Gratitude Exhibition: Photographer Julie Anderson
- lummiislandhealtha
- 5 days ago
- 2 min read
Some art begins with a moment so ordinary it almost slips by… until it doesn’t.
For Julie Anderson, inspiration arrived one evening while looking at a beloved tree she sees often along the shores of Lummi Island...familiar, grounding, and always present. But on this particular night, something shifted. The sky lit up with soft pink clouds at sunset, and in that pairing of tree and sky, it was magical. A photograph was born, but more than that, a sense of awe was captured.
Julie’s work is rooted in gratitude for stillness. Not just quiet surroundings, but an inner stillness, a practice of becoming present enough to meet life as it is. For her, gratitude is deeply connected to acceptance, to presence, and to touching what she describes as the “deep TRUE LOVE” that exists for all creation.
Island life supports this practice in profound ways. The quietude of Lummi Island, the lush green landscape, the shifting light over water, and the chorus of birdsong all invite her inward. And yet, that inward journey is also filled with outward wonder. Her camera becomes a companion, always ready, because there is always something worth capturing.
“My camera is soooooo full,” she shares, overflowing with joy at the beauty around her.
At the heart of Julie’s work is her “Dancing Tree,” a subject she returns to again and again. She hopes viewers don’t just see the image, but feel something of what she feels: connection, movement, and a sense that the tree itself is speaking. This special photograph was chosen to be part of the Whatcom Million Trees Project 2026 wall calendar.
While nature is a central part of her gratitude, Julie is quick to name something else just as important: the people. The community. “Very lovely people!” she says with emphasis and joy. The connection to neighbors, friends, and fellow islanders completes the picture of gratitude she carries.
In Julie’s work, stillness and beauty meet joy. The result is an invitation to slow down, to notice, and to remember that wonder is always closer than we think.
See Julie's photography and read more about her at the Gratitude: Stories of the Heart Exhibition now showing at the Lummi Island Health & Wellness Resource Center. Open Monday-Thursday 9:00am-Noon.
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