Ené and Eugene Lewis, owners of Indian Street Pottery, received the 32nd annual Mayor’s Arts Award this year for education in pottery. Mayor Dan Pike announced the seven winners Feb. 27 and a ceremony was held April 13 at the Whatcom Museum.
“We knew nothing about it before we received the award,” Ené said. “It was definitely a surprise.”
Ené and Eugene founded Indian Street Pottery in 1980, shortly after arriving in Bellingham from New York state. Both have been teaching art classes at Whatcom Community College for 14 years. “We love Bellingham,” Ené said. “We feel extremely lucky to have landed here.”
Ené teaches beginning ceramics at WCC, and all levels during summer quarter. She has also taught art and painting. Eugene teaches wheel throwing – using a potter’s wheel to shape round ceramics. Prior to being adjunct professors, the couple did mainly studio work, Ené said. “We make a big variety of clay,” she said. “It’s fun to make stuff all the time. Gene likes to do wood carving too.”
The pottery’s studio, located at 1309 Indian St., features samples of the couples’ various skills hanging on walls and sitting on shelves. Ceramic masks with long snouts and red cheeks, clay pots of varying sizes and wood carvings of boats and animals are exhibited in the windows. The back room hosts two potter’s wheels, assorted paints and tools to mold and engrave the clay.
Ené said it is very humbling to win the award. “There was all kinds of people writing all kinds of nice things about us,” she said.
Lynn Peterson nominated Ené and Eugene on behalf of the Whatcom Community College Studio Potters Program. She said she did not give the couple any clue about the nomination. “I think it was a complete surprise to them to win,” she said. “I interviewed about 15 people and then wrote and edited their remarks.”
Peterson said that Ené and Eugene continue to give long-lasting and significant contributions through their teaching and community involvement to the entire Bellingham art movement. “More so, they have also shared their personal selves and spirit with those of us privileged to know and to have spent time with them,” she said.
The Lewis’ willingly offer their talent and energy, knowledge and skill, Peterson said. “We can't wait to see what is next on their creative lists,” she said. “It is no wonder that they continue to produce such fine, sought-after and high quality art pieces.”
Shannon Taysi, the program’s manager in the city’s Planning and Community Development Department, said submissions are accepted from January until the end of the year, usually from colleagues or organizations of the nominees. The Bellingham Arts Commission reviews the nominations and the mayor makes the final decision.
“There were several nominations for Indian Street Pottery by people I believe they have touched,” Taysi said. She said there were 20 nominees this year.
In a press release, Mayor Dan Pike said he is happy for another year of strong nominees. “The continued enthusiasm for the Mayor’s Arts Awards makes me proud of our community’s diverse and flourishing artists and cultural organizations,” he said.
The Bellingham arts community has a range of directions, Eugene said. “We’re involved with poets, musicians, sculptures and artists,” said Ené. “They are out there and visible – it’s fabulous. We’ve even hosted them in our living room.”
Taysi said the Mayor’s Arts Award promotes a strong sense of community. “This is a great program,” she said. “It’s something everyone looks forward to each year.”
Eugene said their goal is to keep developing new ideas and creations. “If we have a particular focus we work on that,” he said. “Otherwise we try to disperse our energy between creating and teaching.” At the WCC pottery studio, the couple teaches current and former students, as well as community members. “They move up to independent status, have access to the studio and some become pretty proficient. Some are taught here on Indian Street,” he said.
Ené said not all schools have programs like that. “It’s quite wonderful when students say they didn’t know they could do that,” she said.
The Lewis’ met at Alfred University in New York and opened their first studio in Brooklyn. They have two adult children and said they are thankful they also had time to raise a family.
Ené said she believes Bellingham is a terrific community and York is a nice neighborhood. “Our goal is to do as much here at the studio and out there,” she said. “You can’t do everything in one life, but you can try. There’s only so many hours in a day.”
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