La Conner's Forum celebrates this generation of arts

When Meg Holgate and Bruce Bradburn bought the red brick building that watches over First Street and Douglas, they envisioned a studio for Meg where she could invite other artists to share their work, discuss and collaborate. As part of that process, they opened Forum Arts in its street-level floor.

The idea was more serendipity than strategy, Holgate recalls now. In fact, the couple had already made their move when they learned that famed, mystic painter Guy Anderson had lived and painted there too, during winters half a century ago. Holgate heard the local legend of Seattle painter Mark Tobey standing at the corner before that same building and declaring that La Conner is destined to become an important arts center.

The building, at 721 1st Street, looking over the Swinomish Channel and Calico Cupboard, has a long and varied history as a hotel, restaurant, book and shoe store as well as residence for Anderson; but Holgate is bringing it back to the arts.

Her work started very differently – she was a stock broker before finding creative expression in murals and Trompe-l’œil, in Palm Beach, Florida and then Sun Valley, Idaho.

In 2006 she began showing her own art in Seattle. At the center of her work is the continued exploration of energy fields, she says. “The light in the Northwest is always moving; there’s something transcendent and uplifting about the atmosphere in this part of the world.”

It’s mysterious, she says. “I’m interested in mystery: what’s behind that veil. So this kind of climate speaks to me. I wake up with something mysterious,” and she says that theme has carried through to her work today.

In 2006 Holgate married Bradburn who was an art collector, knew Bill Cumming and was a follower of the other Northwest Mystics. The same year, she had her first show at Pacini Lubel Gallery in Pioneer Square.

She eventually felt she was outgrowing her studio in Pioneer Square. “I couldn’t see nature around me, nothing was making any sense there. I needed to see things grow and be in touch with our natural beauty,” she says. And not only did she want a more immediate connection to earth, sky and water, she wanted a network of artists around her. “I needed conversations with fellow artists.”

And that is what has led to the Forum and plans for art exhibits, discussion groups and salons.

The couple had been to La Conner several times, “and we thought something very special was happening in the Skagit Valley and that this was where we needed to be.” Holgate recalls. Part of that draw was MoNA “I thought their exhibitions were outstanding, and we thought how lovely to have art accessible like this in a small town. That was very much a part of our decision.”

Now that Holgate has settled into her studio, she hopes Forum will continue to serve as a home for artistic thought and innovation. “We are often in our own siloes and support from people who think like you is very important for an artist.”

Forum’s exhibitions have included Steve Klein, Max Benjamin, Todd Horton, Roger Small, Bill Cumming and Joe Rossano, as well as her own work.

“For me, Forum is the idea of a gathering space. The intention is there, now we will see how it manifests.” She adds that, “I hope that this could be an incubator for ideas, I know there are opportunities here to share space with other artists along the way.”

The Skagit Valley has provided the stillness, the proximity of nature and the artistic engagement Holgate was looking for. “There’s a heightened sense of awareness for me now, because of the quiet, I’m more at peace here.” But it’s more than a matter of quiet, she adds: she notices an ebb and flow here – not just the water, but the people walking up and down the street; it feels organic as opposed to the high pace of city energy she found in Seattle.

“The infinite potential for creativity feels alive and well here,” Holgate says. “That’s what I love, because there’s a next wave of creativity, and I hope to be a part of that.”