ALLIED ARTS ART CHALLENGE EXHIBITION: March 1-30, 2024

The Art Challenge offers artists of all ages and experience levels an opportunity to explore themes related to this year’s Whatcom READS title and to present their work for public display. Presented in collaboration with Allied Arts of Whatcom County.

How to Participate

1. Read the book Red Paint by Sasha taqʷšəblu LaPointe. Books are available to borrow at any Bellingham Public Library and Whatcom County Library System or for purchase at Village Books.
2. This year’s theme is Legacies. Create an art piece inspired by the theme of your personal legacy as LaPointe does in her book. See prompts below that may help you develop your idea. We expect artists to respect Allied Arts Cultural Appropriation Policy.
3. Bring your piece and submission form to Allied Arts’ gallery on February 27th.
4. Forms can be filled out online, printed and brought with you, or filled out at the gallery.

• Membership with Allied Arts of Whatcom County is not required to submit an art work.
• Works will not be juried.
• All mediums, genres, and skill levels are welcome to participate in the exhibit.
• Space is limited and items will be showed on a first come, first hung basis.
• Limit one piece per person.
• Entry forms can be obtained at the Allied Arts Gallery downtown (1418 Cornwall Ave) or online at alliedarts.org.
• Applications will include an explanation on how the book inspired your art.

Participation is free of charge, and membership in Allied Arts of Whatcom County not required. For more details, visit the Allied Arts Art Challenge website or contact Allied Arts at 360-676-8548.

Need inspiration to get started? Try these prompts created by author Jessica Gigot. 

• Choose an object or specific item from your childhood. It can be inside or outside. Start by describing this thing and then see what stories and memories come up. In Red Paint, LaPointe remembers a phrase written on an index card on the door of her parent’s house. It is Lushootseed for “come in.”
• What is a family ritual or story that you remember vividly? What does this tell you about your ancestors or your family’s values or your connection to a specific place or landscape? What details do you remember or not remember? Who was involved? LaPointe writes a lot about the women in her family, going back generations, and she mentions that this was a part of her MFA thesis.

We are grateful to author Jessica Gigot for sharing these prompts, which she originally created for her Environmentalist Anonymous writing group at Village Books and shared on Her Deepest Ecologies substack. Jessica is a poet, farmer and writing coach. Her books are A Little Bit of Land and Feeding Hour.