Mayor's Arts Awards

You Can Thank Them Later

By Amy Kepferle · Wednesday, April 22, 2009

What do an eco-friendly print shop, a community photographer, an art teacher, an uber-volunteer, exhibit producers, a program coordinator, two local authors, a singer/songwriter and a homemade music society have in common?

If you read the headline to this story, you already know they’re the winners of the 2009 Mayor’s Arts Awards, the annual event that draws attention to members of the community who have made significant contributions to the arts.

Even if you’re not able to make it to the April 22 ceremony featuring Mayor Dan Pike honoring the 10 awardees chosen this year, don’t be afraid to pat the winners on the back when you see them next. After all, their diligence and creativity is part of what got them noticed in the first place, and those traits are not likely to go away anytime soon.

Lea Kelly, abstract painter and Bellingham Art Tank founder, took up the “Faces of Bellingham” project after shooting an inspiring photo of a stranger with “beautiful lines” in his face. A year later, she’s peppered the city with a variety of posters and taken more than 3,000 photos of community members who are typically delighted to participate (“I am being stalked by aliens” was one of the best reasons she heard for being turned down).

“I initiated Faces of Bellingham to demonstrate the beauty of ordinary people, but the project is also an ironic reflection of a culture in which we are obsessed with celebrities,” Kelly explains. “The Faces of Bellingham are not intended to be glamorous, but they are beautiful in their authenticity. They are the people we live with and work with. I believe these people should have more significance in our lives than manufactured celebrities.”

Joyce Prigot is a talented oil painter, but it’s her work promoting the arts—via spending countless hours volunteering for agencies such as the Whatcom Art Guild, Allied Arts, the Whatcom Artist Studio Tour, and BellinghamART—that got her on the roster of winners.

“Volunteer work does take time from one’s professional tasks, but what one gets in exchange is exceedingly valuable,” Prigot notes. “I feel I have received so much more than I have given: I have gained a great deal of knowledge about the local artists and the local art scene, including info that I can use to organize and promote my own artwork. In addition, I think it is important to be part of a community and give back.”

Over at Bison Bookbinding & Letterpress—which recently moved operations from State Street to their new home studio on Elizabeth Street—Kevin Nelson and Carly James have made an art of crafting eco-friendly goods via papermaking, bookbinding and printmaking.
“It’s always gratifying to be recognized and valued for your hard work,” James says. “We started our business from scratch 4-1/2 years ago and it has allowed us to put all our artistic skills into action and our core values into the service of our community. It is the culmination of our life’s work.”

Space doesn’t allow us to delve into what drives each of this year’s Mayor’s Arts Awards winners into being involved in the artistic genre of their choosing, but that doesn’t mean they’re not appreciated. If you can, thank them for what they do. They’ve earned it.