BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//wp-events-plugin.com//7.4.12//EN BEGIN:VEVENT UID:402@whatcomartcenter.org DTSTART:20260728T030000Z DTEND:20260728T050000Z DTSTAMP:20260707T041637Z URL:https://whatcomartcenter.org/events/whatcom-art-guild-monthly-meeting- 6/ SUMMARY:Whatcom Art Guild Monthly Meeting DESCRIPTION:Monthly meeting of the Whatcom Art Guild. This month's special guest speaker: Jason LaClair\, indigenous artist from Bellingham and the P acific Northwest. \n\nJason LaClair\, a lifelong resident of Whatcom Coun ty\, draws from his Lummi and Nooksack heritage to create art that resonat es deeply with Indigenous traditions and modern aesthetics. Initiated into the art world by family members who were master carvers and working artis ts\, LaClair has journeyed from creating small prints sold door-to-door to designing impactful public murals in Bellingham\, Ferndale and San Juan I sland. Committed to community engagement\, he aspires to pave the way for future Indigenous artists\, emphasizing the transformative power of art to connect communities and preserve cultural heritage.\nLaClair stands as a prominent figure in the Pacific Northwest art scene\, drawing from his Lu mmi and Nooksack heritage to create powerful works that honor his ancestor s while speaking to contemporary audiences. As a lifelong resident of What com County\, LaClair has spent nearly three decades developing his distinc tive Coast Salish artistic style\, transforming from a self-taught artist selling door-to-door prints to becoming one of the region's most sought-af ter muralists and cultural educators.\nHis work is characterized by a simp le yet deliberate style with linear designs that were used for spindle who rls and expressions of spirituality. LaClair's art seamlessly blends tradi tional Coast Salish elements with contemporary sensibilities\, creating pi eces that resonate with both Indigenous communities and broader audiences. \nIn 2023\, LaClair undertook his first carving project\, finishing a cere monial story pole originally begun by Samuel Cagey\, Jr.\, a carver and Lu mmi tribal elder. The project\, displayed at Hotel Leo as part of "QwotQwe m" (meaning "noisy waters" in Xwlemi Chosen)\, represents LaClair's expans ion into three-dimensional work. "Samuel is one of our spiritual leaders\, so seeing something like this through is huge for him\," LaClair said of his predecessor.\n \;\n\n \n\n \;\n\n \;\n\n \;\n\n \; \n\n \;\n\n \;\n\nGuests are welcome to attend and get connected w ith other local artists\, see what we do\, and decide if they would like t o join... :)\n\nMeetings take place at the Whatcom Art Center!  Located i n Fairhaven\, at 1105 11St\, Bellingham\, WA\n\nBring art for Artist of th e Month competition\n\nThere will be a drawing for a $10 gift certificate from Dakota Art Store\n\nThe librarians will be there with the WAG DVDs\, etc. Please bring any tapes or books you have borrowed in the past.\n\n&nb sp\;\n\n \;\n\n \; ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://whatcomartcenter.org/wp-content/uploads/ 2026/04/doug-laclair.jpeg CATEGORIES:WAG Meetings LOCATION:Whatcom Art Center\, 1105 11St\, Bellingham\, Washington\, 98225\, United States X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=1105 11St\, Bellingham\, Wa shington\, 98225\, United States;X-APPLE-RADIUS=100;X-TITLE=Whatcom Art Ce nter:geo:0,0 END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR