We are excited to share this guest blog by Alice Mendoza, who was a driving force behind BIMA’s now annual Día de los Muertos celebrations! 

It was 1992. I had just joined the Wilkes Elementary 3rd grade teaching team, where the Social Studies focus was on Pacific Rim countries. 

I was thrilled to discover that very little curriculum was available, leaving it up to me to create my own, based on the District standards/framework provided. 

I had moved to Bainbridge Island with my then 6th and 9th grade sons in 1990, after having taught for 6 years at UCLA’S Laboratory Elementary School (UES), where hands-on, integrated learning was the bedrock of our philosophy. I welcomed the opportunity to create meaningful learning opportunities for my students that would also open their eyes to the bigger world around them.

As a member of the BISD Multicultural Lead Teachers Committee, I sought ways to introduce my students to other cultures, so this was very exciting for me!

During our annual Fall parent conferences, Mario’s mother, Magali Duarte, who also happened to be my son Tom’s 9th grade Spanish teacher, offered to lend me a video that she showed her students each year about an authentic Día de los Muertos (DDLM) celebration in Oaxaca. I was in the process of creating a study of Mexico, so I was intrigued. 

However, her students were 9th graders, mine were 8/9 year olds. Would they be engaged?

The time had come. I had told my students very little about Día de los Muertos, only that we would be traveling to a rural village in Oaxaca to learn about a very important cultural celebration.

The video started.

25 minutes later it concluded. No one said a word. 

A hand went up.

“Yes, Adam?” I asked.

“Ms. Mendoza, I think we should have our own DDLM celebration,” he responded.

(I get goose bumps typing this)

What?!

The classroom erupted with enthusiastic support.

Not only that, they also insisted on watching it again, so they could take notes on what they would need for our ceremony!

This had not been in my lesson plan, which was perfect–they were learning by doing!

So every year, until I retired in 2014, I showed my 3rd graders this historic video and every year they recommitted to carrying on the tradition.

Cynthia Sears, the founder of BIMA, became and remains one of my dearest friends after showing up in the Wilkes Elementary hallway to congratulate me for being chosen as one of two Island Treasures that year (2007). She often attended our classroom DDLM celebrations.

When I retired in 2014, the year BIMA opened, Cynthia took me out to lunch and asked me to bring the DDLM celebration she had experienced over the years in my 3rd grade classroom to the museum for the wider community to experience.

What?!

I looked into her eyes and told her, “Yes! Let’s make this happen!” 

But I had a brainstorm as Araceli Cruz immediately came to mind. I had had her daughter, Trinity, in my 3rd grade class at Ordway Elementary, just a year before. Araceli, being of Mexican American ancestry and a brilliantly talented artist, basically lived in my classroom during our annual preparation for DDLM. She enriched our study in such a natural and authentic way that she just had to be on my team to bring DDLM to our greater community.

So there we were. Cynthia, Araceli, and I, embarking on this wonderful journey to enable our community to experience the cycle of life through another cultural lens, welcoming the spirit of loved ones home for a visit, on the wings of butterflies. 

Notes:

Magali Duarte who lent me the film that started it all has been our fabulous Catrina (the elegant skeleton figure that is a symbol of DDLM) during BIMA’s DDLM processional since the beginning of the celebrations.

Adam Folley, the student who raised his hand in third grade, was our realtor last year when we sold our Bainbridge home and moved to Poulsbo.

My son, Tom Neal, teaches Spanish at Hyla High School, encouraging his students’ involvement in BIMA’s DDLM each year. 

There’s a magic to the BRAVA Awards that goes beyond recognition. It’s about pausing to witness the brilliance of artists who illuminate the world, even when it can feel heavy or uncertain. This year’s ceremony was a celebration of that light, a reminder of why BIMA exists to support creativity and give artists room to thrive.

We honored four remarkable artists: Sarah Bryant, winner of the Artists’ Books Artist Award (United States); Dan Friday, recipient of the Native American & First Nations Artist Award (Salish Sea Region); Yolanda Galery, winner of the Emerging Artist Award (Puget Sound Region); and Nikki McClure, recipient of the 2025 Special Choice Category: Children’s Book Illustrator Award (Puget Sound Region). Each brought a unique perspective to their work—Sarah with her thoughtful book arts; Dan, weaving ancestral imagery into glass; Yolanda, celebrating identity and expression through vibrant paintings; and Nikki, whose delicate paper-cut illustrations connect children to wonder and the natural world.

