10 Things To Do While Visiting Bellingham, Ferndale & Lynden

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By Stacee Sledge

Whether you’ve long lived here or are visiting from somewhere else, Whatcom County offers plenty to keep you entertained, engaged, relaxed, and inspired.

Maybe your college roommate is coming to visit from the Midwest. Or your in-laws are in town for two weeks. Maybe you’re moving on and want to make sure you’ve experienced all Whatcom County has to offer one last time before you land in your new home.

Whatever the reason, WhatcomTalk has you covered for the top ten things to do in Whatcom County. (Disagree with our admittedly subjective list? Please share your own top ten lists with us via email at submit@whatcomtalk.com. We’d love to read them!)

Looking for even more things to do? Check in regularly with WhatcomTalk’s events calendar for a current list of what’s happening around Bellingham and all of Whatcom County.

Hit the Bellingham Farmers Market for a true taste of Bellingham. The popular weekly market, which runs every Saturday from April through December, has become a downtown magnet over the years, showcasing an array of fabulous produce, delicious bites, and locally crafted products from over 145 vendors.
Meander your way down cliff-hugging Chuckanut Drive (officially Washington State Route 11) and back for one of the most breathtaking stretches of scenery-drenched highways to be had. Stop at one of the pullouts and take in the stunning island views.
Have a little one who’s hit the obsessed-with-Laura Ingalls phase? I sure do. Two of our favorite recent forays outside Bellingham city limits included stops at the Lynden Pioneer Museum and Ferndale’s Pioneer Park. Both offer time machines back to the days of horse-drawn wagons and make a fitting family outing. Looking for a more contemporary cultural experience? Lynden’s Jansen Art Center offers exhibits, workshops, classes, and live performances.
Mmmmm, beer. Bellingham continues its maltilicious morph into Brewingham, with more spectacular craft brew spots opening every year. Create your own pub crawl and try several of our area’s unbelievable beers. The Bellingham Tap Trail can get you all set to sip.
Explore the Sehome Arboretum atop Sehome Hill and adjacent to Western Washington University, where you can walk or run over five miles of twisting trails under coniferous and deciduous trees. Sit and contemplate at the Quiet Rocks area, found just below the 80-foot-tall watch tower, before climbing up to behold beautiful views of Bellingham and the bay. Fancy yourself a bit of a bird nerd? Check out Western’s field guide for birders, and see how many you can spot.
The charming Fairhaven district, on Bellingham’s south side, is perfect for a day of wandering in and out of shops, restaurants, and bars—just make sure you leave some time to relax in the Village Green. Once you’ve rested, head to Boulevard Park via the South Bay Trail, which takes you to Taylor Dock and the boardwalk, for one of Bellingham’s most iconic strolls.
Attend a performance at the historic Mount Baker Theatre—there’s always something fantastic on the calendar.
Western Washington University boasts a beautiful campus, but did you also know its home to a nationally famous public art collection that is displayed throughout? The Outdoor Sculpture Collection spans the campus, featuring works from major international, national and regional artists. While you’re on campus, pop into the Western Gallery and peruse its visual art collection, which includes 19th and 20th century prints and drawings among other various media by Northwest artists. Admission is free.
Explore Tennant Lake and Hovander Homestead Park near Ferndale. Tennant Lake is on a 624-acre site that includes the shallow lake surrounded by wetlands, fields, and forest, with a 50-foot viewing tower overlooking it all and an elevated boardwalk that wends through the swamp and marsh habitat. The half-mile Hovander Homestead Trail takes visitors to Hovander Homestead Park, which harkens back to the days of pioneer farming. Summer visitors can tour the Hovander House and see barn and farmyard animals.
Have you spent time in downtown Bellingham lately? It’s absolutely blooming with vibrant shops, restaurants, and events. This Downtown Bellingham Partnership list is a great place to start when looking for things to do and places to visit. Popular annual events draw crowds downtown for Art Walk, Wine Walk, Downtown Sounds, Bite of Bellingham, and more. Take a tour with the Bureau of Historical Investigation, visit Whatcom Museum, or see a movie at Pickford Film Center.

This list could never be all-encompassing—Whatcom County is chock full of amazing businesses, events, and activities to keep us all endlessly entertained and inspired. Consider this list a jumping-off point—and let us know some of your favorite things to do right here in our very own remarkable back yard.

