Hello! Lots to update you on today.

Let’s jump right in:

Spring studio tour

I’m writing this update from my art studio, which I kept open all day for visitors exploring the spring preview of the Whatcom Artist Studio Tour.

Not too many people ventured out today but I still met some cool people and had a nice time down here working on projects and getting organized. And, I will be here all day again tomorrow (Sunday, May 17)—so if you feel the itch to be around some art, do come pay me a visit!

Gallery Alley door project

One of the projects in the works right now is a door I am painting for Gallery Alley in downtown Bellingham, an outdoor exhibit of works by local artists painted on repurposed doors turned into canvases, which will be auctioned off at the end of the season to raise funds for the Downtown Bellingham Partnership.

This is my door in the very beginning stages; I’ll be turning both sides into a finished painting. Will keep you posted on the completed thing!

The Butterfly Effect group show

Upstairs in the gallery at Make.Shift for the rest of May is the children’s art walk show called The Butterfly Effect; a group show which paired kids with established artists in the community to create “response pieces” to their stories.

Below is my art piece. See Lhotse’s story and watercolor drawing on the show page on Make.Shift’s website.

Lookout Arts Quarry artist residency

In case you’re wondering how my artist residency project is going at the Lookout Arts Quarry, I have an official show date.

I’ll be doing a one-night pop-up show called PLASTIC ANGST on Thursday June 4. All 56 of the paintings I’m creating will be for sale. Find all the details about the show here.

I created a tiny teaser show including about 20% of the works in progress in the underground gallery outside my studio for people to stumble across.

It’s an interesting practice making 50+ paintings at the same time in an unfamiliar space with its own creative problems to solve. Here’s a little preview of what the beginning of my last painting session looked like.

My practice has not typically been a “sit on the floor in a yurt” kind of work style but hey, it’s always nice to expand your perspective. 😉

I’ll probably drop another update on how this project is going before my show opens on June 4. At least 5 other artists will be including their work too, it should be a nice evening and opportunity to meet some cool people.

If you feel inspired to get the word out about the show feel free to share either of these flyers wherever you like.

Another cool artist to enjoy

One of the things I’ve come to love about chatting with guests who visit my studio is they often introduce me to other art I didn’t know about.

Today a visitor introduced me to Elsa Thoresen, a surrealist who painted in Seattle for 40 years before passing away in 1994. I was very flattered they thought my art reminded them of her. Check out this goodness, painted in 1948:

If you feel like continuing to geek out over art today then do yourself a favor and look up her work. Here’s a place to start with this article from Seattle Mag.

And with that, I leave you to enjoy the rest of what I hope is a nice Saturday evening for you.

Peace,

Adrien

Hi there!

I’m writing this update from the Lookout Arts Quarry. By the time the sun went down today I’d gotten 52 new art pieces started, which will be assembled for a show here at the beginning of June.

I’ll give you more details soon. If you’re local to the Bellingham area and interested in being connected with more spaces where artists converge, this will be a good opportunity to come out here and make some connections.

If you want to know how our first one-night pop-up underground gallery show at Make.Shift went, it was a beautiful success. 18 artists participated, some of whom hadn’t shown work for a very long time, and many of whom had never shown work at all. It was a fun evening.

I’m not sure how many visitors we had but considering how tucked away this hidden show was, it was a great turnout.

Coming up May 16 and 17 is the spring Whatcom Artists Studio Tour. This is my first year participating, so come by and visit me!

I’d like to finish this update by sharing some of the work that has made it to peoples’ homes this year.

And that’s what is going on for today’s update.

Greetings.

A few exciting things coming up:

• I pitched a residency project to The Lookout Arts Quarry which was accepted. I’m getting my guts ready to create the work for a show called “PLASTIC ANGST,” date to be announced soon (likely end of May or early June). Stay posted!
• I was accepted for the 2026 Whatcom Artists Studio Tour and the first popup tour is happening weekend of May 16–17. If you’re around Bellingham that weekend it will be a good chance to come visit me and other artists around the area.

More in the hopper which I will inform you of soon.

Now some art.

Since the show I mentioned in my last update has happened I can share the art now …

It was very special to do the art that got used for the cover of this limited-release tape for the bands DUOS and Sceneric, produced by Kelly at Something Else Studio. All of us people orbiting Make.Shift, which I know I have mentioned many times as a great little community arts nonprofit here in town.

Make.Shift has been a healing place for me to be on the other side of dealing with some bad faith “collaborators,” and I’m glad to be taking part in more community art again after all everything I’ve been through.

We set the painting up in the concert space for people to experience during the show, which added a fun visual element which isn’t typical of this kind of environment.

It is a good challenge for me, learning how to engage with fellow artists in ways that makes all of our work more interesting and rich to experience.

I keep running into a norm that keeps yielding many frustrations, however. Can you guess what it is?

You may have guessed.

