La Conner Community News partners with Swinomish youth and artist Taysha James-Sherman to transform old newsstands into vibrant symbols of culture and community.
Newspaper boxes on the Swinomish Reservation will soon attract attention like the headlines they display.
Led by primary artist Taysha James-Sherman, the staff at Swinomish Boys & Girls Club have repainted the boxes, highlighting one with images of children’s handprints and the other with a striking Coast Salish design created by James-Sherman.
The boxes were used for many years by the La Conner Weekly News, which ceased publication last December. The new La Conner Community News acquired the boxes, and through the efforts of two of its board members, Lynn Beebe and Janie Beasley, sought out the Boys & Girls Club to spruce up the aging newsstands.
“This project brings together everything the newspaper stands for — collaboration, creativity, and connection,” said Beebe, who is chairwoman of the La Conner Community News board of directors. “Partnering with the Boys & Girls Club, especially Ariana Freeman and Taysha James-Sherman, not only revived these boxes but also celebrated Indigenous art and youth voices.”
Club director Charlie Edwards said staffers Ricky Richards and Ariana Freeman sanded the boxes last summer. The next step was to refresh the boxes with bright new red paint and adorn one with the handprints.
“Taysha then came up with the design (for the other box),” said Edwards, noting that it was the first official foray into indigenous art for James-Sherman, who, in addition to her work at the Boys & Girls Club, is a La Conner High School assistant softball coach.
“It turned out great,” Edwards said. “Taysha always had the talent. She’s always been creative.”
James-Sherman said she draws inspiration from her late maternal grandfather Jimi Sam, who was an accomplished designer, carver and illustrator perhaps best known locally for having championed a successful blues festival here.
“This was my first design,” James-Sherman said of the new-look news box. “Normally I re-do my granddad’s art.”
“I draw at home quite a bit,” she added, sharing a photo of what she modestly called the “rough draft” of a quite intricate design.
James-Sherman thanked Beasley and Beebe for enlisting the Boys & Girls Club to revamp the news boxes.
“Lynn brought them over here and asked if we could do something with them,” James-Sherman said.
James-Sherman said Beebe regularly volunteers at the Boys & Girls Club.
“Lynn’s very involved,” James-Sherman said. “She’s amazing.”
Beebe praised the work.
“The boxes went from being drab and utilitarian to colorful works of art that make them more than functional — they’re welcoming beacons for local news and community pride,” she said. “I’m grateful to everyone who helped bring this vision to life.”
As is the artwork that now adorns the La Conner Community News news boxes, which James-Sherman said will likely be placed at Swinomish Markets fuel stations in the village and casino.
Bill Reynolds is a general assignment reporter for La Conner Community News.
