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This beautifully framed Gail Niebrugge limited edition print Kennicott Mill, image size 16″x24″, has been sold-out for many years. The outside dimensions of the framed print are 30″x38″ and is in perfect condition, priced at $795.00. Call Niebrugge Studio at 907-746-3256 if you are interested in purchasing this hard-to-find collectible.

As if on cue, the migrating Trumpeter Swans showed up to the delight of our guests attending the annual Open House last weekend. It was the largest group of swans to appear so far, sixteen in number! They stayed just long enough to parade by our windows in single file, then continued on around the peninsula and out of sight. I grabbed the camera and tried to capture the scene, but the swans are hardly visible! You have to use your imagination. This photo proves that I’m a better painter than a photographer.
We had guests from all over the state; Kodiak, Fairbanks, McCarthy, Kenai, as well as visitors from as far as Germany. Quite a few originals found new homes and lots of prints were carried out the door. Early Christmas shopping and planning definitely took place.

For me the best part of the Open House was reuniting with old friends and collectors, sharing our lives, and getting caught up with each other. Today we are exhausted, but happy. It is a lot of work but definitely worth the effort.

Gail Niebrugge, Artist of Alaska

Original painting Sunflower 36″x48″ acrylic on Canvas by Gail Niebrugge.

We have had numerous requests for prints of Sunflower and are happy to announce that Niebrugge Studio is offering canvas Giclee prints in two sizes; 16″x21.5″ limited edition 200 s/n for $320.00 US, and 24″x32″ limited edition 150 s/n for $615.00 US. These Giclee’s on canvas are of the highest quality, very handsome, rich in color, and are often mistaken for the original art. We hope to have this image added to our website soon, until then place your order by phone (907)746-3256, fax (907)745-3110, or mail; Niebrugge Studio, PO Box 4187, Palmer, AK 99645.

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska Original Paintings

I’ve been busy re-hanging original paintings for our annual Open House October 20-21. The big new Sunflower painting looks right at home in the living room. (more…)

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

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

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

Several hundred guests attended and eight artists displayed their work during the opening reception at the Valley Friday Invitational Art Exhibit at Mat-Su College.  Pictured are guests browsing the Niebrugge Studio print bins during the event.  I enjoyed renewing my friendship with featured artist James Belcher whom I have known for many years, but seldom see.  Live music, food, and a relaxed atmosphere made an enjoyable evening for all.

Gail

Grassy Wetlands original 22″x 30″ acrylic/watercolor painting on rag paper.

Tonight, September 28 from 5:00PM-8:00PM, I will be attending the opening reception of Mat-Su Valley Friday Invitational and exhibiting my prints. Twenty artists from the valley will be represented in the show held at the Upstairs Gallery and art classrooms at the Matanuska-Susitna College in Palmer. The original painting, Grassy Wetlands, will hang in the gallery until October 5. Fine Arts Coordinator, Suzanne Bach, says it is a very strong show.

Gail Niebrugge, Art of Alaska

Sunflower 36″x48″ acrylic on canvas original pointillism painting.

The finished painting Sunflower. Next, the completed work will be photographed and digitized for my records, once the photography is complete I will apply several coats of Gloss Acrylic Gel to the entire surface. The gel will intensify color and give a nice tough finish to the surface. Since I prefer to use gloss gel I wait until after the painting is photographed before applying the finish coat, because the photo lighting reflects off the glossy surface and creates tiny white sparkles on the painting. When the gel coat is dry I take the painting to the frame shop for framing. Meanwhile I enter the title and vital information into my original painting database and original painting price lists. The image will be submitted for registration with the U.S. Government Copyright Office. The painting should be ready to exhibit at our annual Open House, October 20-21.

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska Pointillism Artist

New photos to share. Here I am doing a giant signature with big fat unruly brushes on the wildflower mural in Seward. I didn’t have my brushes, so I improvised. Later in the day it rained cats and dogs, I hope the signature didn’t bleed all over the mural. Anyway, it was really fun to see the finished product.

More tomorrow.

Gail Niebrugge, Art of Alaska

Close-up detail of underpainting where several layers of dots have been applied to the leaves in the lower left section of the Sunflower original painting. (more…)

A close-up detail showing pencil lines, underpainting, and first layer of dots on the upper left section of the sunflower original painting. (more…)

This is a fairly large canvas, 36″x48,” with the easel positioned as low as it can go. Tall canvases require a lot of adjusting of the easel up and down in order for me to paint comfortably. I work hard to avoid bending over or raising my arm for long periods of time. The problem is that I have a tendency to be lazy and hate to take the time to move my tabouret, pull the easel out from the wall, unlock the stops and ratchet the easel to a new height then lock the stops, push the easel back and reposition the tabouret. So, I end up limiting my painting to one section of the composition at a time instead of moving freely around the whole canvas. For extremely large canvases I use more than one easel, sometimes I’ve used three easels and the logistics become even more complicated.

What I need is an easel with a pneumatic pump, like the one on my adjustable chair. My drafting table works that way too, but I’ve never seen an easel with one. Anyone know of such a product?
More tomorrow,

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska Artist

At this stage I concentrated on placing mid-value dots of acrylic paint on the top leaves and begin to develop the petals along the upper portion of the flower in pointillism.

More tomorrow,

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska Artist

First I lightly sketch the subject onto a canvas using a pencil, after that I flung paint all over the original sketch from several large brushes and created a random splattering of various colors. When the splatters and drips dried I applied acrylic paint as a transparent wash to fill in large areas with pale color. Next, I begin the time consuming task of layering opaque acrylic dots in mid-values on top of the transparent wash to begin developing the background leaves, petals, and the seed-filled center of the flower. The research for this painting took place several years ago in my back yard where this giant sunflower sprouted from a stray seed from the bird feeder. Fortunatley it landed in a flower bed and was easy to nurture.
More tomorrow.

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska Artist

“Open Water” an original painting by Gail Niebrugge translated into cross stitch by Evelyn Harvison of North Pole, Alaska. (more…)

A beautiful cross stitch design completed by Susan Schroeder adapted from my painting “Paper Birch” by Evelyn Harvison of North Pole, Alaska, won first place at the Alaska State Fair 2007! Congratulations Susan! (more…)

Tonight we tear down our booth and pack it into the cargo trailer and will park it in the big Niebrugge Studio storage garage, and tomorrow I will re-hang the remaining framed art at the studio. The booth equipment stays in the trailer ready for the next show, the Valley Friday Invitational at Mat-Su College, Palmer, a one day event September 28. After Bob completes new framing orders and replaces the framed art that was sold, we will load the artwork back into the trailer just before the next show. With both of us working together our system is quite efficient. I am very fortunate to have a mate who helps me in the art business. It is a comfortable, satisfying partnership and a nice way to make a living doing things that we enjoy.

Gail Niebrugge, Art of Alaska

Gail in the Niebrugge Studio Booth at the Alaska State Fair in Raven Hall standing below an original watercolor painting “Wildflowers”.

This morning I opened the local paper, Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman, and read the front page article about artists and art at the Alaska State Fair to find that every booth was mentioned but mine! How disappointing! This is devastating for my booth, with the big weekend approaching, readers will not expect to find me at the fair. It is unfortunate that the writer did not do his/her homework. We really are at the fair this year, in the Raven Hall, stop and say hello!

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska Artist