Forging Art and Inspiration: Meet the Talented Team Behind Jansen Art Center’s Jewelry Studio

By

-

Jansen Art Center jewelry studio — Students can expect to use an array of tools in their journey to becoming more adept at jewelry creation and metalworking in the studio. Photo credit: Mary Fitzgerald

A close-knit community rooted in letting imagination take the wheel drives Jansen Art Center, a haven for Whatcom County creatives. While the art center serves as an axis for innovation and originality, the jewelry studio is a perfect illustration of the tenacity and growth The J has experienced over the years. With a foundation laid and built from the ground up by Judith Gauthier, and a productive partnership with fellow instructor Leah Meleski, Jansen Art Center’s jewelry studio is rising to new heights in the Whatcom art community.

Arts Director Lindsey Gerhard paints a picture of the arts center as a historic building housing galleries, studios, and classrooms that provide a well-equipped space for local creatives. “The Jansen Art Center is located in the town of Lynden,” says Gerhard. “It’s a really groovy space. It used to be city hall, the fire station, the old morgue, and the old library. Everything is repurposed and beautiful.”

Currently, the jewelry studio—led by Gauthier and Meleski—is located downstairs. “Together they complement each other and make a great team,” Gerhard says.

Judi Gauthier

Judith Gauthier pioneered Jansen Art Center’s jewelry studio and built the solid foundation on which it continues to grow. Photo credit: Mary Fitzgerald

In 1973, Judi Gauthier started on her path to becoming the accomplished metalsmith and artist she is today with a journey west.

“It was fate when I came up to Bellingham in 1973 and needed a job,” Judi says. “I came from Wisconsin on a whim and got a job at a small forming company called the Alaska Silver and Ivory Company, which was really just a couple of hippies from California.

Eventually, the company grew from the original five members, giving Judi a position of production supervisor over 25 individuals. “It was hands-on learning,” she says. “I realized how much I loved it, and I then went to Montana where I entered the university of Montana in Missoula and took up art education with an emphasis on metal work and jewelry.”

After training in Montana and a stint in Eugene, Oregon, Judi came back to Bellingham 10 years later and started her own school and company, called Pouncing Rain. “Years went by, and then this opportunity at the Jansen came up,” she says. “They asked me to develop the jewelry studio here, so it was perfect timing. That was nearly 10 years ago.”

Students can expect to use an array of tools in their journey to becoming more adept at jewelry creation and metalworking in the studio. Photo credit: Mary Fitzgerald

The studio has been built on the experience and knowledge Judi brought to the art center, coupled with an affinity for inspiring others to create art in metalworking.

Even now, Judi manages to give her absolute support to the art studio while sharing teaching duties with Meleski. “I have certain days I’m here during what we call ‘open studios’ [where I] open the studio up, make sure everything is here, and make sure people have everything they need,” she says. “Most of my classes are beginning classes and you don’t have to have any experience, which I love. My favorite kind of class is with people that have no idea [about jewelry] and have never tried it.”

Judi encourages her students and maintains her own artistic integrity as an example for all those who enter the studio. “The studio is a part of me,” she says. “It gives me responsibility in how it runs, and it gives me pride to watch it grow.”

As an artist, Judi continues to “listen” to her pieces as she creates them, finding inspiration in just about anything that speaks to her.

Leah Meleski

Judi’s talented and driven counterpart, Leah Meleski, is a natural born art instructor and highly trained metalsmith.

“I went to Massachusetts College of Art and Design in Boston,” she says. “I’ve always made jewelry, ever since I was little. Even though I’ve always done it, it was really nice to learn you could actually study it and I think that’s probably the motivation behind wanting to teach jewelry, too—that it is possible.”

Judi planted the studio’s root system and Leah nurtures its growth, seeking outreach for both students and teachers alike in Jansen’s jewelry department.

Judith Gauthier and Leah Meleski form a strong partnership in the studio that is complementary to their different personalities and artistry. Photo credit: Mary Fitzgerald

Recently, we received a grant to help further our studio,” Leah says. “Through that, we found a lot of great contacts in the art community and I’m looking forward to continuing development of different mediums within the studio as well as hosting more visiting artists.”

As Whatcom County arts continue to evolve and improve, so too does Jansen Art Center’s gem of a jewelry studio under the masterful watch of Judith Gauthier and Leah Meleski.

Sponsored

Back to Basics for the Omicron Surge

By

LocalTalk Contributor

-

Submitted by the Whatcom County Health Department

Whatcom County, we are in the Omicron surge. We are seeing several hundred cases every day and new daily and weekly records have been set and broken multiple times this week alone. It’s time to get Back to Basics and review what we know about COVID-19.

Symptoms

Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus, and can range from mild to severe. Common symptoms can include: fever, chills, cough, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headaches, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion, runny nose, nausea, vomiting, and/or diarrhea.

Symptoms of the Omicron variant are very similar to the common cold, and anyone displaying any cold-like symptoms should get tested.

Covid-19 Testing

We know it’s challenging to get a test right now, and changes are in the works to increase testing for people with symptoms or exposure to COVID-19.

In the meantime, if you can’t get either a PCR test or a rapid test, assume you have COVID-19 and stay home. Isolate for 5 days after your symptoms start. If you don’t have symptoms on day 5, the next day you can leave your home. K-12 schools, health care workers, and people living in congregate settings have different guidance, so these general guidelines don’t apply to those situations. See next section for more info on isolation and quarantine.

Remember, a negative COVID-19 test is just a snapshot of your COVID-19 status at one moment in time. It is possible to have a negative COVID-19 test one day, and then have a positive result a few days later. If you have a negative test and you have symptoms or you’ve been exposed, continue to stay at home for a full five days.

