Native Arts 360 and Cof& Colombian Cafe In downtown Bellingham collaborated to create the "Thriving" Art exhibit and Pop-up market in celebration of Indigenous Peoples' Day and Native American Heritage Month through the month of November. Artists including Jason LaClair (Lummi/Nooksack), Savannah LeCornu (Haida/Tsimshian/Nez Perce) and Káa Sháyee (Tlingit) were in the art show, while Káa Sháyee, Copper Canoe Woman and Maddy Flowers (Chickasaw) were in the pop up market. October 28 was an inaugural event that Native Arts 360 looks forward to expanding on in the future.
Originating from Ketchikan, Alaska, Káa Sháyee is graphic artist and a member of the Tlingit Tribe. Like many Native Americans, Káa Sháyee’s cultural identity has been heavily disrupted by colonialism. He is dedicated to piecing together his Tlingit identity through art and education.
Jeffrey Veregge is an award-winning Native American Artist & Writer from the Port Gamble S'Klallam Tribe
Deanna Allison is a Diné (Navajo) actress who portrays Emma Leaphorn in the AMC noir thriller, Dark Winds.
Quinalt musician.
Christopher Yepez, who also goes by the name Sacramento Knoxx, is a multi-talented artist of Ojibwe/Anishinaabe and Xicano descent. He is recognized as a media artist, emcee, music producer, and dedicated community cultural advocate.
Zahn Tokiya-ku McClarnon, born on October 24, 1966, is a prominent American actor acclaimed for his compelling roles in several notable television series. He gained recognition for his performances in the Western crime drama series "Longmire," the second season of "Fargo," and the second season of "Westworld." In 2022, he took on the lead role in the AMC series "Dark Winds." McClarnon also made appearances in the 2021 FX on Hulu series "Reservation Dogs" and the Marvel Cinematic Universe series "Hawkeye" (2021) and "Echo" (2024).
Ron Martinez is a skilled potter with roots in the Isleta Pueblo, boasting a heritage that encompasses both Isleta and Taos. He proudly signs his pottery with the name "Looking Elk" and has been actively creating pottery since the 1990s. His preferred forms of pottery include siennaware jars, bowls, plates, and figurines. Ron's artistic expression shines through his work, often adorned with intricate designs inspired by sgraffito Anasazi rock art, featuring elements like human figures, hands, lightning bolts, and clouds.
Two of Whatcom county's extraordinarily talented artists sold their art for this Labor Day market at Fringe Brewing. On a laid back end of summer warm day Jason LaClair of Lummi and Kaa Shayee, a Tlingit artist local to the area, boldly displayed their phenomenal Coast Salish and line form design through jewelry, prints and stickers. The two artists had recently wrapped up their 160' "Indigiversal" mural at Waypoint Park in Bellingham, WA, positively moving beyond some of the controversy due to how the artists were treated by the Paper Whale organizers of the event.