EVERYONE IS ON INSTAGRAM.

And they like to promote each other across Instagram.

If you don’t have Instagram, you’re operating on a somewhat different wavelength than a lot of the artist community I keep rubbing shoulders with. People kind of don’t really know what to do with you.

Are you even real if you’re not on Instagram?

I understand if I am going to develop the kind of strategy that makes being off Instagram work for me, I have to stay off Instagram and figure it out.

So far I have not been stopped from making more art in more places, so I suppose I am on the right track.

—Adrien

Hi there.

Lots is happening behind the scenes that I won’t be saying much about just yet.

I will say that if experiencing and supporting local independent music is your thing you should definitely mark down this show on April 10 where a couple Bellingham bands are releasing a special limited-edition tape, which I have contributed art for.

It’s a unique project and being there for this show will be a one of a kind experience. I will be there with a limited release sticker made specifically to commemorate the project.

Local art done from a genuine place is more important than ever from my perspective.

Important enough, apparently, to warrant theft?

It would seem to be the case.

A little art piece was stolen in the last couple weeks from the wall display outside my studio. Quite a bummer.

The folks at Make.Shift were very sweet and made a public post inviting the person who stole it to bring it back with a promise not to be mean.

This is the piece in question …

As I said to them (and they shared in their post), I think the thief had pretty good taste, and maybe I would have stolen it too. 😉

Joking aside, that stung. It was very much intentionally taken off the wall on purpose by someone who thought that was fine to do. I’ve had some hooligans deface some of my art before so it isn’t new to me when something like this happens, but it is always not cool when it does.

As stupid as it is when something like original art gets stolen, it has brought up an opportunity for me to reflect on a theme that has been pretty big in my life—and the lives of many, unfortunately.

How do we relate to experiences of having our heartfelt creations and contributions to the world stolen, degraded, or otherwise disrespected in some way?

How do we turn these experiences from ones that tear us down into ways for us to claim and express our power?

I’m still figuring out the answer.

One of the things my artistic practice continues to teach me is that absolutely everything I experience is part of the raw material that I get to choose how to turn into art.

That includes when my art is stolen.

A whole lot of my art has been stolen.

One thing that was actually pretty nice about this most recent experience of having my art stolen is that when I told some of my community what happened, they were upset for me, and wanted to help amend the situation.

That’s something I learned somewhere along the lines not to expect. Too much hanging around people who viewed me as a commodity rather than a person will do that.

It’s got me realizing something very important:

When something gets stolen or destroyed, it isn’t the end of the story.

It’s the instigating incident.

The catalyst.

It’s ok if there’s a delay to realizing that fact.

Theft of something heartfelt causes a sort of chemical reaction that leads to grief.

Grief, when wielded with courage, is a raw sort of power. Potential energy waiting to be materialized.

Knowing I’m committed not to dissociate from what I feel about everything I’ve been through means that that latent power won’t go unexpressed.

It almost makes me feel bad for anyone who thought stealing my work was going to shut me down.

—Adrien

It’s an update! Hello.

I’m writing it at an hour of day in which I’m used to the impending darkness looming much more large. Daylight Savings time changes never have a subtle impact on me.

Call me sensitive, that’s fine. Sensitive people are the ones connected enough to reality to do something about it.

I’m still getting nuggets of interesting community feedback on the heels of my recent art show. Including this compliment (I’m interpreting as a compliment anyway) that I just can’t get out of my head.

I ran into someone at a metal show who knew who I was from my art show, and they told me I was like “the liver of Bellingham.”

I’m really not sure why it made me feel so seen.

Like much interesting art, it’s a statement that might be better off not being explained.

On another note, more than 400 people came to opening night of the skateboard art show.

Now that it has been revealed to the public, I’ll show you the skateboard I made (which started as two half skateboards I picked up from Unknown Board Shop next door).

Nobody has bought it yet (as far as I know) so if you want to raise some funds for a good cause and take this piece home at the end of the month stop by Make.Shift when they’re open. They’re selling the board art starting at $100 with the option of paying more if you so choose.

At least come see what everybody made—it’s a super fun show.

One more little detail for this week’s update:

I have started to nerd out a little harder (yes, it’s always possible to nerd out harder) with my art as it ends up in the hands of other people around the world.

I have started to create handwritten certificates of authenticity that go with each piece.

Anyone who already has an art piece who would like a certificate of authenticity from me can reach out for one.

Original art has no limit to how magical and valuable it can be. So I take that responsibility seriously. 🙂

That’s what I have to say today.

Peace,

Adrien

Hi.

It’s a good time to be focused on art.

Today’s post is going to be different from what you’ve seen from me here so far. I’ll start with some updates.

Today’s the day my show, Medicine of the Forest, comes down.

I’m very pleased by how it went, the connections that came of it, and, bonus: I even sold four original pieces.