“Unbreakable Girls” Debuts June 5 at Honey Salon

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WhatcomTalk Editor

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Submitted by Honey Salon

"Unbreakable Girls," a new collection of gouache paintings, embroideries and quilts by Jennifer Dranttel that showcase the overlooked stories of brave and fearless women of myth and history. — “Unbreakable Girls,” a new collection of gouache paintings, embroideries and quilts by Jennifer Dranttel that showcase the overlooked stories of brave and fearless women of myth and history.

Honey Salon is proud to present “Unbreakable Girls,” a new collection of gouache paintings, embroideries and quilts by Jennifer Dranttel that showcase the overlooked stories of brave and fearless women of myth and history. Each piece details an individual tale through a modern lens, redefining traits and morals. Bittersweet, “Unbreakable Girls” marks Dranttel’s final Bellingham collection prior to moving to pursue her Master’s in Textiles at Savannah College of Art & Design. “Unbreakable Girls” debuts June 5 during the Downtown Art Walk from 6:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. accompanied by the artist’s mobile trailer craft and art pop-up shop NOMAD, music from PhDJ and delectable summer cocktails and cupcakes.

In Dranttel’s “Unbreakable Girls”, individual stories of women of myth and lore have been reinterpreted and newly rendered as icons to inspire and push past what society has been told women can achieve. Early studies of biology and genetics about women and their nature were quick to distinguish innate “feminine” traits of sentimentality, emotion, empathy, and nurturance. In her final Bellingham collection, the artist pays homage to those women of lore who refused to accept their lot as ‘the weaker sex.’ Dranttel’s interpretations of Atalanta’s footrace, the Tru’ng sisters’ female-led rebellion, the Three Fates’ and many more mixed media interpretations remind us that girls are bold, brash, and unbreakable.

Jennifer Dranttel has been showing artwork professionally for over thirteen years, and in Bellingham since moving north from the San Francisco Bay Area in 2008. She was a founding member of Oakland’s Living Room Collective, and her first solo art show was favorably reviewed in the San Francisco Chronicle. She has Bachelor’s degrees in architecture and graphic design, both of which influence her clean lines and minimalist style. Last year she and her husband (and four-year-old son Sam Edison, by proxy) launched Nomad, a mobile pop-up shop housed in a restored 1959 Mercury travel trailer. Nomad sells a well-curated collection of handmade goods from artisans all over the country, as well as an ever-expanding line of their own original products. Jennifer has been the curator and manager of Smith & Vallee Gallery in Edison since September 2014, and will be moving to Savannah, GA in August to pursue her Master’s degree in Textiles at Savannah College of Art & Design.

For more on the work and life of Jennifer Dranttel go to www.shop-nomad.com, email jd@shop-nomad.com or call 360-383-7596.

For Honey Salon media inquiries please email Shultzie Willows at shultziefay@gmail.com.

XFINITY Stores Double Race Registration Donations for Race for the Cure

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WhatcomTalk Editor

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Submitted by Comcast

run — #ComcastGoesPink for this year’s Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure.

XFINITY stores are offering Race for the Cure donation matches of up to $35 for participants if they sign up in person at participating stores. Through race day, June 7, Comcast will match registration fees and donations up to $35/per applicable, non-duplicated registrant. The Susan G. Komen Puget Sound Race for the Cure starts at Seattle Center and has events for walkers, runners, walkers, breast cancer survivors and the whole family.

The hashtag for the campaign is #ComcastGoesPink. For information about the campaign, visit www.KomenPugetSound.org/ComcastMatch. For more information, please contact Komen Puget Sound at 206-633-0303 or email race@pskomen.org.

Participating Bellingham-area stores include: 400 Sequoia Drive (Bellingham) and 717 Bennett Road (Burlington). Find the participating store nearest you by following the link here: http://customer.comcast.com/service-center-locations.

Comcast Neighborhoods Show Spotlighting Bellingham Airs in June

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Lauren Fritzen

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comcast neighborhoods — Ed Hauge and Sabrina Register of Comcast’s Neighborhoods show filmed in mid-May at various locations throughout Bellingham.

By Lauren Fritzen

I’ve lived in Bellingham for 15 years now, and feel like I have a good handle on our fine city’s many attractions. But seeing it through the lens of Comcast’s film crew as they spent the day here shooting an upcoming segment for their “Comcast Neighborhoods” show really freshened my perspective.

Comcast Neighborhoods airs monthly on Comcast’s On Demand menu, focusing on the neighborhoods and towns of Comcast viewers in western Washington. Ed Hauge, video production manager at Comcast, has been filming the show since its inception. Originally called “My Hometown,” and centered in Pierce County, it evolved into Comcast Neighborhoods in 2009, when host Sabrina Register joined the team. Register, an award-winning veteran TV broadcaster, was a news anchor at KOMO and Northwest Cable News for more than a decade before becoming a freelance broadcaster. She currently reports and produces for various media outlets, including KCTS 9, the PBS channel based in Seattle.

Hauge, who’s been with Comcast for 32 years, handles their video production needs for the state. He sees Comcast Neighborhoods as a way to spotlight neighborhoods and towns in their service area and show what’s unique about each of them. “This is a service we provide to our customers,” he says.

With just one day to film the show, legwork is key. Register begins her research weeks in advance, building connections with local government, organizations and businesses. When choosing what to include in the ten-minute show, she approaches it from the perspective of a visitor wanting to know what they should do while they’re here – what’s special and unique about this place? “I like to give a shout-out to museums. I think they’re wonderful at preserving a town’s history. I also like to focus on locally-owned, community-oriented businesses,” says Register.

I meet up with Hauge and Register at the Downtown Bellingham Partnership, where they interview executive director Nick Hartrich, who speaks about our thriving downtown core. Hauge and Register work together with the ease of experienced professionals, and indeed, this will be the 71st segment of Comcast Neighborhoods. Their relaxed, upbeat vibe quickly puts the show’s guests at ease too, allowing them to share their insights into what makes Bellingham shine.

At the Spark Museum, director of education Anne Bargetz gives us a fascinating tour of all things electrical, complete with a dramatic demonstration of the “MegaZapper” Tesla coil. As we reluctantly pull ourselves away to make our next appointment, I can see that staying on schedule is one of the challenges of filming the show. I vow to return on my own very soon – as Hauge says, “The Spark Museum is a hidden gem.”

Our next stop is Boundary Bay Brewery, where Register interviews operations manager Casey Diggs and Hauge gets some footage of the brewing facility. You won’t find a more community-minded local business, and as a regular, I’m proud to see Boundary Bay get a well-deserved shout-out.

Between destinations, Hauge shoots some “b-roll,” an industry term for additional footage to supplement the interviews. “Bellingham is blessed with million-dollar views,” he says. And he finds some great b-roll material from the rooftop garden of the Lightcatcher Building before Register interviews Christina Claassen, marketing and public relations manager for the Whatcom Museum. We could easily spend the afternoon here, but we’re off to Boulevard Park and a chat with James King, director of the city’s Parks & Recreation Department.

A stiff breeze and threatening clouds greet us at the park, but Hauge and Register take it in stride, finding a protected spot for the waterfront interview and learning about Bellingham’s many green spaces from King – even after the camera stops rolling. Their interest in the people and places they document is clearly genuine, and this shines through in their show. “It’s exciting for us to hear a resident say ‘Wow, I didn’t know that,’ when they talk about something they saw in one of our segments,” says Register.

Staying flexible and open to unexpected finds makes for a better show, and as I bid Hauge and Register farewell, they’re headed back downtown for an unscheduled stop at the Bureau of Historical Investigation before calling it a wrap.

Once filming is complete. Hauge gives the video to Register, who chooses the footage she wants to use and writes the script. Final editing is completed by Nancy Johnson Productions, sometimes using still shots provided by the local contributors.

My behind-the-camera perspective makes me prouder than ever to live in Bellingham, and I’m looking forward to seeing the final product on screen.

The Comcast Neighborhoods Bellingham show will appear on the Comcast On Demand menu on or about June 1. To watch, go to On Demand > Get Local > Around the Sound > then Neighborhoods. The segment will be available exclusively On Demand for three months.

Then, on or about September 1, the segment will be posted on YouTube. We can all share it with neighbors and friends around the world. Past Comcast Neighborhoods shows (like about West Seattle, Raymond, Shelton, and Vashon Island) can also be seen by clicking here.

