026-01-30 17:00 - 20:00
An evening of local artistic celebration, we illuminate the Skagit River Walk in Mount Vernon with hundreds of luminaries, watch local performances, and finish the evening with an illuminating processional through downtown Mount Vernon. On Friday, January 30th, gather with us at 5pm at the Skagit River Walk in Mount Vernon (509 Main Street, Mount Vernon, WA 98273) to start the magically glowing evening. For more information go to www.mountvernonwa.gov/parks or call (360) 336-6215

Allied Arts of Whatcom County Members Show
2026-02-06 11:00 - 2026-02-28 16:00
Allied Arts is delighted to present the 2026 Annual Members Show this February at the downtown
Bellingham Gallery. This year’s show includes creations from nearly 100 Allied Arts members, ranging from professional artists, students, to new or emerging artists. From traditional painting to contemporary sculpting, photography and everything in between, this year’s show will reveal the prodigious talent within
the Whatcom community.
Allied Arts is a non-profit gallery; all proceeds from sales go towards supporting the arts in our community. For more information visit alliedarts.org or contact us at 360-676-8548 or gallery@alliedarts.org.
Opening reception is 6-9 p.m. Feb. 6. Pianist Lou Lippman will perform. The exhibit continues through Feb. 28. Gallery hours are 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays.

Pet Portrait Party
2026-02-27 18:00 - 19:00
Bring a photo of a fur baby and spend 45-minutes creating a pet portrait of them. Then everyone votes and prizes go to the portraits that look most alike. We will provide the mediums… you can expect surprises!
DAY/DATE: Friday / February 27
TIME: 6:00-7:00 pm
AGES: All ages
LOCATION: Bloedel Donovan Community Building
COST: $20 per person
https://anc.apm.activecommunities.com/bellingham/activity/search/detail/40795?onlineSiteId=0&locale=en-US&from_original_cui=true

Double Exposure
2026-03-06 18:00 - 2026-03-27 21:00
Voxel Gallery is pleased to announce the opening of Double Exposure, a provocative group exhibition exploring the beauty, complexity, and vulnerability of the human body. The exhibition opens with a public reception on Friday, March 6, 2026, and will be on view through March 27, 2026, at Voxel Gallery, 312 West Champion Street, Bellingham, WA. voxelgallery.com

Bring It On
2026-03-19 12:00 - 2026-04-26 17:00
March 19-April, 2026
Bring It On: An invitational show by regional fine artists: Reno, Houston, Aurich, Lor, Maute, Potter, Sheets, Mueller, VanEtta, Mattix, Wardenburg-Skinner, Longstreet, Meloy, Foreman, Yates.
Meloy Gallery
301 W Holly Street
Suite D6 Downstairs
Bay Street Village
Bellingham
Hours: Thursdays – Sundays, 12:00-5 pm
Meet the Artists: Bellingham First Friday Art Walk on April 3, 5:00-8:00 pm
www.meloygallery.com

Private Thoughts: Artist Opening with Paul Niemi
2026-04-02 17:00 - 20:00
Join us at Martini Mercantile for Private Thoughts: Surreal Tricklings from the Mind of Paul Niemi. Paul’s intricate ink drawings feel like quiet transmissions from the subconscious, where lines wander, hidden worlds emerge, and reality blurs just a little. It’s thoughtful, mysterious, and the kind of work you can stare at for a long time and still discover something new.
Stop in, meet the artist, and spend an evening wandering through Paul’s beautifully peculiar universe.

Rexville Grange Art & Music Show
2026-04-03 10:00 - 2026-04-12 05:00
April 3, 4, 5 & 10, 11, 12
Along the Skagit Valley Tulip Route
Over 25 artists present contemporary fine art along with live music throughout this welcoming event.
Art forms include: paintings, prints, ceramics, jewelry, paper art, photography, engraved gifts, and mixed media.
A Six Day Event: 10 am- 5 pm
Rexville Grange
19299 Rexville Grange Road
Mt Vernon
360-391-1734
www.rexvillegrangeartandmusic.com

Recycled Art & Resource Expo
2026-04-03 11:00 - 2026-04-25 16:00
Come join us at the Annual Recycled Art and Reuse Expo (RARE) this April. RARE celebrates the creative use of recycled pieces through a juried art exhibit at Allied Arts Gallery. We also spotlight art organizations and facilities promoting sustainability. Our goal for this exhibit is to educate the community on the ways art contributes to sustainability, and to leave you with new and resourceful ideas that highlight the importance of creative reusage.
This event is made possible in part by generous sponsorship from Cascadia Daily News.
Learn more at https://www.alliedarts.org/rare/

Children's Art Walk
2026-05-01 11:00 - 2026-05-16 16:00
We welcome all to stroll through downtown Bellingham and delight in the works of the younger art community! On Friday, May 1st, Whatcom County students will proudly display their works of art during the 26th annual Children’s Art Walk presented by Allied Arts of Whatcom County. On this night there will be a number of activities for kids and adults, music, and more to celebrate the arts in schools – Art will stay on display through the first two weeks in May in honor of the statewide Arts Education Month.
Our opening reception is Friday May1st from 5pm to 8pm.

The Veils of Self -Solo Exhibition by Lori VanEtta
2026-05-01 18:00 - 21:00
Voxel Gallery is proud to present The Veils of Self, a solo exhibition by Abstract Painter Lori VanEtta, and offers a compelling collection of paintings that explore emotional states, intuition, and the evolving inner landscape of the artist. Each piece serves as a visual record of a moment—capturing moods, experiments, and expressions that emerge organically through VanEtta’s creative process. Visitors to The Veils of Self can expect a presentation of layered acrylic paintings on canvas that highlight both the nuance of her process and the emotional depth of her work.
Friday, May 1, 2026 6-9PM, 312 West Champion Street, Bellingham Wa, 98225 for more info: www.voxelgallery.com

PAINT & SIP COMMUNITY CAMPAIGN EVENT
2026-05-03 13:00 - 15:00
BellinghamArt fundraiser for Whatcom Family YMCA
Sunday, May 3
1-3pm

Chasing Sunsets, Artist Reception with Andrea Kendall
2026-05-22 18:00 - 20:00
The Studio at Istari Creative hosts an artist’s reception for Chasing Sunsets, new paintings by Andrea Kendall. Watercolor and mixed media on paper, atmospheric and layered work exploring light, landscape, and the magical line between day and night. Free and open to the public. Wine and conversation. The exhibition runs April 24 through June 26, 2026. Contact: david@istaricreative.com, istaricreative.com

Lummi Island Artists' Tour
2026-05-23 11:00 - 17:00
Lummi Island Artists’ Studio Tour. Free. Over 30 artists and artisans present a wide variety of creations. Tour small group and individual studios. Free tour map available at The Islander next to ferry landing. Saturday and Sunday.

Lummi Island Memorial Weekend Art Tour
2026-05-23 11:00 - 2026-05-24 17:00
In addition to featured glass artist, Art Hohl, enjoy the work of over 30 artists and craftspeople showing at 14 locations around the island: paintings, drawings, prints, note cards, jewelry, photography, sculpture, woodwork, pottery, metalwork, stonework, quilts, clothing, knitwear and more! Maps are available at lummi-island.com or the Islander Store. Preview artists on Instagram at lummi.island.art.studio.tour and Facebook at Lummi Island Art Studio Tour. To get to Lummi Island take I-5 to exit 260 and head west on Slater road. At the light turn left onto Haxton Way and go south to the ferry dock. Line up for an 8-minute ferry ride. Pay on board credit or debit card only. For ferry schedule go to https://www.whatcomcounty.us/562/Ferry-Schedule.