Our local hospital, PeaceHealth St. Joseph, asks that you do NOT go to the ER seeking a COVID-19 test. They need to keep their capacity for serious and life-threatening emergencies.

For more info on testing, visit: whatcomcounty.us/covidtesting

Isolation and Quarantine

The CDC’s general guidance for isolation and quarantine periods has recently changed. Check out our quick reference summary of the new guidelines.

Remember that isolation is for people who have tested positive for COVID-19 or have COVID-19 symptoms. Quarantine is for people who have been exposed to the virus.
The new guidelines apply to the general population and most workplaces. Isolation and quarantine guidelines for certain workplaces and congregate settings have not changed for the time being.
The Washington State Department of Health recently released new guidance for K-12 schools. Please have patience with schools as they transition to these new guidelines. They are doing their best in very challenging and rapidly changing circumstances.

Vaccination

There are a lot of reports about Omicron’s so-called “mild” infections and how it’s infecting vaccinated people. This is leading some people to question the usefulness of vaccines.

First, let’s talk about the perception that Omicron infections are mild. Early data do suggest that a lower percentage of Omicron infections result in severe cases of COVID-19 (severe is defined as needing supplemental oxygen in a hospital). However, the huge number of cases means that the number of hospitalizations is also rising. The Omicron variant is causing a massive strain on our local health care system, and our local hospital is caring for record numbers of patients with COVID-19. Cases are expected to continue rising for several weeks, and hospitalizations probably will, too.

Next, let’s talk about whether the vaccines are still effective against Omicron. The answer is yes. Although breakthrough cases are possible, the COVID-19 vaccines continue to be highly effective at their main job: keeping people from being seriously ill with COVID-19. The vast majority of people being hospitalized because of COVID-19 are unvaccinated.

Although 75% of eligible Whatcom residents have gotten at least one dose of vaccine (thank you!), there are still 51,000 residents who aren’t yet vaccinated. Please, go and get vaccinated. And if you’re eligible for a booster shot, get boosted. Booster shots give you the greatest amount of protection against Omicron infections, but even getting the first two doses of Moderna or Pfizer can reduce severe COVID-19 and hospitalization by over 80 percent.

To find a vaccine provider near you, visit VaccineLocator.doh.wa.gov. For more information about vaccines: whatcomcounty.us/covidvaccine

Mask Use

We’re seeing a dramatic rise in cases, and from what we know so far, it appears that the new Omicron variant is much more transmissible than previous strains. We recommend that you use the best mask you can to protect yourself and those around you from COVID-19.

KN95s, KF-94s, or 3-ply surgical masks offer better protection than a cloth mask.
If your mask has gaps and doesn’t fit snugly against your face, you can tie a knot in the ear loops where they touch your face or you can double mask to improve the fit.

When to Seek Emergency Medical Attention

COVID-19 cases in Whatcom County are the highest they’ve ever been. Unfortunately, you might end up being infected even though you’ve taken precautions. If you have COVID-19, know when you should seek emergency medical attention. If you have any of the following symptoms, call 911 or head to your local emergency medical facility immediately:

Trouble breathing
Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
Confusion
Blue or gray-colored skin on lips and/or face.

*This list is not all possible symptoms. Please call your medical provider for any other symptoms that are severe or concerning to you.

Reminder: do NOT go to the emergency room with mild symptoms or to ask for a COVID-19 test. Our local hospital is caring for a record number of patients with COVID-19, and asks everyone to only go to the ER with serious or life-threatening emergencies.

Return to Work

You do not need a negative test to return to work unless specified by your employer. Follow the new isolation and quarantine guidelines to know when you can return to work.

The new isolation and quarantine guidelines DO NOT apply to the following work places and settings:

Commercial maritime settings such as commercial seafood and cargo ships
Crowded work sites where physical distancing is not possible due to the nature of the work, such as in warehouses, factories, and food packaging and meat processing facilities
Correctional facilities
Health care settings
Homeless shelters and transitional housing
Temporary worker housing
Schools and childcare
Institutions of higher education

For the most recent isolation and quarantine guidance for health care workers, please review the CDC’s updated interim guidance for managing health care personnel with COVID-19 infection or exposure.

If you work in any of the settings listed above (with the exception of health care), please follow the isolation guidelines below:

Symptomatic workers must remain in isolation until:
It’s been at least 24 hours with no fever without using fever-reducing medication.
Their symptoms have improved.
It’s been at least 10 days since their symptoms started.
Asymptomatic workers must remain in isolation until:
It’s been at least 10 days from the date of their first positive COVID-19 test.
They have had no further symptoms.

*You do not need a negative test to return to work unless specified by your employer.

Bellingham Author and Illustrator Phoebe Wahl Makes Magic in the Back Yard

By

Margaret Bikman

-

Phoebe Wahl wanted to be an artist for as long as she can remember. Her unique childhood, growing up in Bellingham’s South Hill neighborhood, fostered that creativity.

“My childhood had a huge impact on my artistic pursuits,” she says. “I was unschooled for most of my childhood, which is a radical form of unstructured, child-guided homeschooling, and so I got to really throw myself into developing my skills and interests from a young age in a way I think many kids aren’t able to.” Phoebe spent innumerable hours in her back yard, growing her mind’s eye.

She says she feels lucky to have had basically unlimited time to be in her imagination, writing and playing and making art. “I think it prepared me perfectly for my career and lifestyle as it exists today,” Phoebe says, “since in addition to allowing me to hone my artistic skills, it gave me a lot of time management practice, as well.”

In high school, she realized being an illustrator was a “thing” and decided to pursue it specifically.

