With claims to fame in workplace education, transfer education, and Running Start, Whatcom Community College in northern Bellingham also has a pleasant campus to visit. The WCC Campus Art Walking Tour maps various art pieces that have adorned the campus since the college’s move in 1986.
Whatcom Community College has developed most of its sculptures through the Washington State Arts Commission’s Art in Public Places program. Visitors can discover most artistic features, centrally located along Kellogg Road, and enjoy artist statements and interactive experiences.
Fountains at Whatcom Community College
Several art pieces on campus incorporate running water into their designs, paying tribute to the natural surroundings of our Cascades region.
“The Gathering,” the 1998 fountain by Gerard Tsutakawa outside Heiner Hall, depicts a pod of three metal orcas at the heart of campus. Orcas have been the school mascot since 1989, with costumes for “Willie the Whale” introduced in 1998 and the current “Finny Dorsalini” in 2017.
At the roundabout between Kellogg Road and Cordata Parkway, “Noisy Water” takes its name from the literal translation of the Lummi word “Xwot’qom,” which became the place name “Whatcom.” This Japanese garden combines a waterfall and pond with pathways for visitors to view it in all directions.
“Levitating Sphere” outside Kulshan Hall is one of Whatcom Community College’s most popular sculptures and has inspired the student superstition of pushing the sphere for luck on exams. Seattle Solstice created this piece, a fountain engineered to push the carved Donovan Rock ball, in 2003 under the late president Harold Heiner’s commission. Cascadia Daily explains that roughly 0.004 inches of flowing water moves the 3,260-pound ball with “15 pounds of pressure per square inch.”
Whatcom Community College’s Sculptures
Many of Whatcom Community College’s campus sculptures employ symbolism honoring the natural environment and indigenous cultures.
“Cosmic Totem” adorns the brick wall of Kulshan Hall with glass totem inlays and lighting installed. Sculptor David Govedare created the piece in 2004 with glassblower Bill Sargent. It symbolizes the birth of the universe and all life in a spiraling galaxy pattern.
“ININYAX’A7N (Thunderbird),” between Kulshan Hall and the Learning Commons, is a newer addition from 2022. James Harry of the Squamish Nation created the piece using metal as a substitute for traditional fir or cedar carving. As the plaque explains, the sculpture’s images of the seven generations, two thunderbirds, and the Coast Salish eye symbolize future generations, the cycle of life, and ancestors.
The plaque reads, “This sculpture not only celebrates the Salish culture’s rich heritage and its profound reverence for nature but also underscores the importance of ecological sustainability. It encourages us to reflect on the impact of our actions on future generations and reminds us that we have a responsibility to care for the Earth and preserve it for prosperity. The use of metal instead of old-growth wood serves as a metaphor for the Salish people’s resilience and ability to adapt to changing circumstances, while also promoting sustainable practices that honor the spirit of the forests. Overall, this sculpture is a beautiful testament to the Salish people’s deep connection to the natural world and their unwavering commitment to preserving it for generations to come.”
The carved stone “Signature Rock” near Kelly Hall is another Harold Heiner-commissioned piece prepared by Princess Jade, Olivine Corporation & Corky Smith, and Dean and Kathy Briske. Its plaque reads, “This rock represents the many Olivine rocks used as landscaping throughout campus. Though Olivine makes up the major part of Earth’s mantle, it is rarely revealed above the surface. An exception is the Twin Sisters in Whatcom County, Washington.”
“Parliament of Owls, the 1997 limestone sculpture of three owls outside Laidlaw Center, is another campus favorite. Artist Tony Angell was inspired by rescuing a baby owl and has created bird sculptures, such as the “Emissaries,” a depiction of two ravens outside Mount Baker Ski Area.
Scenery at Whatcom Community College
Whatcom Community College’s walking tour also includes artful features of the campus environment where visitors can rest, explore, and socialize.
“Earthworks and Trees” is the name given to stone benches near Heiner and Laidlaw Center, created by Michael McCafferty in 1987. The walking tour also includes the roundabout at Kellogg and Cordata, where carvings of Olivine rock “adorn the first modern traffic circle to be constructed in Bellingham.”
“Krystal Courtyard” outside Cascade Hall memorializes Krystal DeVries, a 25-year-old student who died in 1995 in a murder by her estranged husband. This tragedy shocked the campus community and spurred the growth of more domestic violence resources. The memorial plaque reads, “This courtyard is dedicated to the memory of Krystal Dawn DeVries and to the belief that through education each of us can contribute to the eradication of domestic violence, to the enrichment of life and to the fulfillment of individual dreams.”
“Foot Bridge” near Roe Studio appears on the walking tour with the note, “creating open spaces and pedestrian walkways such as this is a central element of Whatcom’s master planning.”
The walking tour also includes two gardens: “Campus Garden” by the Auxiliary Services Building, where staff and students seasonally grow food, and “Contemplation Garden” by Laidlaw Center. This garden honors the late Inez Johnson, Trustee from 1986 to 1996, and now includes a time capsule rock commemorating the school’s 50th anniversary: “sealed in 2017-18, to be opened on 100th anniversary, 2067.”
For the immediate future, students and campus visitors alike can enjoy Whatcom Community College and its art as community fixtures in a landscape that is constantly changing and offers new experiences.