Junior Ski to Sea 2015 Photos

By

Stacee Sledge

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Photos by Stacee Sledge

This year’s Junior Ski to Sea was another success, full of fun, challenge, teamwork, and smiles for the young athletes. The Bellingham/Whatcom Chamber of Commerce created this much-loved relay in 1991 and volunteers were hard at work all day, keeping things running smoothly for all participants–plus friends and families there to cheer them on.

Junior Ski to Sea Parade Photos

By

Stacee Sledge

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Photos by Stacee Sledge

It’s that time of year again! The Junior Ski to Sea Parade kicked off Ski to Sea season on Friday, May 15, wending down Cornwall Avenue and into downtown Bellingham. Vibrant colors and smiling faces celebrated the annual Junior Ski to Sea race for the smaller set, happening at Lake Padden on Saturday, May 16.

Barron Heating Hosts Green Training Event with The Comfort Institute and Home Depot

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WhatcomTalk Editor

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Submitted by Barron Heating

Brendan Reid, international Building Performance Guru and Founder of The Comfort Institute, made his way to Bellingham recently to conduct an extensive two-day training for the employees of Barron Heating and Home Depot. The Comfort Institute is the preeminent authority in green building science and indoor air quality—so much so that they’ve even performed leakage tests for NASA.

The April event brought together all Barron employees who hadn’t yet received the Home Performance training, including sales, install, and service technicians. Representatives from Home Depot’s plumbing and heating divisions were also in attendance after a recent partnership joined the two companies.

All participants spent two full days studying the science and diagnostics behind common HVAC and home performance concerns: inconsistent temperatures, excessive dust, allergy and asthma suffering, dry or damp indoor air, unhealthy indoor air quality, excessive utility bills and noisy or unreliable heating equipment.

Barron is committed to educating their entire team on the home-as-a-system approach, which always takes into account what they refer to as “the three legs of the Home Performance Stool: comfort, energy efficiency, and health.”

Barron’s former Home Performance Administrator, Thoren Rogers, recently transitioned into the role of Project Manager, coordinating education and logistics between Barron and Home Depot.

Rogers explains, “Home Depot shoppers can now take advantage of the chain’s popular financing programs to address their heating and cooling needs, while maintaining confidence that the project is being completed by their trusted local company.”

Rogers is excited to move forward with the partnership and continue to train everyone toward the industry’s best Home Performance practices. “Our staff at Barron has come so far in the knowledge and practice of building physics,” he says. “It’s a privilege to expand and pass on that knowledge—with Brendan’s help—to a much wider range of customers, ultimately improving the lives and health of so many members of our community.”

Homeowners can learn more about how Home Performance affects their comfort, health and utility bills by visiting Barron Heating’s consumer resource blog: www.MyHomePerformanceExpert.com

Pickford Film Center Shines Spotlight On Performing Arts, Education Outreach, Local Filmmakers, Special Events

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Stacee Sledge

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Pickford Film Center Bank of the Pacific Bay Street — Photo courtesy Pickford Film Center

Pickford Film Center has been showcasing the best of independent cinema since opening its doors — at the original space, now the Limelight Cinema — in 1998. In 2011, it expanded into the stunning, dual-screened space on Bay Street, as the downtown Bellingham Arts District grew up around it.

But PFC is more than movies — it’s continued to grow and change, bringing to our community performing arts events, live scores, education outreach, and much more.

“By regularly communicating with our audiences and listening to their feedback, we’re becoming an even better fit for Bellingham and Whatcom County,” says Pickford Marketing Manager Lindsey Gerhard.

Susie Purves has been PFC Executive Director since March 2014. Before arriving from Seattle, Purves was executive director of Spectrum Dance Theater and also helped grow the Northwest Film Forum, a Seattle art house cinema that also went through a big move, which she spearheaded.

“Susie has a diverse management background and she’s pushing us forward,” Gerhard says. “It’s a great thing.”

PFC has a staff of 15 full- and part-time folks, which includes six projectionists. Volunteers are integral to its success, and a core group of around 120 help run the box office and with special events; the entire roster includes more than 400 volunteers.

“I call our volunteers our Dream Team,” says Gerhard, who began as a PFC volunteer herself. “We wouldn’t be able to do any of our special events without them!” More helpers are always welcome—and everyone gets free movies and popcorn.