Throughout the evening, we reflected on the state of the art world and the challenges artists face. BIMA Executive Director, Sheila Hughes, reminded us of the importance of cultivating hope: “Artists see and interpret this complicated world for us. They cultivate our hope. And in the struggle against apathy and cynicism…things that shut down our world and make it smaller, they open the world back up for us with ideas, perspectives and expressions. They call us into inquiry. But at BIMA, we understand that we are downstream on this cultural river, and that further upstream, the artists themselves are experiencing their livelihoods being threatened, disrespected, disrupted…I know this all sounds quite dark, but there are lights in this world, from candles and flashlights, to bioluminescence and exploding stars, and this program and this museum are among them. BIMA and BRAVA Awards can’t replace the IMLS, and they can’t set the Kennedy Center back on their track, but we can be a light on the path for artists who are interested in cultivating hope. And in this case, four artists, who each have something very important and very beautiful to share with us. We can add our light to the sum of light.”

The evening also featured BRAVA Award films by Tony Hannawacker, centered on each winner and offering an intimate look into their inspirations, processes, and stories. Watching these films reminded everyone present why art matters—it connects, challenges, and uplifts us. See below to watch these amazing films!

The celebration concluded with Nikki McClure, the last award winner to be honored, sharing her encouragement: “Keep making, believe that you can make, know that you can make, and know that you will make. And we are here today to celebrate, and we’re going to support this creative work. These people working towards illuminating joy… working towards showing people wonder, and creating unity, creating community. So tomorrow, what are we going to do tomorrow? I say we just keep doing this. Let’s find somebody to lift up, let’s find someone to encourage, let’s find someone to support…you have a whole community behind you, and they are all saying: ‘More, more, please, we need you!’…”

And with that, Nikki shouted: BRAVA!!

Congratulations to the 2025 BRAVA Award winners, and thank you for continuing to be a beacon of light in this world. We are honored to stand beside you and champion your work.

BIMA was beaming on Sunday, September 21, 2025, as The Book Club of Washington honored our founder, Cynthia Sears, with the 2025 Emory Award for her outstanding work championing artists’ books and the literary arts.

Cynthia’s vision and leadership have shaped BIMA into a vibrant hub for artistic exploration, fostering community engagement, and celebrating creativity throughout the Pacific Northwest. From The Book Club of Washington, “Cynthia Sears is a tireless advocate for the book arts and a national figure whose impact continues to shape the field. Her vision, generosity, and leadership have elevated the cultural landscape of Washington State.”

June 6, 2025

Dear BIMA Community, Family, and Friends,

Last week, I made the painstaking but ultimately hurtful decision to cancel a rental production of “One Family in Gaza” in BIMA’s auditorium. That decision has created a deep rift in our community and serves as a sobering challenge to us as an organization that works to exist of, by, and for community.

The Board of Directors and leadership team join me in a unanimous acknowledgement of the damage that can be done when the care with which the values we are entrusted to nurture falls short, however unintentionally. For this, I offer a deep and unreserved apology.

For 12 years, BIMA has served as a space where voices and stories, especially those that are complex or difficult, are amplified through the work, diversity, and breadth of artists. In canceling the production with so little time for the play presenters to respond, BIMA fell short of our goals as an organization and of our agreements with cultural partners, fracturing the trust that we have worked so hard to earn. While my intention in that moment was to prevent potential harm, I recognize that the decision had an immediate and deeply adverse effect on KPSC and every member of the community. This experience presents a humbling opportunity for us to revisit our responsibilities – from basic policies and communication to the very values upon which the museum was built.

We have reached out to Kitsap Palestine Solidarity Coalition, who have already been thoughtful and generous in their dialogue with us, to begin a process of deep listening and healing through facilitated discussion. The grace with which they, and so many others, have chosen to navigate this is deeply appreciated. The responses from across the Island and beyond have been received, and each letter will be considered with respect in our decision-making as we move forward, paying special attention to suggestions that better advance mutual understanding and increase our cultural sensitivity.

BIMA will be reviewing our policies and processes, and we hope to better uphold our values and commitments so that the heartbreaking and divisive impact of this instance is never repeated. BIMA accepts the responsibility to learn from this moment of deficiency and disappointment, to rise to the high bar we have always attempted to set, and to repair trust where broken, one relationship at a time.

