niebruggestudio.com

On our third hike up the Hatcher Pass road to the summit we made it all the way to Summit Lake, it was worth every minute. What a beautiful little lake. Great photo research for future paintings! It was a crystal clear morning. The road is now open but at this time of the day we saw only two vehicles.

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska Artist

About three miles down the Archangel Road in Hatcher Pass is the trailhead to Reed Lakes, Snowbird. One early morning in June we set aside two hours to hike, we were not sure how far we would get in one hour outbound. The start of the trail is spectacular with views of a chain of beaver ponds. The trail follows alongside the creek and looks like it was washed out last fall for about a mile, it is like traveling up a dry stream bed. Along the sides of the rocky bottom you can see where the dirt trail used to be. After a mile the trail gets good again. (more…)

We had a lovely visit with guests from Entree Alaska Custom Tours the other day, they arrived via Rusts Flying Service float plane at our dock. The limo was on stand-by as our guests toured the studio and joined us for lunch. We said good bye as they departed in the limo to catch a cruise in Seward. What a way to travel!

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska Artist

The cauliflower in the garden is reaching maturity. I covered the heads with leaves, but they outgrew the cover and started getting sunburned and turning pink along the exposed edges. I picked larger leaves and tucked them in to keep the head pure white. By the way, we already ate this one and it was tender, and tasty!

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska Artist

The Kennicott Glacier Lodge hosted me during my Artist-in-Residence at Kennicott, and is my favorite place to stay. I have watched the lodge grow through the years and am friends with the staff, the Assistant Manager Joann pictured with me above, and the owners. I recommend this place as a must to stay when you visit Kennicott/Mc Carthy, Alaska.

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska Artist

I spent another full day hiking with National Park guides to the iceberg filled Erie Lake on the Root Glacier planning to frame the lake with the glacier in the background to use as reference material for a future painting. Pilot reports said that the lake was full of water, unfortunately it drained out during the night and all that remained were huge icebergs. In the distance is the stairway icefalls. The hike was about 12 miles round trip and very interesting. We had to wait for a black bear with two tiny spring cubs to leave the trail on our return trip.
More tomorrow,

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska Artist

Students joined me for a sketching walk at the Historic Kennecott Copper Mill site. We climbed the trail alongside the mill and sketched from the bridge over National Creek. Students are pictured on the trail to Silk Stocking Row sketching a scene of the mill buildings.

A bonus surprise, we found a garden of Columbine to sketch.

More tomorrow,

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska Artist

Ranger Marie accompanied me with a guide on an all day hike exploring the Root Glacier and the waterfall at Donahoe Peak in the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. It was a hot, sunny day, ice crampons worked well in the porous surface of the glacial ice.

More tomorrow

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska Artist

The largest building at May Creek served as the central kitchen, sleeping quarters and gathering place for the brush clearing volunteers. The guys cooked pancakes for everyone on the last day. (more…)

During my Artist-in-Residency I was invited to join a group of volunteers who were clearing brush from remote airstrips within the park.  This was a perfect opportunity to see more of the park, sketch and photograph some of the public use cabins and surrounding scenery.  We spent a beautiful day at Peavine, a gravel airstrip at the base of the Chitistone Canyon between the Wrangell and St. Elias mountain ranges. (more…)

While serving as Artist-in-Residence I flew in the park owned single engine Cessna to many interesting sites that can only be reached by small gravel and grass runways.  Here is the runway at Jake’s Bar, a beautiful spot along the Chitina River with a public use cabin. (more…)

My first assignment as Artist-in-Residence for the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park was to teach a workshop about sketching in the field. The sun blessed us as we walked and sketched along the bluff trail overlooking the Copper River with views of the Wrangell Mountains. We pursued three points of view; finding compositions in the distance, middle ground and up-close. (more…)

What a difference a few weeks makes in the seasonal changes to the landscape at Hatcher Pass, Palmer, Alaska. The last week of May we hiked the closed Hatcher Pass Road, and it was still impassable due to snow drifts. Three weeks later it is gorgeous and I’m surprised the road is still closed. What a great hike and wonderful photo opportunities for future reference material for paintings! In the distance is the Independence Mine State Historical Park hard-rock gold mine. (more…)

We took a quick trip to Homer, Alaska, and camped with our daughter and family at a nice campground on the Homer Spit. Along with wonderful sunny weather, we had a steady, constant wind which was perfect for keeping a kite in the air. Many a lazy hour was spent watching the kite dip and dive in the sky. I found many subjects to sketch and photograph for my reference files to use in future paintings.

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska Artist

One cool summer morning we decided to hike the Fishhook trail in Hatcher Pass, a 1,500 ft. climb to the 4,069 ft. peak of Marmot Mountain. The year round trailhead is located at Fishhook parking lot just before the Hatcher Pass Lodge. We began with low clouds shrouding the peak, and wildflowers blooming everywhere. A beautiful place to hike! (more…)

I talked to Patrick, the owner of Applied Organics, about the growing population of ducks dining on the corn gluten weed seed killer that he spread on our lawn last month. He was mortified, ours was the first lake property he has serviced and has never had this problem before. The corn gluten came in small pellets, just perfect for waterfowl to nibble. On his next visit Patrick assured me he would reapply new gluten, and this time use the powdered version. Meanwhile, I’m spending a lot of time cleaning poop off of the dock.

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska Artist

Join me at the historic Kennecott, in the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, July 17 for a two hour field sketching workshop from 1:15-3:15PM. Art supplies provided. I will be giving a slide presentation showing 30 years of painting the Wrangell-St. Elias July 17, 4:00-5:30PM at the Kennecott Recreation Hall.  Slide presentation July 18, 8:00PM at the Kennecott Glacier Lodge. I don’t think I will be able to post to my blog during my week at the Kennecott, but will catch you up on all the happenings when I return to the studio.
Gail Niebrugge, Alaska Artist

I’m getting ready to spend some time in the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park as the Artist in Residence 2007. Friday, July 13 at 7:00PM I will be presenting a slide show at the Copper River Princess Lodge, showing 30 years of paintings. July 13 at 1:15-3:15PM I host “A Walk through the Eyes of an Artist” with a field sketching workshop at the park Visitor Center. Art supplies are provided. You can find out more about my schedule in the park by going to the Events Calendar on my website.

During my stay in the park I may not be able to update my blog, but will certainly update everything when I return to the studio. From the Copper Center headquarters I will travel to the Kennicott where I will spend the bulk of my time. Hope to see some of you out there, it is one of the most beautiful places in the world!

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska Artist

Gail and Karin Marks, owner of the Art Shop Gallery in Homer, relax after a successful show.  Karin, always the perfect hostess, prepared a delicious dinner afterward for the gallery staff, family and friends.  It was a wonderful day.  The weather in Homer was beautiful, sunny but not too hot, just the way I like it!  We drove to Homer after watching the Mt. Marathon Race on the 4th of July in Seward.  Our son, famous photographer Ron, announced the women’s race from a flatbed truck on Main Street.  What a hoot!

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska Artist

Armed with a fuzzy map without details and some verbal discriptions from friends, we eagerly set forth one morning for our first climb on the Matanuska Peak Trail, Palmer, Alaska. We knew it would be tough, it was 4 miles to the summit and a 5670 feet climb, but we planned to go at least part of the way and test ourselves. I was looking forward to photographing new scenery for use in future original paintings. (more…)