“Sonya’s Chickens,” Phoebe Wahl’s first book, won the Ezra Jack Keats Award in 2016. Photo courtesy Phoebe Wahl & Co.

Phoebe’s first children’s book, “Sonya’s Chickens,” was the recipient of the Ezra Jack Keats Book Award for New Illustrator in 2016; a recent book, “The Blue House,” was named one of the Best Books of 2020 by Publisher’s Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, and NPR.

Phoebe knew that if she wanted to go to college, it would be art school, since art felt like her most consistent focus and passion growing up. And because of her educational background of being unschooled, art schools rather than traditional colleges and universities seemed a stronger fit.

By the time she went to the college of her choice, the Rhode Island School of Design, Phoebe knew she wanted to major in illustration; children’s books had become her main focus.

Phoebe started selling prints of her art—which has home, family, community, and nature at its heart—while still in college. After graduating in 2013, Phoebe moved to Portland, Oregon, and also started creating and selling stationery, apparel, and accessories. She returned to Bellingham in the fall of 2014.

Phoebe Wahl’s latest book, “The Blue House,” was named one of the Best Books of 2020 by Publisher’s Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, and NPR. Photo courtesy Phoebe Wahl & Co.

Along the way, Phoebe gained an interest in surface design, which is any type of artwork—pattern, illustration, hand lettering, and so on—intended to be applied to a surface to enhance its visual appearance and/or functionality, and started freelancing for Taproot magazine. The magazine made a few products that featured her work to sell in its store, introduced Phoebe’s work to an audience happy to buy it. “It’s really just grown from there,” she says.

Now, as a surface designer, author, and illustrator, Phoebe also creates ceramics and textiles. “I like that being an illustrator can really manifest as anything,” she says.

Phoebe opened a brick-and-mortar store in 2019. “Once my online shop got big enough that I needed to move it out of my house, I started thinking about how fun it would be to have a little showroom of sorts for my products.”

The first shop opened on State Street in June 2019, and her current store, at 112 Grand Avenue, opened in July 2021. Alongside her own creations, Phoebe features works of other artists and brands who feel complementary to “her world.”

“Once my online shop got big enough that I needed to move it out of my house, I started thinking about how fun it would be to have a little showroom of sorts for my products,” says Phoebe Wahl. *Photo courtesy Phoebe Wahl & Co.*

“I work with Carly James, who owns Bison Bookbinding & Letterpress, which printed my work for years,” says Phoebe. “She joined me in my business a little over a year ago and we physically merged storefronts. It has been amazing to not be doing everything by myself anymore, I really love having a partner to ping ideas off of and collaborate with.”

Writers and artists who impacted Phoebe when she was young include Tove Jansson, Louisa May Alcott, J. R. R. Tolkien, Astrid Lindgren, Barbara Cooney, Alice & Martin Provensen, Françoise Seignobosc, Edward Gorey, and Edmund and Ingri d’Aulaire.

“Two of the artists who really started to awaken me to the world of contemporary illustration when I was in my teens were Rob Ryan and Carson Ellis.”

The literary world of writing and illustrating can be competitive, but Phoebe says she has a more internal relationship with ambition and competition.

“Generally, I don’t feel strongly pulled to be ‘known’ or ‘successful’ just for the sake of it, and I think that’s increasingly true as I get older,” Phoebe says. “That being said, I’m sure I have my moments of feeling jealous or petty or sad if I don’t get an award or something. But usually, when I feel competitive, it is much more about me wanting more from my own work, and my relationship with it, and comparing myself to others who might inspire me to push me beyond my artistic comfort zones, which ultimately I think is a good thing, even if it isn’t always comfortable.”

Phoebe holds her latest book, “Little Witch Hazel,” which was published in September 2021. Photo credit: Hannah Wong

Phoebe admits that she’s “astounded” by her success.

“I definitely didn’t expect it. I have a raging case of imposter syndrome, and often feel very superstitious about getting my expectations too high about things, and those things combined often make it so that I’m very surprised most of the time when success occurs.”

Phoebe has done a fair amount of book talks, and says she loves hearing from kids who either relate to or are affected in some way by her books. “I especially love it when they share their own creative ideas and hear how my work might have inspired them.

“I also really love hearing from adults who feel seen by the people or imagery in my work,” she says. “It is amazing how powerful it can be to see your body or identity reflected in art and it never ceases to amaze and touch me to hear from folks the impact my work has had.”

At the time of this interview, Wahl is eight months pregnant. “I’m nervous and curious to see what taking maternity leave as a self-employed artist will look like,” she says. “I hope I have boundaries strong enough to truly take as much time off as I need.”

She has several surface design projects to finish up and hand off to her retail business partner, Carly, who will make them into products in the new year—calendars, stationery, home goods, and such.

Also on the horizon is “Tulip,” the short film adaptation of Thumbelina Wahl co-created with stop-motion animator Andrea Love. It recently finished its festival run and will be available for view-on-demand in 2022.

Phoebe is also—no surprise—working on future book projects.

“I just finished editing the manuscript for my first long-form book project,” she says of an illustrated young-adult novel based on her diaries from high school. “I basically transcribed my journals from when I was 15 and 16, and then edited, added to, and fictionalized them into a story.” It’s set to come out in 2023 with Little, Brown & Company.

“I also am going to be illustrating and co-writing a part fiction, part nonfiction children’s book with Chronicle Books set to come out in 2024—but that hasn’t been announced yet, so I won’t say more,” Phoebe says. “It’s going to be a busy next few years!”

Learn more and keep up with Phoebe at www.phoebewahl.com.

Featured photo by Hannah Wong

A Look Back to the 1915 Bellingham Performance by Russian Ballerina Anna Pavlova

By

Jennifer Crooks

-

Anna-Pavlova-in-Paquita feature 2 — Anna Pavlova dancing in the ballet “Paquita” in 1914. Photo from Wikimedia Commons

On the evening of June 16, 1915, the audience quieted as the lights darkened in the crowded Bellingham theater. A troupe of dancers entered the stage, but peoples’ eyes would have focused on the lead dancer. Her name was Anna Pavlova, one of the most famous ballerinas of the early 20^th century.

Born in Saint Petersburg, Russia, on February 12, 1881, Anna Pavlova was the illegitimate daughter of a laundress and grew up in poverty. Inspired to become a ballerina after seeing a production of “Sleeping Beauty,” Pavlova dedicated herself to dance, overcame ill health, and was accepted at the age of 10 to the Imperial Theatre School. Although older than her classmates, Pavlova was determined and dedicated and was made première danseuse at age 16.

Pavlova became part of a new style of experimental ballet, promoted by choreographer Michel Fokine. In 1905 she first performed his solo, “The Dying Swan” for which she became best known. She joined the Ballets Russes briefly, a prominent company of Russian ballet dancers in Paris. Ever independent, Pavola moved to London and began a series of world tours, eventually logging over 350,000 miles. She visited the United States many times.

Anna Pavlova in her most famous role, The Dying Swan. Photo from Wikimedia Commons

Pavlova first performed in Seattle in 1910. Terry McKean was among the 6,000 people to see and be delighted by her performance. A few years later, McKean (who had by then become manager of Bellingham’s Metropolitan Theater) heard the ballerina was set to return to the Pacific Northwest. He jumped at a chance to have Pavlova perform at his theater.

Built in 1902, the Metropolitan was better known as the Beck Theater, after its developer Jacob Beck. Located at 1310 Dock Street (now Cornwall Avenue), the theater sat 2,200 people and was lavishly designed in Louis XIV style with a red and white interior. However, by 1913, the theater was struggling and mostly hosted vaudeville acts. Having Pavlova’s group come must have been a dream come true for manager McKean.

The local newspapers eagerly anticipated having a leading dancer visit their town. Her name was transliterated into English as “Pavlowa” at the time. “…it can be set down as an absolute fact,” the Bellingham Herald proclaimed two days before her show, “that Pavlowa is the greatest dancer that ever twinkled a toe in this country. She is the embodiment of grace and is as ethereal as is possible for flesh and blood to be.”

This 1910s postcard depicts the front of Beck Theater as it appeared then. Photo courtesy HistoryLink.org

While some complained about high ticket prices (which the newspapers did not list), McKean assured them that prices at his theater were lower than elsewhere. After all, it had cost him a whopping $6 for two seats in the balcony during the 1910 Seattle show!

Pavlova’s program in Bellingham was divided into separate acts. The first part was the one-act comedy “Die Puppenfee” (“The Fairy Doll”), which told the story of a group of dolls that come alive at a toy shop, using a “futurist” set. The second part was entitled “The Dances of Today,” which was described as “showing Mlle. Pavlowa’s ultra-modern ideas of the possible development of ballroom dances.”

During the classical and ballroom dances, Pavlova danced with Alexandre Volinine, a fellow Russian who was her dancing partner from 1914 to 1925. Her group’s dances included Rubenstein’s “La Nuit,” “The Pavlowa Gavotte,” Dvorak’s “Pierrot,” and “The Greek Dance” by Brahams, “Valse Triste,” and “Dance Greeque.” The third part was the “Walpurgisnacht Ballet” from the opera “Faust.” Conducting Pavlova’s orechestra was Theodore Stier, director of the Beckstein Hall Symphony of London.

This advertisement for Pavlova’s show appeared in the June 14, 1915 issue of the Bellingham Herald. Photo from Washington State Library

Bellingham critics lavished her performance with praise. “Unless you have seen Pavlowa you have never seen real interpretative dancing,” wrote the Bellingham Herald. “No one should ever be mentioned in the same breath with this fairy-like Russian artiste when discussing dancing, for she is so far superior to all the rest that she stands alone.” Their only complaint was the lag between dances, which they argued spoke well of the dancers. They did not want to see them stop!

Later that year the theater was remodeled, removing the balcony and adding a projection booth. Renamed the American Theater, it primarily showed movies. In 1917, Bellingham residents returned to the theater to see Pavlova again when she starred in the film “The Dumb Girl of Portici.” Based on an opera set during the 1647 revolt of Naples from Spanish rule, tickets sold for twenty-five cents. The film’s large cast included a former Bellingham resident (the daughter of a prominent attorney) who went by the stage name of Olive Adair.

Anna Pavlova dancing in the ballet “Paquita” in 1914. Photo from Wikimedia Commons

Pavlova continued her world tours, returning to Seattle to perform in 1916, 1921, and 1925. The ballerina died in 1931 after performing her signature “Dying Swan” while sick with pneumonia. She was 51. Although the Soviet Union wanted her remains returned to her homeland (she had stayed away after the Communist revolution), Pavlova was buried in England, beside her husband and manager Victor Dandré.

Anna Pavlova received many honors during her lifetime. She even inspired the “Pavlova” a meringue-based dessert topped with fruit and whipped cream popular in Australia and New Zealand, especially at Christmas. Pavlova’s performances encouraged countless dancers, and ballet continues to be an important art around the world. Bellingham has several ballet studios, including Ballet Bellingham, Dancing For Joy, Evolution Dance Co., FireHouse Arts and Events Center, Opus Performing Arts School, Northwest Ballet Theater and Academy, The Dance Studio, and Unique Technique Dance Studio.