Thank you to all those who have held us accountable and challenged us to be the museum that truly works in service of our whole community. We are committed to restoration, redemption, and healing, standing shoulder to shoulder with the artists who give life to our mission and with each of you

In solemnity,

Sheila Hughes, Executive Director

Bainbridge Island Museum of Art Board of Directors

A special end of year message from Bainbridge Island Museum of Art Executive Director Sheila Hughes. 2024 was an incredible year at BIMA, and we could not have done it without the support of our wonderful community. Thank you all, and happy holidays!

BIMA’s members, donors, volunteers, artists, and supporters are the reason that this small regional museum has achieved so much in such a short time. We’re extremely proud to share our online 2023 Annual Report to the Community, a year where our regional impact, support to artists, and commitment to community reached an all-time high. 

The photos and stories capture extraordinary memories of this ‘Year of Appreciation,’ especially to you, our closest supporters and dearest friends. Enjoy this snapshot of your community investment in action — helping BIMA make waves in ways we never would have imagined ten years ago. 

Thank you for your continued friendship, support, and encouragement!

Sheila Hughes

BIMA Executive Director

In response to summer visitor patterns, Bainbridge Island Museum of Art (BIMA) will experiment with extended evening hours this summer. Beginning June 30, 2023 to coincide with the opening of the Museum’s first ever juried exhibition, BIMA Spotlight, the museum will stay open until 8:00 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. The effort builds upon BIMA’s success with extended hours on First Fridays and will continue through September 2nd. 

Not only will the galleries be open later, but the BIMA Bistro will be open and serve beer, wine, and snacks while the Museum Store will be open for shopping. This effort was inspired by recent shifts in visitor trends, with day-trippers coming to visit Bainbridge Island later in the day than in previous years. 

BIMA hopes that these extended evening hours will serve their local audience as much as tourists. “I’m excited to give this a try,” said Korum Bischoff, BIMA’s Director of Communications & Visitor Experience. “While I’m happy to give our tourists the ability to interact with the art and culture of our region, I’m even more excited to give our local and West Sound audiences different hours in which to visit. It can be hard to escape to the museum during your work day, and, let’s be honest, parking isn’t ideal during the day on summer weekends in Winslow.” 

Bainbridge Island Museum of Art and Pegasus Coffee Partner to Create an Exceptional Visitor Experience 

The launch of the new coffee bar helps kick off the museum’s 10th Anniversary

Bainbridge Island Museum of Art is proud to announce the unveiling of a redesigned BIMA Bistro including a new Pegasus Coffee espresso bar. The launch of the new Bistro will be celebrated with a kick-off reception on Friday, May 5th. The BIMA Bistro is located in the heart of the museum, enveloped in the art of the Puget Sound region, and is known locally as the living room of the community.

In response to frequent visitor requests for espresso at the museum, the remodeled Bistro will now offer a full menu of espresso-based beverage options featuring Pegasus’ top-quality coffee, ethically sourced and roasted weekly on Bainbridge Island. The new coffee bar will complement Chef Stephanie Knutson’s rotating menu of artfully created and seasonally inspired Pacific Northwest cuisine. The Bistro’s updated look pulls from coffeehouse culture, using rich tones to create a cozy feel, and a salon-style wall featuring art from BIMA’s Permanent Art Collection.

“Coffee and art make the perfect pairing,” said Korum Bischoff, BIMA’s Director of Communications & Visitor Experience. “For years now, one of the most frequent questions we get at museum reception is whether the Bistro has espresso. We’re thrilled that the answer will finally be ’YES.’ The redesign of the Bistro space and partnership with Pegasus Coffee will enhance the overall experience for our visitors.”

In celebration of its 10th anniversary this year, Pegasus Coffee has also collaborated with BIMA to create a custom blend of coffee to be served and sold exclusively in the Bistro. The medium-roast blend features high-scoring coffees from Colombia, Sumatra, and Tanzania, and offers tasting notes of orange, spice, and subtle cocoa. The blend can be enjoyed exclusively at BIMA’s Bistro, and bags of whole bean coffee will be available for purchase at the museum’s gift shop and on the Pegasus Coffee website.

“We’re thrilled to partner with BIMA to bring together two Island institutions,” said Pegasus President and co-owner Matt Grady, “and to promote a space that Pegasus has long supported and inhabited – the intersection of great coffee, community, and the arts.”

The collaboration with the BIMA is part of Pegasus Coffee’s efforts to expand its presence on Bainbridge Island. The Coffee Bar at BIMA Bistro provides a convenient location for Island commuters and visitors alike to grab a high-quality cup of coffee just steps from the Bainbridge Island Ferry Terminal.

The Bistro is now open Wednesday-Monday 10am-4pm and Tuesday 10am-3pm.