Every October, the Whatcom Artist Studio Tour (WAST) provides an intimate glimpse into the region’s multifaceted — and increasingly multigenerational — art scene. 2024 marks WAST’s 30th anniversary, and while many artists have participated in the tour for decades, others represent a new crop of local talent.
For two consecutive weekends (Oct. 5–6 and 12–13), nearly 50 local artists open their personal studios for visits with the public. Represented mediums include ceramics, woodworking, painting, photography, sculpture, fiber arts and more. But despite the artists’ range, tour attendees might pick up on common threads.
“A lot of us are making work that is directly responsive to the landscape, to the place that we live, to the individuals that are inhabiting it, its history and its vision of the future,” said founder Chris Moench. For him, WAST is an “opportunity to highlight that dialogue, and to nurture it.”
Moench began WAST in 1994, shortly after he’d begun making a living from his pottery. He first intended to host an open house at his own studio, but quickly realized the event would be more successful if done collectively. So Moench called a few fellow artists and said, “Hey, let’s do this” — and in his telling, the rest was history.
Participation in WAST was initially open to anyone; however, as tours grew in popularity, organizers decided to introduce a jury system. Moench said this decision upped participating artists’ quality and commitment. For many of them, art is more than a hobby: It’s their livelihood.
“You have to be more devoted to your work, to take the time to take photos of it and apply and submit it to others for their judgment,” Moench said. “I think that the tour attracts a lot of artists in the community who are really trying to do it as a profession.”
After three decades, WAST’s lineup includes mid- and late-career artisans as well as up-and-coming creatives. Some have been working in Whatcom County for decades, including ceramicists Larry Richmond and Brian O’Neill. Moench also cited two husband-and-wife teams — woodworkers Jennifer and Tom Dolese, and sculptors Don Anderson and Suzanne Averre — as longtime participants.
Vernon Leibrant, who creates wooden bowls, is also “iconic” on the tour: A descendant of Whatcom County loggers, Moench said he’s “as much made of wood as his work is.”
But WAST’s lineup also regularly welcomes new faces, such as Coast Salish artist Jason LaClair. Other new artists for 2024 include Sterling James Powell, who creates functional glassware with traditional Italian techniques, and Favio Guzman-Estrada, whose multimedia work includes wearable and digital art, block printing and portrait photography.
Guzman-Estrada, 21, was introduced to the tour by WAST participant and board member Anita Merina, who has been fusing glass since 2008. Merina is Filipina with Ivatan roots, whereas Guzman is of Chamoru and Mexican heritage. Both artists weave themes of cultural identity into their work, while also taking inspiration from the Pacific Northwestern landscape.
Richmond, on the other hand, has been a tour participant for 20 years. He’s shown his work across the country and said that, in comparison to other regions, the caliber of Whatcom County art is “pretty unusual.” What’s more, Richmond said WAST’s quality has continually improved, with young artists lending the tour “a much bigger range than there was before.”
In Moench’s view, “You can see the range of media that people are doing; there’s some really unusual stuff. Another artist [Patrick Wickline] makes wire sculptures that produce shadows, and it’s the shadows themselves that are the art. It just blows me away; I had never thought of that concept.”
With so much talent to see, visiting every studio is a tall order — so much so that Moench joked there should be a prize for anyone who accomplishes this feat. He recommends serious studio-goers map out visits according to location; for example, devoting one day to downtown and the next to a section of the county.
But regardless of logistics, Moench encourages people to use WAST as an excuse to dig deeper into Whatcom County’s multi-faceted creative community. “The tour is a great way for people who are relatively new to town to explore the community and meet some folks,” he added.
Three decades in, Moench is “tickled” about having created such a long-spanning and continually evolving tradition. He believes WAST’s success speaks volumes about the caliber of Whatcom County artists, as well as the folks who support them.
“[WAST is] really about an awareness that we all have creative pulses that can be explored and celebrated,” Moench said. “You know, the arts are a fundamentally human expression — and it’s a beautiful thing.”
The Whatcom Artist Studio Tour runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 5–6 and 12–13. A full list of artists and a map can be found online at studiotour.net.
Cocoa Laney is CDN’s lifestyle editor; reach her at cocoalaney@cascadiadaily.com; 360-922-3090 ext. 128.