PeaceHealth Urges Judicious Use of Emergency Care

By

LocalTalk Contributor

-

PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center — Photo courtesy: PeaceHealth St. Joseph

Submitted by PeaceHealth

With local and regional emergency department capacity stretched by extremely high patient volumes, PeaceHealth is asking people with non-emergency healthcare needs to seek care at primary care, same-day and urgent care clinics.

Reducing the volume of patients visiting the ER allows our doctors and nurses to take care of patients with acute medical issues as quickly as possible, 24/7.

People should visit the emergency department for serious and life-threatening medical emergencies. Some representative examples are fractures, serious lacerations, severe bleeding, head or eye injuries, sudden blurry vision, dizziness, weakness or loss of coordination or balance, chest pain, difficulty breathing, moderate to severe burns or loss of consciousness.

However, many non-life-threatening or minor medical issues—such as mild burns or cuts, allergies, sprains, urinary tract infections or flu and cold symptoms—can be taken care of by visiting your primary care provider, an urgent care clinic or a same-day clinic.

If you are questioning what type of care to seek, try first consulting with your primary care provider.

PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center’s Emergency Department has seen record-breaking patient volumes in recent months, due in part to COVID-19 cases but also because so many people delayed needed care early in the pandemic. Injuries related to the recent snow and ice, as well as a sharp rise in COVID-19 cases across the region due to the new omicron variant, have contributed to an uptick in the new year.

PeaceHealth also urges anyone who is eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, including the booster shot, and to continue safe practices to prevent the spread of infection. Those include masking indoors and in crowds outdoors, maintaining physical distance from others and washing your hands frequently.

Heritage Bank Helps Protect Your Business Against Fraud

By

Kathryn Millhorn

-

H-Bank-fraud-computer-use — It's estimated that US businesses lose 5% of their revenue to fraud. Heritage Bank can help you fight that loss. Photo courtesy Heritage Bank NW

Even the savviest business owners can fall victim to fraud. The Association of Certified Fraud Examiners estimates that, “U.S. businesses will lose an average of 5% of their gross revenues to fraud” with small businesses hit the hardest. But knowledge is power, and Heritage Bank has the resources to inform and protect local businesses of any size.

“Fraud typically starts with spear phishing, social engineering, hacked emails, or a combination of the three,” says Director of Digital Services Sarah Salva. “The victim employee will respond to an email that appears legitimate carrying out payment instructions. Often the email address is spoofed and appears to be from a legitimate source like a CEO, CFO, internal employee, or vendors, but in fact is from the fraudster. They will request a new wire/ACH payment or update an existing payment.”

Don’t get caught in a spear phishing, social engineering or spoofing trap. Keep your online presence strong and vital so your business will thrive. Photo courtesy Heritage Bank NW

And while it’s vital for businesses to have a strong, vibrant online profile, putting too much information out there can lead to vulnerabilities. “We have seen an increase in fraudsters leveraging information found through online searches,” explains Salva. “They will use this information to impersonate an individual and update payment instructions to third parties or payroll.”

Many of these illegal activities use intermediary malware to get in the digital back door. Salva says that sometimes victim employees click on malicious links or download attachments while other times the use of office computers for shopping or accessing social media is the culprit. “Social media and eCommerce are two of the top five industries targeted by phishing attacks,” she cautions.

Hackers are constantly changing and evolving but there are a few consistent red flags. Salva warns to avoid emails:

Received from an individual or business that does not normally correspond that way.
Marked secret or confidential.
With a sense of urgency to make an immediate payment.

Employees and managers should be on the lookout for requests coming from slightly different variations in the email address, a scam called spoofing, or misspellings of key items like the company name. Even errors in grammar, typos, and the use of unusual words and phrases can be a red flag.

Though online fraud is ever-changing, there are red flags you can look out for and Heritage Bank’s Heritage Direct business program is a valuable ally. Photo courtesy Heritage Bank NW

Changes in tone or breaks from the norm are also problematic. If a supposed client or customer suddenly:

Makes persistent requests for payment instructions and/or changes to payments;
Communicates only in email and refuses to communicate via telephone or in person; or
Requests to circumvent standard procedures.

“These are often scammers in disguise,” says Salva.

If you think your business has been targeted, notify your financial institution immediately she says. Perform security scans of your computers and networks, notify your insurance carrier if applicable, and “as soon as possible, file a complaint with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center.”

Heritage Bank business customers have multiple resources available in cases of fraud. “Heritage Direct, our commercial online banking system, offers dual control throughout the platform,” says Salva. “Including user creation, user permissions, internal transfers, ACH origination, wire origination, and fraud mitigation products. There are also various alert notifications that can come from within Heritage Direct that help identify payments and transfers that have been approved. The system allows for added customization on who can receive the alert, how they receive it, and the subject line of the alert.”

They also offer positive pay services to combat check fraud. “Positive pay allows a company to work together with its financial institution to detect check fraud by identifying payments the company never issued or checks that do not exactly match those they did issue. A positive pay file is created containing bank-defined information like check number, date, amount, and payee. This file is configured to meet the bank’s format requirements and is transmitted to the bank using our online banking platform. As checks are received for payment, the bank verifies the information on each check against the positive pay file and pays only those with a perfect match. Checks that don’t match are rejected and an exception report is sent back to the company for pay/no pay decisions.”

But with fraud, the best defense is a good offense. Salva recommends avoiding free web-based email programs, setting company policies for non-work computer use, educating employees of red flags, and establishing alternate communication channels, telephone over email for example, to verify significant transactions or relay sensitive information.

