||| FROM BETHANY MARIE for ORCAS CENTER |||
The Visual Arts Committee (VAC) of Orcas Center is proud to announce a special art exhibition from Peter Fisher, opening on Friday, May 23 at 5:30pm, celebrating the cultural, spiritual, and natural significance of Madrona Point.
Presented in honor of the ancestral burial ground of the Lummi Nation and the three historic cemeteries at Madrona Point, this exhibit features works that explore the beauty of the land and our deep connection to the past. Through Peter Fisher’s stunning photography, the exhibition reflects the community’s journey to preserve this sacred site.
“In 1984, I began documenting Madrona Point when it was threatened by development,” said Peter C. Fisher, Orcas Island Historical Museum President. “This place, the spiritual and geographic heart of Orcas Island, carries profound meaning. Art became my way of honoring its story and helping others feel its sacred presence.”
The exhibition revisits a pivotal community moment, when over 20 artists came together in 1986 in the first group show at Orcas Center to raise awareness and support the preservation of Madrona Point. The Madrona Point Committee was then formed, and their collective efforts culminated in a historic land transfer to the Lummi Nation in 1990.
“This show is about more than history,” Fisher added. “It’s about the enduring power of place, spirit, and community. Art, at its best, can be a vessel for healing, memory, and transformation.”
Peter Fisher will also be holding a free slide show and talk on June 7 at 2 PM on the Orcas Center main stage, discussing how the Orcas and Lummi community joined together in the 1980s to save Madrona Point, and present further actions we can take to preserve this sacred land. Donations to the sponsors, Orcas Center and the Historical Museum, gladly accepted. More information can be found at www.OrcasCenter.org.
Join us for the art opening reception on Friday, May 23 at 5:30 PM with remarks by Peter C. Fisher, Ron Myers on the piano, light refreshments, and a community show, “Orcas Retrospectives” in the Madrona Room.
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