A mission-based organization, Pickford Film Center strives to do more than bring thought-provoking, innovative films from all genres to its three screens; here’s a rundown of the many programs PFC’s staff and volunteers work hard to bring to local arts fans.

Performing Arts

Including the performing arts in its repertoire isn’t new at PFC, but the saturation of its offerings is.

“We’ve done it for a long time,” says Gerhard of the inclusion of live ballet, opera, and stage productions on PFC’s calendar, “but now we’re seeking out even more programs.”

Can’t afford the plane ticket to Europe? It’s almost like you’re there with productions from around the world played on state-of-the-art equipment with stunning visuals and sound.

PFC carefully curates programming in response to community feedback. You can always check out the latest performing arts offerings on PFC’s website, from the National Theatre Live, The Bolshoi Ballet, The Globe Theatre, and more.

A live showing of a Bolshoi Ballet performance from Moscow can easily pull in 40 to 50 patrons — even at 7 a.m. on a Sunday.

Live Scores

In 2014, PFC hosted a screening of the 1926 silent-film classic The Adventures of Prince Achmed, which was accompanied by Seattle string and accordion duo Miles and Karina, who created and performed a new score.

They have held similar showings of other silent films with live scores created by local bands, such as The Black Pirate with Rattletrap Ruckus.

“It’s a scene we’re exploring more,” says Gerhard. “Being close to Seattle and Vancouver, we have a lot of opportunities.”

One of PFC’s longest-running and most loved series is its Masters of Japanese Cinema. “It showcases the work of some of the best classic Japanese directors,” says Gerhard. “There are some well-known musicians with great contemporary scores to these rarely seen silent Japanese masterworks.”

Popular Series & Annual Events

One of several popular PFC series is the monthly Rocket Sci-Fi matinee, sponsored by Rocket Donuts. A Saturday showing of the 1953 sci-fi B movie “Cat-Women of the Moon” became a multigenerational standing room only. “It’s great to see that there’s still the love for those more unusual films,” says Gerhard.

And the hundreds who buy tickets every year look forward to PFC’s always sold-out Academy Awards® celebration. Now named The Red Carpet Affair, PFC’s shindig always offers a glamorous night out for lovers of film and the Academy.

Other popular annual events include the Bellingham Children’s Film Festival and Doctober, a full month chock full of documentaries accompanied by filmmaker visits, special guests, pre-screening receptions, and guided discussions.

Education Outreach

Pickford Film Center is always available for class trips — from elementary schools to college students.

Executive Director Susie Purves successfully pushed for PFC to hire an education outreach coordinator to help work with local schools to cultivate visual literacy at a young age.

“We’ve always done the Guerilla Film Project, which is a three-day filmmaking competition for high school students,” say Gerhard, “and we’ll continue to cultivate that.”

But a generous donation from an individual funder has also allowed PFC to bring classrooms in to see movies — at no cost.

“During Doctober 2014, we created a new program, Doc-ED,” says Gerhard. “We chose five different films and reached out to schools to bring in more than 1,100 middle school students to watch the movies for free.”

Pickford wants to up the ante for 2015 and try to bring every single Bellingham middle school student to a free Documentary during Doc-ED.

“Alongside the generous donation from the Mary Redman Foundation, we dedicated our spring gift appeal towards the Doc-ED program and are close to raising the full amount of funds we need to make this a reality,” says Gerhard.

PFC also brings in children for free screenings during the Bellingham Children’s Film Festival, which runs every May. Expanded programming includes a live score and filmmaker visits, plus two new series — Family Classics and Shelf to Screen: Movies from your Favorite Children’s Books.

“We want to promote education at all ages and levels,” Gerhard continues. “It’s much more fun to come to a movie and enjoy demonstrations in the lobby or talks by specialists who can connect how topics in the film affect us at a local level.”

Supporting Local Filmmakers & Bringing More Filmmakers To Town

Pickford Film Center loves local filmmakers. Just after Purves’s arrival, PFC reached out to everyone they could find involved in local filmmaking and asked them what they wanted and needed.

“Anytime we can help showcase local work or be a resource for local filmmakers, we want to do that,” says Gerhard. “Anything we can do to support them.”

To that end, PFC continues to bring more and more filmmakers to come speak to audiences and answer their questions.