“We have local experts available to help,” adds Salva. “Our treasury experts deliver value by being industry resources who are adept at packaging optimal sets of treasury management solutions that focus on solving real world business needs. Now is a great time to have an expert help you with an operational review and provide recommendations that best fit your business. This review will help you identify opportunities to improve collection of receivables, monitor and manage liquidity, optimize payments, improve data management and reconciliations, and fraud mitigation.”

You can set up an appointment with a Heritage Bank business expert online, through your relationship manager, in a local branch, or by calling 800.455.6126 today.

Sponsored

A World Like No Other: Glimpse Into the Lives of Three Local Circus Artists

By

Kelley White

-

Dream Frohe Hoop — Dream Frohe stretches to an elegant pose in her hoop apparatus, creating an art form based on movement and dance. Photo credit: wittypixel_productions

Dedication, talent, discipline, and a whole lot of heart—in the world of the circus and illusionary showmanship, these pillars of humanity reign supreme.

Three Bellingham Circus Guild instructors—Richard Hartnell, Laura Gwendolyn Burch, and Dream Frohe—talked with WhatcomTalk about their craft and the road they travel as part of a community pulsing with inclusive love and devotion to age-old theatrical brilliance.

Richard Hartnell

Richard Hartnell, co-founder of Bellingham Circus Guild, international performer, and grand student of the renowned multidisciplinary juggler Michael Moschen, first mentions the four historical arts that go back to Roman times: acrobatics, clowning, equestrianism, and object manipulation.

Hartnell is an accomplished performer and instructor of object manipulation, which includes juggling, hoop dancing, fire dancing, yo-yo, Chinese yo-yo, and manipulation involving different types of props. “When you hear circus people say ‘manipulation,’” he says, “they mean all of the prop-based arts.”

Richard Hartnell is a seasoned and talented circus artist focusing on prop manipulation and continuing the legacy of genius multi-disciplinary juggler Michael Moschen. Photo credit: Rae Candent

At the Guild, Hartnell trains new artists on his craft between performing and, in the past, traveling. To him, his talent is a passion and a gift he can share with emerging artists in the field.

When speaking of the legendary Michael Moschen, Hartnell describes the inspiration and discipline behind his own circus practice. “I’m in his lineage as someone who does ball-rolling tricks, but there’s also the aspect of contact juggling that uses something more like stage magic and mind techniques to create illusions that go on top of the juggling tricks.” Hartnell can roll a ball around his chest or neck, but also do tricks that would convince you the ball is levitating or floating, immune to the laws of physics. “It’s sort of half juggling, half magic.”

When instructing his students, Hartnell believes in teaching more than just a single prop skill. “We also dive into other props based on other principles of motion we’re working on,” he says. “It’s a style of communication.” Hartnell knows the impact a talented mentor can have on an emerging artist and is proud of the students he’s brought up. “I’ve had a couple of protégés that have really taken the flag and run with it, and it is reassuring to me that I can teach someone to learn this skill well. If your students aren’t getting better than you, then you’re not doing your job as a teacher.”

Laura Gwendolyn Burch

Bellingham Circus Guild is also home to circus creatives that take their artistry airborne. Award-winning aerial circus artist Laura Gwendolyn Burch is a hardworking talent with 10 years’ experience at an art form that bends both the body and mind.

As an artist, Burch’s strength, dedication to mastering her craft, and understanding of the emotional process in creating sets her apart from other aerialists. “It’s definitely been square peg round hole,” Burch says with a laugh. “It takes me a long time to pick up skills, and as an artist you spend so much time working on something. You go through such an evolution of emotion, and then you finally come out on the other side of that, and it feels really good.”

Putting in the work to be successful and lifting others up in the circus community seems to be a pillar of Burch’s personality. “I love coaching,” she says. “I taught yoga for 10 years, and then I transferred into teaching circus as well. I am a performer first, but I do very much consider myself an instructor.”

Laura Gwendolyn Burch takes a pause with style while her silk and costumes dry in the breeze after laundering. Photo credit: Kirk Marsh

When describing the circus community, a deep affection for her fellow artists shines through in every word. “Personalities in the circus are so diverse and everybody is a character in their own way,” Burch says fondly. “It’s harmonious and it’s not always perfect, but for the most part it’s this group of wildly different, insanely talented, incredibly driven humans who create beautiful pieces for the community while also existing as our own community.” Burch feels at home within the Bellingham circus world and puts an emphasis on the sheer amount of talent she sees locally.

Dream Frohe

For more than a decade, aerialist and Bellingham Circus Guild founding member Dream Frohe has devoted herself to instructing and performing aerial dancing with an emphasis on the intricacies in dynamic and artistic movement.

“I think of aerial as anything using an apparatus that isn’t touching the ground, so anything that is hung from some kind of structure,” says Frohe. “I think of it as one of the many disciplines—and there is a lot of movement and dance in circus—but I think aerial is maybe one of the things that adds spectacle and danger with art.”

With a background in gymnastics and passion for dance, Frohe’s chosen art form in aerial circus art makes perfect sense. “What appeals to me most is the way it combines dance and expressive movement with physicality and what you have to be able to do in aerial,” she says. “It is similar, in that way, to gymnastics and there is a lot of freedom of expression in it.”

When instructing, Frohe cherishes the moments she can make a difference for those just starting out in the art of aerial. “I love working with beginners,” Frohe says. “It’s one of my favorite things to take people who have never done something and, in one lesson, help them accomplish a skill they didn’t necessarily know was possible.”

Dream Frohe stretches to an elegant pose in her hoop apparatus, creating an art form based on movement and dance. Photo credit: wittypixel_productions

Frohe emphasizes that the Guild is a welcome place for new artists to hone their skills and train in their disciplines. “The circus space is first and foremost a training facility where people work on their art,” she says. “We want the art to be the priority and in order to expand our teaching program we would need more square footage to keep the training space as wonderful as it has been. People are drawn here because there is space to really dive into your art.”

