Western Washington University's photography club, the Society for Photographic Education, is holding a public gallery show at Voxel Gallery in downtown Bellingham from May 18-30.
The theme for the gallery show is ‘The Feeling of Being.’ The theme is intentionally open-ended to allow the artists presenting a wide scope of projects, according to SPE club executive Meghan Maloof.
For many at SPE, the show is their first chance to present work in a public space outside of the bounds of campus.
SPE’s gallery shows have attracted large audiences before and Maloof hopes this show will be no different. Previous SPE shows were held at on-campus locations like the Viking Union. With Voxel Gallery being off campus, those coming to view the show will not just be other students, but also members of the community.
The show will feature the work of 16 artists, including current students, SPE members and alumni. Each artist was encouraged to interpret the theme of the show in their own way and create works that challenged them or showcased their interests.
Western alumnus Eli Voorhies is one of the artists presenting work in the show. For Voorhies, this show is the first time his work will be shown in a public exhibition. Although he graduated in 2025, Voorhies was invited back by SPE club president Avery Robertson to present.
“I've always been more of a documentarian than anything. I like to record life around me as it's happening,” Voorhies said. “But I have this drive to capture things as they are, not posed.”
Voorhies is excited to present with the SPE and is grateful to Robertson for inviting him, and for their work curating the event.
Brandon Sawaya, a photo laboratory technician and another Western alumnus remembers being a member of SPE when he was a student. Sawaya attended regional and national conventions, and spoke with other artists and students from across the country.
For SPE adviser Garth Amundson, traveling to these conferences is a vital activity for student artists and photographers to see work from their peers and build connections with people within the industry. He is proud of SPE’s work in the show and the coordination of SPE student leadership to plan and curate the show.
Christine Biernacki, director and owner of Voxel Gallery, is always happy to work with Western students and emerging artists to host shows. Biernacki hopes spaces like Voxel Gallery will help students build confidence as artists and gain meaningful experience presenting and discussing their work with larger audiences.
“Collaborating with younger creatives is incredibly energizing,” she said. “It also gives me a chance to reflect on the perspective I’ve gained as a business owner, curator and artist.”
Human connections within art is the most important thing that she hopes students will take away from this gallery experience.
“Creativity is rooted in human connection,” Biernacki said, “and fostering that connection through art is at the heart of why I opened the gallery.”
Marina Sasaki (she/her) is a current second-year and reporter at The Front. She loves reading, writing and all kinds of art. If she's not cooped up working on projects, she's hanging out with friends and adventuring. You can reach her at marina.thefront@gmail.com.
