Description

Community Means We Collage: A Free, Collaborative “Thank You” Project

How do we say a giant, meaningful thank-you to the local heroes – the volunteer firefighters in Whatcom County, who lay down their lives to train and to serve to protect us every day?  We make a mess, create a keepsake, and do it together!

Before the holiday rush sets in, we’re inviting you to slow down, connect with your neighbors, and add your personal touch to a collaborative art canvas. This is a completely free, drop-in community open house — people of ALL AGES ARE WELCOME to pull up a chair, grab a piece of paper, and help build a striking abstract mixed-media gratitude piece.

No Art Experience or Expertise Needed

Whether you stay for ten minutes or two hours, your hands will help create a piece of local history. A design roadmap is already laid out on a canvas, so all you have to do is choose your materials (or make some) and adhere or paint them on. I will provide a sprawling buffet of collage elements for you to choose from.

Everything’s provided, but you’re welcome to bring a small keepsake from home to tuck into the artwork — a scrap of an old map, a snippet of a postcard, a vintage stamp, a bit of colorful thread.

Once the community finishes the collage, we’ll photograph it, make prints, and deliver them to the Volunteer Firefighter stations.

To understand why I sponsor these Community Means We events, read about it here

📋 Event Details

• When: Saturday, November 28, 2026
• Time: Drop in anytime between 11:00 AM and 4:00 PM
• Price: Completely free! All ages welcome.
• Materials: All materials provided. (Accepting donations.)
• Location: Red Cedar Zen – 
• (Note: This event is sponsored by Harmony Thiessen Art and is not connected to the organization of Red Cedar Zen. RCZ has graciously donated this space to the community for this free event!)
• Registration: Although it is a drop-in, your registration would be very helpful for planning the necessary supplies.