The circus world is filled with mystery and illusion, remaining a beloved institution in the arts worldwide. Bellingham Circus Guild continues an ancient tradition with finesse, welcoming members to push their limitations and create from the heart. Richard Hartnell, Laura Gwendolyn Burch, and Dream Frohe represent a wealth of talent and knowledge for the emerging circus artists of Bellingham and local communities.

New and Re-elected City Council Members Sworn In

By

LocalTalk Contributor

-

Submitted by the City of Bellingham

The Bellingham City Council made City history on Monday, January 3, 2022 as the first black representatives ever elected to serve on the Bellingham City Council participated in their first Council meetings and were ceremonially sworn in.

The ceremonial swearing in by Municipal Court Judge Debra Lev honored all four Council members re-elected and newly elected to their positions:

Hollie Huthman, former At-Large representative, newly elected to represent the 2^nd Ward
Edwin H. “Skip” Williams, newly elected City Council member representing the 4^th Ward
Michael Lilliquist, re-elected City Council member representing the 6^th Ward
Kristina Michele Martens, newly elected City Council member serving as the At-Large representative

Official documents allowing these Council members to take their positions and participate in meetings beginning January 1, 2022, were filed prior to the first of the year. The swearing in ceremony and the Council’s reorganization meeting can be viewed on the City website at meetings.cob.org.

Kristina Michele Martens and Edwin H. “Skip” Williams are the first black representatives to serve on the City Council in Bellingham’s history. During his remarks upon being sworn in, Williams said he considers serving the community as a City Council member a great privilege.

“I have lived here for 30 years, and I see this journey that I am about to partake in as one of the most challenging that I will have ever had,” Williams said. “I feel like this is the greatest privilege that I could ever have achieved, serving the community members of our city. I am very much looking forward to working with all of my colleagues on this council.”

In her remarks, Martens said she is committed to bridging gaps and building community together.

“I would be remiss to not take this moment personally to celebrate myself and Edwin Skip Williams at being the first two Black/African American Council members in the history of Bellingham,” Martens said. “While that has been quite the door and ceiling to get through, I’m just honored that I was one of the people in the position when the time was right to have the support of the community. I am going to do my absolute best, listen to what the constituents need and want and take direction and advice from all of you who have been doing this for so much longer. I am hoping to be able to bridge some gaps and build community together. I thank you for this honor and for giving me the chance.”

At the City Council’s reorganization meeting, the Council discussed the year ahead and made committee assignments, including selecting 1^st Ward City Council representative Hannah Stone to serve as Council President in 2022, for a second consecutive year. Michael Lilliquist, 6^th Ward City Council representative, was selected as Council President Pro Tem and Lisa Anderson, 5^th Ward City Council representative, was selected as Mayor Pro Tem.

More information about the City Council available on the City website at cob.org/council.

Lynden Senior Jordan Medcalf Hopes To Help Bring Boys State Basketball Title Back to Whatcom County

By

Tony Moceri

-

Jordan Medcalf — Photo credit: Dennis Cairns

Sometimes in life, you come across things that simply speak to you. They separate from the rest of the noise and draw you in. For some reason, you connect with it more than anything else. For Jordan Medcalf, that thing is basketball. He’s been playing since the age of four, and it’s the pace of the game that he just can’t get enough of. “This sport takes a lot of speed and awareness and on-the-fly abilities,” he says. “You have to react instantly and have fast reflexes.”

Jordan sees those elements of the game as his strengths when on the court—and what make the game so much fun to play. While he’s happy to do anything necessary in the game to help his team win, his favorite piece is attacking the hoop and finishing at the rim. A 6’3” senior guard at Lynden High School, Jordan has played on varsity since his sophomore year.

Getting to play for Lynden was a dream come true and an execution of something he’d envisioned since he was a little kid. Growing up in Lynden, Jordan couldn’t wait to be a Lynden Lion. He watched the way the team played and wanted to be a part of it. Head coach Brian Roper had the team playing a brand of basketball that involved playing hard but clean. Putting forth that effort on the court is what Jordan likes. He and his teammates execute this aggressive style while still being conscious to limit fouling.

Lynden High School senior Jordan Medcalf likes to attack the hoop and finish at the rim. Photo credit: Dennis K. Cairns

Alongside his three other senior teammates—Dawson Adams, Kaleo Jandoc, and Max Moore—Jordan hopes that this style of play carries them to a state title. The group of seniors were childhood friends and played basketball with or against each other on AAU teams. This time on the court together means they understand how each other plays, and that bond has carried to the rest of the team.

“We actually do a lot of team bonding, team dinners and stuff,” Jordan says. “It really helps with the chemistry of our team.” These dinners and other time off the court together—with and without the coaching staff—strengthen the bond formed at practice and games.

Jordan has played basketball since the age of four and also plays golf, where he was named state 2A golf champion in 2019, his freshman year. Photo credit: Randy Small Photography

Jordan and his senior teammates have had a taste of the state tournament, reaching third place, and are focused on getting back there and doing everything they can to bring a title back to Lynden. To do so, he understands the team needs to be peaking at the right time. “We are all right, right now,” he says, “but hopefully, by March, we will be even better.”

Playing for Lynden High School is where Jordan always wanted to be, and while he’s firmly focused on the season, he’s also looking toward the future. He hopes to prove on the court that he has what it takes to play in college. He currently has the option to play for Bellevue Community College, but hopes to stay in Whatcom County and play for head coach Tony Dominguez at Western Washington University. He has had some e-mail communication with WWU, and coach Roper and coach Dominguez have spoken, but nothing is certain at this point. With nothing firmed up, Jordan knows that performing on the court and getting good grades will give him the best opportunity to play at WWU.

