Back from Alaska!

It was an incredible experience. It's been a bit crazy trying to process all my impressions and deal with life back in the real world but I hope to post more writing and paintings soon!

Next stop, Alaska!

Did I mention, a long time ago, that I was returning to Alaska as Artist in Residence with the Forest Service? Well, after months spent doing everything but writing in my blog, I am almost ready to head to the great north! I am almost packed, have read everything I could find about the Tongass National Forest, rolled over in my kayak 3 times and practiced rescuing myself and others in a kayaking class, and even watched YouTube videos of the take offs and landings in the Juneau airport. 

Having already spent a week kayaking in the Chugach NF has really has helped me figure out what to bring on this trip, and I've gotten a little more ambitious. This time in addition to a small gouache set, I am bringing acrylics and canvas, and a little lightweight easel, since those lovely Forest Service kayaks can hold an amazing amount. 

I'm expecting I'll be posting from Juneau, since I've now enabled my iphone to capture the internet and deliver it to my laptop, so if I can get a signal you may be hearing from me. Of course I'll be off the grid when in the field, but really, wouldn't you rather be in a field than mapped to a grid?

4 days till lift off!

Back to Alaska, after all!

I am very excited to announce that I have been once again selected to be artist in residence with the Voices of the Wilderness program, this time in the Tongass National Forest, Tracy Arm/Ford's Terror Wilderness, Alaska. I'm especially honored because due to budget cuts, they are only able to take one artist this year, and I'm it! I'll be going at the end of July, beginning of August, which give me some time to get in kayak hoisting shape, and maybe take a class in rescue techniques before having to practice them in the cold waters of Alaska

To see what the residency is like, artist Jason Elvron has posted a journal on the VOW facebook page that describes the day to day experience. I, of course, have been pouring over the entries. "What kind of pants are they wearing? Hmmm...fleece vests, could be chilly, how many drybags are they fitting into the kayaks? No headnets, that's good. Is that a bear!?!"

Photo by Jason Elvron, 2012 Artist in Residence.

But, since I have already traveled with the Rangers in the Chugach National Forest (Nellie Juan/College Fiord Wilderness Study Area) I have an idea of what to bring. And it's really great to be able to do things a little better than I did the first time. Forget the clunky waterproof camera CASE, I'll splurge on a waterproof CAMERA and take WAY more photos. Any if I can get my hands on another audio recorder, I won't leave it out of the ziploc to be dunked and destroyed in the fiord. And I'll bring two pairs of pants, for when I follow the recorder it into the water.  And I'll be a bit more ambitious in my art supplies, the kayaks can hold more than I had expected. And I'll of course be taking my xtratufs, but with some alternate shoes in case I "overboot" (see above) and need to let them dry out.

The supply tent in our base camp, on Harbor Island.
Photo by Jason Elvron, 2012 Artist in Residence.

And I will spend more time exploring the shoreline life, pay more attention to the ducks and birds, and the forest.

And, if I couldn't get any luckier, Rangers Barbara and Tim Lydon, who kept me alive during my first residency, have family in my area so will be staying with me for a few days while they visit! So they will give me the lowdown on the Tongass, where they were based before moving north to the Chugach. 
 

Ok, this is the kayak launch that scares me, I don't want to find out how deep the fiord is!
 Photo by Jason Elvron, 2012 Artist in Residence.

 Home sweet home. Photo by Jason Elvron, 2012 Artist in Residence.

Posterized

Gallery Night Providence is starting up again with a brand new website and a classy new poster which I am thrilled to report, has my painting on it! This is the second time one of my paintings have made it to the poster and I was very lucky to be asked again to supply the image, and it coincides perfectly with my exhibit, which is having a "closing reception" at the Bert Gallery on Gallery Night, March 20, from 5:30 to 9, if you're in the area. If not, you can always hop on a plane, but no pressure.


The painting is called "The seal" and is a kayaker's view of Harriman Fiord, where I went as part of the Voices of the Wilderness Artist-In-Residence Program in the Nellie Juan-College Fiord Wilderness Study Area of the Chugach National Forest.

This year I couldn't resist the temptation to apply again to the program, this time just south east in the Tongass National Forest near Juneau. I actually sold a few of my Alaska oils during the exhibit and all of my little gouache studies I did in the field, so need to do some more research and restock! And as this is the 50th Anniversary year of the Wilderness Act, it would be great to spend some of it in the national forest with the greatest number of wilderness areas! Wish me luck!

Icing

 

 

While kayaking in Prince William Sound ice was often on my mind, under the surface, floating by in sofa sized chunks, or towering above like the skyline of NYC. Mostly I was thinking about avoiding a collision with my kayak, but I also wanted to figure out what made ice tick. Transparency has always fascinated me, and I held my camera close to the surface of icebergs to try to capture its inner life. When I returned and began to interpret it in paint I researched (or as I like to call it, googled) the structure of ice,  finding molecular diagrams and even cool animations of how ice forms melts.

I wanted to incorporate the molecular structure into a new painting I am working on, but the 2 dimensional diagrams were limited as models, so the only thing to do was to build my own. I can't wait to get back to the studio and take it for a test drive!

Exhibit update

Three little paintings (Gouache on Paper, 7inx5in) of the trees left by the Long Mesa Fire of 2002 in Mesa Verde National Park where I was Artist in Residence in 2008.  They are currently on exhibit in my show at the Bert Gallery. I will be at the gallery on Saturday, February 22 from 2 to 3, if you are in the neighborhood, stop in and say hi!