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“Drum’s Cloud” original acrylic painting by Gail Niebrugge, to purchase original call for price and availability.

Returning to my series on my early life as an artist living and painting in the Wrangell-St. Elias wilderness of Alaska. I was fascinated with Mt. Drum from the very first moment it came into view.  From my vantage point in Copper Center it is the crown jewel of the Wrangell Mountains.  These peaks make their own weather and are often completely obscured by clouds. Over three decades ago when I first arrived in the Copper River Basin I had no idea these mountains existed.  Everything above the foothills was socked-in.  It was several days before the clouds began to dissolve, slowly at first, then faster and faster until nothing but a small blanket was left clinging to the glacier-clad peak. I was captivated! It was several years before I could paint a believable image of Mt. Drum. I had to know it, study it, and understand it inside and out before I could create a creditable three dimensional illusion of this splendid dormant volcano. “Drums Cloud” is painted in my early photo realism style, many years before pointillism.

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Gail Niebrugge, wilderness artist

Along with a busy booth and brisk sales, the temperatures rose to 48 degrees above zero today in Fairbanks, snow is melting everywhere and spirits are high! We are very much enjoying our participation in this show.

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Gail Niebrugge, Alaska pointillism artist

We’ve really become high tec with a laptop in our art booth at the Northern Living Home Show in Fairbanks. It is really nice to have access to my digital files of originals and past work to show clients in the booth. We have a great spot right at the entrance to the building. Come on down and see us this weekend.

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Gail Niebrugge, Alaska Artist

We had a gorgeous drive to Fairbanks, six hours of sun on a dry two lane highway, we passed no more than three dozen vehicles in either direction the whole trip! What a contrast to Hwy. 76 in California two weeks ago, where traffic was backed up for miles on the two lane road as we were returning from Borrego Springs to catch our flight home to Alaska.

On the Parks Hwy. from the bridge over the Nenana River we saw the famous tripod that will tip when the ice goes out, signaling the exact time for the lottery winner of the Nenana River Ice Classic. It is amazing how long daylight is in Fairbanks now. With snow still on the ground and daytime temperatures in the mid 20’s it isn’t dark until 8:30PM, 13.5 hours of daylight already! What a pleasant time of the year to visit.

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Gail Niebrugge, Alaska Artist

“Pond Lily Swans” original painting in pointillism by Gail Niebrugge. Original painting sold, prints available.

After floating the Copper River from Chitina to Cordova, we drove downtown and boarded the Alaska State Ferry from Cordova to Valdez then drove the Richardson Highway home to Copper Center. Along the road from the raft take out point on the Copper River at the Million Dollar Bridge to Cordova, are an endless string of ponds full of lilies and trumpeter swan. It is a wonderful drive with an abundance of waterfowl and wildlife, the sights are stunning. This is a lush and bountiful region. As you can see from the numerous paintings I’ve posted in the past, trumpeter swan are one of my favorite subject matter to paint. The average person will never experience the beauty of such a vast wilderness in their lifetime, but in the Wrangell-St. Elias I live it every day. I am indeed fortunate.
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Gail Niebrugge, Art of Alaska

“Driftwood” original painting in pointillism by Gail Niebrugge, original sold.

Another scene painted from a raft trip on the Copper River near Dewey Creek. I wait for the perfect light to find subject matter, early morning or late evening is ideal. Twilight, sunset, dawn, or dusk will illuminate the ordinary to become extraordinary. In this case the silhouettes of the driftwood and dead trees when placed against the golden shimmery water became interesting. During the middle of the day the same scene held no interest; gray wood against gray sand with a background of gray/brown water. For days and days we floated, never seeing another human being other than ourselves. We saw plenty of wildlife and waterfowl, Bald Eagles were everywhere! One day we counted 12 black bear. Time spent in the wilderness quietly on the river is irreplaceable, and fills the soul.

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Gail Niebrugge, Alaska wilderness artist

“Rainbow of Color” original painting in pointillism by Gail Niebrugge, original sold, limited edition prints available.