“I love basketball,” says Jordan. “Basketball is my sport.” Photo credit: Dennis K. Cairns

A two-sport athlete, Jordan also plays on Lynden’s golf team. While he’s seen success in golf and plans to keep playing for fun after high school, he currently has no plans to play competitively beyond his senior season. He wants to be fully focused on the sport he has always been drawn to. “I love basketball,” says Jordan. “Basketball is my sport.”

While basketball is obviously important to him, he also looks toward his future beyond sports. In college, Jordan hopes to study architectural engineering. He’s intrigued by the idea of learning how buildings go together and loves the idea of being the person to design them.

Lynden’s regular season runs until Friday, February 4th, when they play away against Burlington-Edison High School; post-season play will follow thereafter. In-person attendance for the general public is allowed at high school basketball events, so you can watch Jordan and his teammates in action around Whatcom and Skagit Counties. A full schedule and the team’s results can be found at https://lyndenathletics.com/teams/3188412/boys/basketball/varsity/schedule.

Featured photo by Dennis K. Cairns

Gary’s Plumbing & Heating Enjoys Award-Winning Year While Working Through Tough Times

By

Steven Arbuckle

-

The Gary’s truck has become a familiar sight in Whatcom County, and customers have voted them the best in the business. Photo courtesy Gary’s Plumbing & Heating

After this summer’s record high temperatures and the recent flooding that put us on the national news, what better way to end the year than a week of temperatures that stay below freezing? As part-owner of Gary’s Plumbing and Heating, Mary Gibb has seen firsthand how all this weather can keep a local business on its toes. She has also seen how it can keep an entire community on its best behavior.

While flood waters caused havoc from Skagit up through Bellingham, the communities close to the Canadian border were hit especially hard, and Gibb knew she had to help. “I was volunteering at the resource center up at the Lynden Fairgrounds, where Samaritan’s Purse and the Red Cross were operating,” she says. “Folks had been going up there to drop things off, and to guide people to pick up their well-needed items.”

In the wake of a series of holidays devoted to sharing meals, it’s a good idea to check on the systems that helped us through all that cooking. Photo courtesy Gary’s Plumbing & Heating

One group in particular caught Gibbs’ eye and left a strong enough impression that she now urges community members to support them. “Whatcom Strong rose up very organically,” she says. “There was some need, so community members and all of these organizations banded together. That was just wonderful to see.”

And while Mary, her family, and the Gary’s team had their hands full helping both customers and communities, the people of Whatcom County were also thinking of them. This year, Gary’s Plumbing and Heating claimed the Gold prize in Bellingham Alive’s Best of the Northwest 2021 poll. “In the past, I’ve always said to everybody ‘Don’t forget to vote,’ but this year I just got busy with other things. So when we won gold—what an awesome surprise!” she says. “But in a way I’m not surprised, because I’m really proud of our team, and we’ve really done a lot to expand our training.”

When it comes to doing the best work possible, Gibbs points out that everyone can benefit from education, and that she keeps Gary’s plugged in to the state of the industry on a national level. “We send our techs and our office folks down to Georgia for a lot of training in best practices, and things like that,” she says. “We also go to two trades conferences a year. When you’re interacting with other people in the field, some of the awesome things that people are doing are pretty inspiring.”

There’s nothing like extreme temperatures to remind us of the importance of keeping our hardware in working order. Photo courtesy Gary’s Plumbing & Heating

And Gibbs has found that, when a business invests in their workers, that inspiration can be passed on. “A granddad was chatting with his young grandson about the trades, and how they could be an option for his future. They were at a gas station, and happened to see a Gary’s tech, so they asked him what he thought about it,” she says. “He told them how much he enjoyed his career, and how he loved working at Gary’s. So, the granddad wrote us a sweet note, saying it’s a great thing when somebody is that enthusiastic about the company they work for, and about their career. He didn’t have to rave about it, but he did, and he said that was very encouraging to his grandson.”

There are also hints that Gary’s will be ramping up their training in the near future. “We’re working towards creating a training center, and we’re also aligning our team to coach young apprentices. I’m always encouraging folks looking for what they want in life, what they would like to do. I mean, if you have some mechanical skills and you have good interpersonal skills, we can definitely help people partner those together,” says Gibbs, who says she’d love to hear from people looking for a career.

The Gary’s truck has become a familiar sight in Whatcom County, and customers have voted them the best in the business. Photo courtesy Gary’s Plumbing & Heating

Of course, no conversation with a plumbing and heating expert would be complete without a few friendly hints. “Think clean and clear,” says Gibbs, by cleaning or replacing filters, and clearing space around any heating units.

And this year’s persistent cold temperatures have given a new sense of urgency to an old set of tips, like unhooking outside hoses. “If you missed this during fall clean-up,” she says, “now’s the time!”

In basements and crawlspaces, you might consider insulating pipes to prevent freezing. And while you’re indoors, “be kind to your drains and disposal—don’t pour oil, grease, bones, etc. down the sink. Use the trash can instead.”

One more timeless piece of advice from Mary: “Remember to call Gary’s if you need assistance any time. I’d also like to say that the Gibb family and the Gary’s team would like to wish everybody happy holidays and a happy new year.”

Sponsored

Judi Gauthier

Leah Meleski

Symptoms

Covid-19 Testing

Isolation and Quarantine

Vaccination

Mask Use

When to Seek Emergency Medical Attention

Return to Work

Richard Hartnell

Laura Gwendolyn Burch

Dream Frohe

STAY CONNECTED

Business

Trending Now

Editor Picks