“We had over 15 filmmakers visit Doctober last year, which was pretty noteworthy,” says Gerhard. Local filmmaker Craig Johnson — now living and working in Hollywood — returned to Bellingham and PFC to discuss his film The Skeleton Twins and help raise funds for the Whatcom Center for Early Learning.

“We’ll continue to do more of that,” Gerhard says, “which makes for even more of a robust film-going experience.”

Pickford Film Center: More Than Movies

As the local independent cinema, PFC feels a strong responsibility to serve all of the community, not just particular pockets of it.

In 2014, PFC played 400 different films. “From the cinephiles and the tastemakers, to those who like classic films and those who like cult cinema,” says Gerhard, “our programming covers all of that, and more.”

Whatcom Museum to Showcase Selection of Helmi Juvonen’s Work in “Helmi’s World: Symbol, Myth, Fantasy”

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WhatcomTalk Editor

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Submitted by Whatcom Museum

Northwest Coast Indian Mask, Linoleum block-print, 1958. Gift of Wesley Wehr. Image courtesy of Whatcom Museum.

“Helmi’s World: Symbol, Myth, Fantasy” presents 50 artworks —paintings, drawings, prints, carved linoleum blocks and ceramics — drawn from the Whatcom Museum’s collection of artist Helmi Juvonen’s work, which numbers 250 objects. The exhibition, curated by Barbara Matilsky, also contains a detailed biographical timeline and illustrated object labels. It will be featured at the Whatcom Museum’s Lightcatcher Building June 27 through October 11, 2015.

Helmi Juvonen (1903 – 1985), known in her day simply as Helmi, was a prolific artist whose creativity embraced diverse media. She was particularly drawn to Northwest Coast native culture and developed a rapport with the chiefs of the Lummi, Swinomish, Makah and Yakama, who invited her to participate in their ceremonies. Native art and ritual nurtured Helmi’s creative spirit, empowering her to transcend gender bias, poverty, and decades committed to an asylum for mental illness.

With her avid interest in anthropology, Helmi believed, as did the Seattle photographer Edward Curtis (1868 – 1952), in the importance of documenting Native American spiritual life. During the 1940s and 1950s, she lived with tribes in Washington, Vancouver Island, and South Dakota. Helmi also spent time studying and drawing ritual objects in the Washington State Museum, which later became the University of Washington’s Burke Museum.

Persian Doll, Watercolor, c. 1930. Gift of Dr. Ulrich & Stella Fritzsche. Image courtesy of Whatcom Museum.

“Helmi’s World” includes paintings of petroglyphs from Central Washington, watercolors of Lummi masked dancers, and linocut prints of the Makah Thunderbird and Wolf Dances, among others. The exhibition suggests the complexity of Helmi’s vision by displaying some or her most unusual artworks, including a large, mixed-media drawing inspired by ancient Peruvian tapestries. The influences of Mark Tobey, Pablo Picasso, and Scandinavian Folk Art will also be highlighted. Helmi forged a unique style that merged aboriginal Northwest culture with modern art. The artist also conjured “imaginary things,” and many of her works reflect both the dark and light sides of the human psyche.

“Although Helmi has not yet been recognized as widely as other Pacific Northwest ‘mystics,’ such as Mark Tobey and Morris Graves, she was, in many ways, ahead of her time,” says Barbara Matilsky, the Museum’s curator of art. “Her graffiti-like abstractions, mixed-media compositions, and paper cut-outs relate to trends in contemporary art and communicate easily with a new generation of viewers.”

Born in Butte Montana in 1903, Helmi attended the Cornish School (now Cornish College of the Arts) and honed her skills as a draftsman at the Boeing Aircraft Company during World War II. Spirited and independent, she forged an unconventional path through life. Living on the edge of poverty, she later sold prints at the Pike Street Market for 50 cents apiece. The artist’s talents were well-recognized and works were purchased by important Seattle collectors. Supported in part by Dr. Richard Fuller, the founding director of the Seattle Art Museum who acquired work for the collection, the artist was friends with many Northwest art world luminaries, including Morris Graves.

Vantage, Gouache on rice paper, c. 1975-76. Gift of Dr. Ulrich & Stella Fritzsche. Image courtesy of Whatcom Museum.

