Whatcom County is an area awash with artists, galleries, and art festivals. Yet despite the rich tradition of vibrant art in Coast Salish indigenous communities, local artists from these communities have struggled for visibility. That is, until now.
From an extended summer solstice exhibit featuring indigenous and underrepresented artists at the Bellis Fair Mall, to the upcoming Indigenous Fashion Show organized by Western Washington University’s Native American Student Union (NASUA) and North Indian College, to an e-commerce site filled with artwork, clothing, and prints designed by indigenous artists and upcoming exhibits beyond the county, art lovers are spoiled for choice.
That’s because Deanna Lane, founder of Native Arts 360, has made it her life’s mission to help historically underrepresented artists find new platforms for their work.
Lane, who is of Black, Mvskoke (Creek), Cherokee (Eastern Band) in the Tuscarora region, and Lenape heritage and has a rich background in curation and arts advocacy—from working at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian to connecting Native artists to the Whatcom Museum, Museum of Northwest Art, and Whatcom Allied Arts—is putting her experience and vision to work. Lane founded Native Arts 360 (originally Native Arts Collective) in 2013.
Photograph courtesy of Native Arts 360
“The primary goal of Native Arts 360 is to support Indigenous artists in connecting with broad opportunities to share their art publicly through exhibits, commissions, residencies, markets, festivals, and online platforms (including e-commerce),” explains Lane. “Ultimately, the goal is to make it possible for emerging and career visual artists (and now including authors, musicians, and performers) to support themselves and their families by sharing their art as widely as possible. Arts 360 also aims to support underrepresented artists in this manner as well.”
This summer and fall have been a busy time for Lane and Native Arts 360. In addition to the recent Solstice exhibit at the Bellis Fair Mall, featuring artists Jason LaClair (Lummi/ Nooksack), Savannah LeCornu (Tsimshian/ Haida/Nez Perce), Marcus Joe (Swinomish), Tommy Segundo (Haida), Ivan Colin, and Tabitha Lee-Johnson, Native Arts 360 is also supporting the upcoming Indigenous Fashion Show with Western’s Native American Student Union (NASU) and Northwest Indian College at Bellis Fair on November 8—designers Mariah Dodd and jewelry designer Copper Canoe Woman will be featured. And the Native Arts 360 e-commerce site continues to draw more visitors every month.
“Native Arts 360 is also proud to have served on the advisory board for the House of Healing Longhouse entry doors commission, to be completed by traditional master carvers Felix Solomon (Lummi) and Ralph Bennett (Haida),” adds Lane. The House of Healing will be constructed on the Western Washington University campus near the arboretum and completed by 2025.
“It is a tremendous honor to be in service of the artists, our creative family, whose art is often empowering for the youth who are influenced by them,” says Lane. “What the artists create is also seen as uplifting in their communities and beyond. To see this very talented artists’ art be received by so many and to see their well-deserved recognition, [and their] careers and opportunities expand, is the greatest reward.” arts360.nativearts360.org
