FREELAND, Wash. — Photographer Mike Holtby didn't need to look further than his Whidbey Island home to find the inspiration for his latest project.
"The fact that there are so many men on Whidbey, especially South Whidbey, that have beards. I would hazard to guess it's 40, 50 percent."
Mike put out an open call in 2022 to any islander with a beard who wanted a free portrait and launched The Whidbey Beard Project. He's taken more than 50 portraits and he plans to put them in a book that celebrates the island's abundance of furry faces.
"I wanted to dispel the stereotypes about bearded men,” he said.
So he took portraits of men like Bexar O’Riley, a kilt-wearing Army veteran who braids his beard.
"I don't know who I would be without it," O’Riley said. "It's a big part of who I am.”
And men like Mark Helpenstell, retired from Boeing, who grew his beard to cover a bike accident scar, and posed with his favorite mule. His beard philosophy comes from a bearded comedian.
"George Carlin, like 100 years ago was quoted as saying, I'll probably get it wrong, ‘See my beard, ain’t it weird, don't be sceered, just my beard,’ I think that’s it,” Helpenstell said.
And men like Matt Hoar, a performer who dyed his beard blue and posed as 'Matilda' the pirate.
"It was very whimsical very fun,” Hoar said.
“I actually asked him if he would come in drag, he's got lots of costumes,” Holtby said.
'Matilda's' portrait not only defied stereotypes, it caused controversy.
Oak Harbor Library, where it's displayed along with 11 other 'Beard Project' photos, got complaints about the bearded man in drag. Which simply illustrates the artist's point — you can't make any assumptions about beards. Or folks behind them.
"I like to think of it as you can't judge a book by its cover,” Holtby said.
Another thing has happened since Mike Holtby started taking these photographs.
"I've met some really interesting guys, it's developed into some friendships and it's been a great project in that way."
With each new portrait, this bearded brotherhood grows.
The Whidey Island Beard Project will be done shooting soon — but these connections will go on as long and as strong as the beards that started it all.