With everything we needed to camp in comfort packed in dry bags and strapped to the rowing frame of a raft, I was at ease in the wilderness because I’ve floated the Copper River from Chitina to Cordova in the Wrangell-St. Elias, Alaska, several times. The float can take anywhere from 5-7 days and travels through some spectacular country. This sandy beach laden with dwarf fireweed was our campsite at Dewey Creek, about three days down river from Chitina. The rainbow was a bonus that evening and signaled good weather ahead. Fresh grizzly bear tracks on the wet sand kept us apprehensive and cautious with our food in camp. Sure enough the bear showed up as if on cue and gave us an exciting opportunity to take photos and observe. He sensed us and left us alone, a magnificent moment in the wild.
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Gail Niebrugge, Alaska Artist

“Cow with Calf” original painting in pointillism by Gail Niebrugge, commissioned by Teeland Middle School, Wasilla, Alaska, giclee limited edition prints available.

Moose are as common in Alaska as cows are to a cattle rancher. They can be found everywhere, except when you want to show one to a visitor. It is not unusual to look out the window and see one of three things in the yard; moose tracks in the snow or soft ground, a pile of moose nuggets (poop), or the actual animals helping themselves to a meal of leaves and branches, or the vegetable garden, or a prized tree. We love watching moose and finding a huge bull with a big rack of antlers. But, my best moose sightings are the ones with the mother and her calves. I have learned to keep my distance, for nothing is as scary as being near a cow moose when she senses that her young may be in danger. The best defense is to find wings for your feet.

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Gail Niebrugge, Art from Alaska

“Cotton Grass Bear” original acrylic painting by Gail Niebrugge sold, limited edition prints available.

During research for my book, “Gail Niebrugge’s Alaska Wildflowers” I sketched and photographed wildflowers in the field. Photographing cotton grass was particularly troublesome this day because a breeze made it difficult to focus on the fluffy, moving, seedhead. Deeply immersed and concentrating I was unaware of the big brown bear quietly grazing toward me. Apparently he was as unaware of me and I was of him, because suddenly we both looked up and were startled to see each other. My heart stood still, while the bear gave me a curious look. He turned around and resumed feeding nonchalantly moving away. I rapidly retreated backward stumbling over tussocks and logs, never leaving him from sight until I reached the protection of my car. In retrospect I was elated, the chance encounter gave me great subject matter for future paintings, and another story to tell!

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Gail Niebrugge, Alaska Artist

Above is a photo of the condition of the top of the historic Kennicott concentration mill in 1991.  Below is a photo of the stabilization effort in 1994 to rebuild the top to prevent rain and snow from entering the structure and undermine the foundation.

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Gail Niebrugge, artist of historic sites

“Kennicott;stabilized” original acrylic on Sintra painting by Gail Niebrugge, original sold, limited edition prints available.

It is with great pleasure that I lived to paint the stabilized version of the historic Kennicott Copper Mill and offer it in a limited edition print for my collectors world-wide. After three decades of watching, waiting, documenting the decline and collapse of roofs, walls, and foundations of this national treasure, slowly, carefully, with great attention to detail the major buildings are stabilized. Fantastic! Congratulations to all of the dedicated members of Friends of Kennicott, the State of Alaska, and the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. I am so proud of the work done to save this place, and am anxious to see the next chapter of the future unfold. I am truly blessed to be able to experience and document this part of contemporary history in my drawings, paintings, journals, and photos.

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Gail Niebrugge, Kennicott artist

“Kennicott;Pre-Restoration” original acrylic on Sintra painting by Gail Niebrugge. Part of the permanent collection of Fountainhead Hotels, Sophie Station, Fairbanks, Alaska.

This very large acrylic painting of the Kennicott Copper Mill is shown from the vantage point of the road bed just before the bridge over National Creek. This bridge washed out during the flash floods in the fall of 2006 and is slated to be rebuilt. The assay office was nearly totally destroyed in the same flood. I am beginning to see the importance of the body of work that I have produced in the Wrangell-St. Elias during the last three decades, these paintings and drawings are a significant part of the contemporary history of the region. And the best part is that I have enjoyed every minute of my work.

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Gail Niebrugge, Wrangell-St. Elias artist

“Kennecott Complex” original pen and ink drawing by Gail Niebrugge, sold.

Sometimes I just like to sit down at the drafting table and drag out my ancient crow quill pen nibs, dip them into a jar of india ink, and crosshatch, stipple, and squiggle may way into a wonderful ink drawing.  The old fashioned way.  The way we were taught before half tone screens and digital pixels.  Just pure, clean, marks with a pen nib. One at a time. It is rewarding, relaxing, and allows no room for mistakes.  I feel totally in command, knowing each and every stroke is important and cannot be changed.  I loved inking this drawing.  It is rather large and took some time, but it is a thing of beauty to behold.  An accurate rendering of the Kennicott Copper Mill in the Wrangell-St. Elias, Alaska, many years before stabilization efforts began.

