AdventuresNW
For those inspired by the art of nature, Painted Forest: The Science and Beauty of Petrified Wood, currently on display at the Whatcom Museum (Old City Hall), should not be missed. This remarkable display of wood turned to stone offers aesthetic delights that rival any exhibition of abstract painting or modern sculpture.
Petrified wood is a type of fossil created by the millennia-long process of permineralization. It begins with a tree that is buried quickly, perhaps by volcanic ash or mud. Oxygen-free conditions protect the tree from decay. Groundwater, rich in dissolved minerals like silica, seeps into the wood and fills the tree’s cells and pores. Gradually, they replace the original organic material, molecule by molecule, preserving the microscopic structure of the wood. Mineral impurities like iron oxide, manganese, and copper produce an array of colors—from earthy reds and yellows to purples and blues.
What remains is not wood at all but rather stone shaped in perfect memory of it—rings, grain, and even cellular details captured in mineral form.
The ancient forest specimens on view represent examples from the Pacific Northwest, Arizona, and Utah, as well as places like Argentina, Madagascar, and Turkey. They range in age from 15 to 300 million years old, representing a huge span of geologic time.
The Whatcom Museum (Old City Hall) is located at 121 Prospect St. in Bellingham. Painted Forest will be exhibited through April 27, 2027.
