Travelers passing through the San Juan Airlines office in Bellingham will notice some colorful new additions lining the hallways. In May, modern artist and interior designer Tom Bakker hung four of his vibrant paintings at the local travel hub as part of an ongoing installation.
Bakker, born and raised in the Netherlands, has been a professional designer for 41 years and a professional modern artist for 24. His artist statement says his “art’s mission is to uplift people with color and composition.” He paints with acrylic on canvas, utilizing various techniques, color schemes, and compositions to create his evocative works. The first paintings in the installation, which Bakker plans to switch out periodically, were the colorful “Summer is Here,” abstract sister paintings “Downtown” and “At The Fairground,” and “Four Seasons 2025.”
The installation is one of many ways in which Bakker introduced himself to art appreciators in Whatcom and the San Juan Islands ahead of his relocation from Everett to Blaine. Readers may have met him at the Whatcom County Home & Lifestyle Show in April or seen his work at the Blaine Art Gallery this summer. He is constructing a new art studio in Blaine, with a grand opening planned for early 2027. He’s not slowing down, either Bakker has an upcoming commission installation in a Seattle hotel, was recently in conversation with a new art gallery in Amsterdam, and is always thinking up new projects.
Learn more about this newly local artist via his website, and don’t hesitate to reach out if you think his work could be right for your home or business!
Blaine, 206.877.3327, tombakkerart.com
Photo credit: Photograph by Kristen Boehm