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Gail Niebrugge, Alaska pen and ink artist

“Frozen Copper” original acrylic/watercolor painting by Gail Niebrugge. Original painting sold, limited edition prints available.

Through the years I have explored every nook and cranny of the historic Kennicott Copper Mill in the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. I was privileged to serve as the first Artist-in-Residence for the park, a position that I held for nearly ten years working hand in hand as a volunteer with park service employees, planning interpretive displays, selecting the current site of the visitor information center, and learning all that I could about this historic monument. One spring we camped at the end of the McCarthy road and hiked five miles over the snowmachine packed trail to the Kennicott. It was a spectacular, clear, red-white-and-blue day. Unfortunately, the heat of the day softened the snow trail and our return hike was plagued by boots punching through the surface with every step. It was a long, painful, slow hike back to camp. This painting is the result of my research during that visit.

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Gail Niebrugge, Alaska wilderness painter

“Vintage Valley” original acrylic painting by Gail Niebrugge commissioned by the Teeland Middle School, Wasilla, Alaska. Giclee limited edition prints available.
One of the best parts of the historic Mc Carthy/Kennicott area is the abundance of artifacts, tools, wagons, parts, and containers scattered here and there. A short search of the surrounding bushes yields a found treasure or two, resting just out of sight. I especially enjoy old wagons, wooden wagon wheels, and pieces of wagons. I think it’s the aging, gray, weathered wood that appeals to me the most, coupled with some kind of rusty iron part it creates interesting still life subjects for paintings and drawings.

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Gail Niebrugge, Art of Alaska

The top photo shows the missing walls and roof on upper top right of the store and warehouse at the Kennicott in 1988, where I stood to do the research for the painting of the concentration mill posted yesterday.  The next photo shows the repaired building in 1994 as part of the stabilization efforts to preserve this historic site.

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Gail Niebrugge, Alaska painter of historic sites

“Coppertown” original acrylic painting by Gail Niebrugge, sold. This painting is published on the cover of “Mountain Wilderness” an illustrated history of the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, Alaska by William R. Hunt published by Alaska Natural History Association.
The research for this painting was done from the top floor of the store and warehouse during the period when its’ roof and side wall collapsed. Without the side wall and roof, great views of the entire concentration mill at the Kennicott Copper Mine in Wrangell-St. Elias, Alaska, and significant buildings of the mill town were easily visible. The long series of exterior stairs and the extensive cribbing of the high grade ore conveyor climbing almost to the top of the concentration mill building appears like it cannot be saved in the stabilization effort. Today only part of the stairs remain, and I’m not sure if they will be still be there when the project is finished. So, this is a painting of contemporary history.
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Gail Niebrugge, Artist of Alaska

A photo taken in 1990 from midway to the top of the Kennicott concentration mill looking down on the exterior stairs and extensive cribbing of the high grade ore conveyor. How to save these stairs is the subject of much discussion and engineering by the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park maintenance department. It is my hope that this interesting architectural feature can be preserved.

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Gail Niebrugge, painter of historic sites

“The Office” original ink/watercolor drawing by Gail Niebrugge, sold.

Back to the series on my early days living and painting the Wrangell-St. Elias. One of my favorite buildings at historic Kennicott Copper Mine in the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park is the small log building that served as the managers office. It is a simple little structure, dwarfed by the surrounding mill buildings, but charming in its own way. It is especially attractive when fireweed are in bloom, a great patch of the wildflower extends from the side yard down the cut bank and adds a nice touch of color to the building when viewed from below. I enhanced this pen and ink drawing with watercolor and while it was still wet and sprinkled it with table salt. The individual specks of salt absorbed the pigment and created a pattern of random white dots, sort of a forerunner to the technique of pointillism, a style that I developed several years later.
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Gail Niebrugge, Alaska Art

These are the first blooms I’ve seen on the Cholla Cactus this year. The Anza Borrego desert is alive in color, it has been a spectacular wildflower season. I’m sad to say that we have to leave soon, but anxious to get back to work in my studio in Alaska.

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Gail Niebrugge, wildflower artist