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Blue Planters 5″ x 7″ original mini acrylic and watercolor painting.

I am always on the look out for unusual flower planters, these brightly painted beauties were parked on a porch in Skagway, Alaska. The front door and window trim of the building was painted the same matching blue. People are so creative, I love it!

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska Artist

Leaning Logs 5″ x 7″ miniature original watercolor and acrylic painting in pointillism.

Another version of our leaning privy.

Gail Niebrugge, Artist of Alaska

Wheel Barrow mini original acrylic and watercolor painting 5″ x 7″ image size.

I still can’t figure out how these petunias grew in such a tall tower. The clever creators of this great planter decorated a front porch in the remote settlement of Chicken, Alaska. The alleged story on the name Chicken is; the early settlers wanted to name the community after the local wild bird Ptarmigan, but didn’t know how to spell it so they used the simple word chicken instead! Only in Alaska.

Gail Niebrugge, Original Paintings of Alaska

Tilting Hilton 6″ x 8″ mini original acrylic and watercolor painting in pointillism.

My goal is to have a few miniature originals available at our rapidly approaching Open House, October 20-21. This is a painting of the tippy outhouse that served us while we lived in Caribou Cabin along the Klutina River in Copper Center, Alaska. This building was the subject of much discussion and many jokes. I’ve waited until the last minute to finish these minis, hopefully Bob will have enough time to frame them.

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska pointillism artist

Gail explaining pointillism to shoppers in her booth at the Make it Alaskan Festival in the Sullivan Arena, Anchorage. The three day event features Alaskan made products and is an excellent way to begin early holiday purchases.

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska pointillism artist

This morning while I was in the kitchen getting ready to drive to Anchorage for the Make it Alaskan Show, something outside the window caught my eye. I looked up and saw three moose ambling across the back lawn. Fortunately they didn’t find anything of interest to eat in my yard, but my guess is that they enjoyed a great feast from my neighbors apple trees. I’m glad they didn’t find my garden this summer.

Gail Niebrugge, Original Painting Artist

Thursday at the Sullivan Arena, Anchorage, Alaska, where booths are in the very early stages of construction for the Make it Alaskan Show, October 5-7. Our booth is located on the north rim, this is our view. By noon Friday the place will be alive with people, music, and activity. We have been participating in this show for more than 10 years and enjoy it very much. If you are in Anchorage this weekend, stop on over and say “Hello”.

Gail Niebrugge, Pointillism Artist

“Sanford Mountain” original acrylic painting by Gail Niebrugge. Sold.

In Alaska a phenomena of the atmosphere that fascinates me is that big mountains create their own weather and their own clouds every day. As a pilot I learned to understand cloud formations and discovered that the curved cap-shaped lenticular was an indication of winds in excess of 100 miles per hour and should be avoided. Lenticular clouds formed regularly over the Wrangell Mountains. This is a view of Mt. Sanford from the north with a large lenticular strung out for miles, in the early stages of breaking up. By evening the mountain could be completely clear. I find a certain beauty in these clouds and the unusual light they create.

More tomorrow,

Gail Niebrugge, Artist of Alaska

“Nomadic Mentastans at Jack Creek” original acrylic painting on canvas by Gail Niebrugge. Sold.

During my years as a pilot anytime we wanted to find caribou we’d jump into “Charley” (the nickname for my airplane), and fly over the Wrangell Mountains. It would never take long to find a few caribou on the hills above tree line, sometimes we were lucky and could see hundreds as they wandered and grazed in the tundra. In the winter caribou congregate along the Nabesna Road, one of only two roads into the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. I spent many hours sitting in the car with the engine and heater running watching, sketching, and photographing those beautiful animals. The herds were much bigger in the late 1970’s. On the highway to Anchorage it was not uncommon for huge numbers of these antlered creatures to surround vehicles and completely stop traffic as they crossed the road. An awesome experience!
More tomorrow,

Gail Niebrugge, Artist of Alaska

Nabesna Glacier original acrylic painting by Gail Niebrugge. Sold.

One advantage to flying my own airplane is the ability to access subject matter whenever I want, during the best time of the day for optimum light. The source of light is a key to a successful painting. Flying also gave me a new perspective to evaluate the landscape. I found I enjoyed seeing glaciers from above, each unique and different from the other like fingerprints. And, I was able to see places that were accessible only by air.

The Nabesna Glacier lies at the base of Mt. Blackburn in the Wrangell Mountains, and is the longest valley glacier in North America, over 75 miles in length! I saw the patterns in the ice as millions of multicolored pieces and painted them as if they were a mosaic.

More tomorrow,

Gail Niebrugge, Artist of Alaska

Olivia, from Seward Alaska, visited the studio with her parents and chose the print Sleeping Lady as her newest acquisition for her home. Olivia and I share a love of color. She told me her experience painting with tempera this summer, and how the colors have changed as they aged. I encouraged her to try acrylic next time, because the colors will stay true. It is always exciting to talk to a young budding artist and share our love for art. Thanks for visiting Olivia!

Gail Niebrugge, Art of Alaska