During the 1950s, a period of suppression and conformity in American life, a woman living alone as an artist proved difficult. Helmi’s eccentricities, including living with dozens of cats, alarmed neighbors and family who disapproved of her creative career. For a period of time, the artist’s obsession with Mark Tobey, the most renowned of the Pacific Northwest mystic painters, embarrassed Tobey as well as his many supporters.

Helmi was mistakenly diagnosed with schizophrenia (now recognized as manic-depression), and was committed against her will to Oakhurst Convalescent Home in Elma, Washington, where she lived the final 26 years of her life. Here, she continued to make art and welcomed artists and supporters, who organized museum exhibitions that she attended, including her 1985 retrospective at the Whatcom Museum thirty years ago.

Helmi and the artist Wesley Weir gifted many of the works in this exhibition. A large number of pieces were also donated by Dr. Ulrich and Stella Fritzsche. Dr. Fritzsche, author of the book, “Helmi Dagmar Juvonen: Her Life and Work, a Chronicle” (2001), has contributed greatly to our understanding of the artist’s biography.

Handbags for Housing: Fashion and Fun that Benefits Local Homeless Families

By

WhatcomTalk Editor

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Submitted by Lydia Place

Calling all up-cycled, re-styled and new-styled fashionistas! On June 4 from 5:00 p.m. to 8: 30 p.m., Lydia Place—along with event partners TONI&GUY Hairdressing Academy and Whatcom County Association Of REALTORS—will host the third annual Handbags For Housing at the Downtown Bellingham Depot Market Square; an evening of fashion and fun benefitting homeless families.

Program highlights include coveted “Handbags Bazaar” featuring over 500 handbags under $25, the Labels Women’s Consignment fashion show featuring over fifteen local boutiques, live handbag auction, winery tasting and store with Samson Estates Winery, cocktail samplings from Chuckanut Bay Distillery, Rock and Rye Oyster House, The Shakedown, Poppe’s 360 and gourmet appetizers from Crave Catering, Old World Deli and Windows On The Bay Events.

Limited VIP and general admission tickets are now available online at lydiaplace.org.

Featuring several recycle and up-cycle fashion elements, Handbags For Housing has become the every ladies night out. A special focus of the event is combining new and used clothing and accessories to refresh and renew your wardrobe. A perfect example is the cost of admission. Attendees select and purchase their choice of a General or VIP admission, and then the night of the event bring a new or gently used handbag to donate. Donated handbags will be quickly processed and then put up for sale in the bountiful “Handbag Bazaar,” where bags and accessories range from $7.5-$25. Attendees will look great and can feel great about their purchases knowing their contributions throughout the event support Lydia Place and the homeless families they serve.

Handbags For Housing was born as a creative and fashionable way to raise awareness about programs and services offered through Lydia Place—a non-profit agency working to end homelessness in Whatcom County since 1989.

In the past 12 months, Lydia Place has assisted over 250 homeless families in finding housing and achieving their dreams for themselves and their children. Thanks to growing partnerships throughout the community, Lydia Place is serving more families than ever before.

Handbags for Housing is presented in partnership with partners TONI&GUY Hairdressing Academy and Whatcom County Association Of REALTORS and other local and national businesses that believe in the Lydia Place mission that every family deserves a home. Local fashion collective Labels Women’s Consignment presents the re- and new fashion show featuring hair from TONI&GUY Hairdressing Academy.

Dozens of local businesses including Kafé 104.1, CSS Communications, The Crossing Guide Magazine and Tours, Bellingham Explorer, The Bellingham Herald, Bellingham Signs By Tomorrow, GMB Entertainment, Keller Williams, Windermere, The Chrysalis Inn & Spa, Chuckanut Bay Distillery, Love To Move Studioz, Rice Insurance, Merry Maids, Windows On The Bay Events, Bellingham Bay Coffee Roasters, REMAX, Umpqua Bank, Peoples Bank, Salon Bellissima, Three French Hens, Blue Horizon, Mi Shoes, Belle On Wheels, Caliber Home Loans, Bank of the Pacific and more have lent their support for the annual fundraiser.

Bring your friends, family and colleagues for an unforgettable evening for a great cause,

Performing Arts

Live Scores

Popular Series & Annual Events

Education Outreach

Supporting Local Filmmakers & Bringing More Filmmakers To Town

Pickford Film Center: More Than Movies

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