My current “marketing” strategy (if you can call it that) is very anti-marketing, which essentially means any sale is extra genuine and not begged for.

Extra-genuine suits my art, and it also describes well the crew who runs the space here.

March 7: New art for auction in the Skateboard show.

If you want another sighting of new art by me in town and to also get a chance to buy it to raise funds for a good cause, I contributed a piece to the upcoming skate park benefit which is taking over the gallery at Make.Shift. The show opens March 7 and will be up for the month. I will keep the art piece a secret for now …

March 7: Also opening up my studio for art walk!
I set out a little table of half a dozen or so different stickers during my show last month, and learned through ambient Venmo feedback that folks around these parts really dig my stickers. I’d been meaning to make a bunch of new demon stickers for awhile, so I took this as motivation. If you feel compelled to find your way to my studio during art walk (that’s studio #21) I will have nine new stickers available. But I’m only going to be open until 7:30 or so.

Here are a few of the stickers that were a hit during my show.

Back to the figure drawing board

I recently learned through the current show on display at Voxel Gallery downtown that not only does Bellingham have a regular figure drawing group that meets up, but that I already knew the facilitator from long ago in a different city and a different time of life. It’s pretty cool when that happens in a positive way.

It’s excellent to get back into figure drawing and kick the rust off.

Opening in July: Exquisite Corpse art show

An artist by the name of Suzanne Morlock recently moved to Bellingham and got a bunch of artists in town co-creating through an ocean creature–themed game of exquisite corpse. I made a contribution to this show as well. I’m not yet sure the details but it will be opening in July somewhere in downtown Bellingham.

Lots more in the works, but I’ll keep the informational updates at that for now. And onto a few other nuggets …

Featured art piece: WRECK (2012)

To wrap up this update I will both indulge myself as well as bequeath unto you an art piece of mine that I am vibing with right now, which even includes a little riddle/poem that goes along with it.

watch all the planets
as they collide
take your assumptions and push them aside

keep things in order
punch the clock
shove the illusions under a rock

open the bloodgate
fix the drain
this won’t just happen inside your brain

measure the angle
count the cost
if you give up now all will be lost

build up the shelter
turn on the heat
keep all the monsters out of your seat

take off your clothing
burn it to ash
place all conclusions here in the trash

write down your message
send it away
this is the last thing that you’ll ever say

Closing thoughts

Now that I have more public-facing work showing up in the community, it’s continuing to provide me with lots of real-time feedback about how I can share my work without succumbing to the constant pressure to be on social media (particularly Instagram).

I’ll be continuing to pour TLC into this little website and make these updates an extension of the art itself.

It’s fun to show up in different spaces and be recognized for my work despite having no social media presence.

We shall see how this continues to go. Thanks for being among the first to participate.

More good stuff to come,

—Adrien

One of the things I’ve been profoundly struck by since the opening of my art show on February 6 is how easy it has been to relate to folks of all backgrounds and identities over the subject matter.

I’ll let these neat slides the gallery staff made explain what and why that is …

It’s starting to actually feel nothing short of ironic that I’ve been made to feel so “other” my whole life in so many professional, familial, and social circles. Because everything I’m expressing is demonstrating itself to be not just relatable, but fundamental.

Sure, I’m not everybody’s cup of tea and I’m not trying to be. That’s impossible. However, I’m not an insane and stunted half-person either. I am a reasonable and grounded adult.

Yesterday I ran into someone who had publicly demeaned me as if I were a mentally unstable child after I got physically assaulted by one of his friends the last time I saw him. He was five feet away from me by the time we noticed each other.

I looked him in the eye and gave him a nod and the peace sign. His face split into a huge grin that was also a beady-eyed grimace. He said “hi” with a high-pitched self conscious giggle. Strangely (or maybe not strangely), I didn’t feel awkward at all.

What happened to me in that situation was deeply unjust and it could be argued that it never should have happened.

However, another way to look at it is that the relationship was warped by ignorance from the start. I frontloaded my discomfort in that relationship. He deferred his.

That sucked for me for awhile, but it also created a sort of incomplete equation, like a newtonian law of physics, that naturally trends toward eventual resolution.

Ignorant people with more power than is just have been acting out their misunderstandings of reality for a long time.

The fact that they believe the bill will never come due doesn’t make them correct; it makes them sloppy and lax in their vigilance and execution.

In many cases, we don’t even have to explain to them how embarrassingly wrong they are. Because the simple fact that we continue to exist as grounded adults living our lives turns out to be a glitch in logic their warped egos cannot survive.

How they deal with fixing their bad math is their problem; ours is to continue to participate in life. Humanly, unpretentiously, and collaboratively.

Cool.

I painted this piece on St. Patty’s Day when I was living near Joshua Tree in the Mojave Desert. Spring hits different there. I feel lucky to have gotten to experience that place the way I did for the five months of my life I spent there.

Continue to be cool. We’re doing great.

—Adrien