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Atmautluak students preparing the wall for artwork photo.

After the funeral things came back to normal at the Atmautluak school. The location for the finished painting was a white wall above the coat rack in the school library. Since the painting was a winter scene consisting of shades of white we decided to paint a rectanglular background of a dark color on the light colored wall to frame the artwork. The above photo shows students preparing the wall for paint.

More tomorrow.

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska Artist

Yupic eskimo funeral Atmautluak, Alaska photo

During my stay at the Atmautluak school, an elder in the Yupic village died. As I worked on the painting I could watch the village activities from the window. Students did not attend school for several days and airplanes full of mourners from all the surrounding villages showed up every day. I was alone inside the school library with my painting. People walked up and down the boardwalk all day long and finally gathered at the church for the funeral.  The tiny building was so crowded that during the ceremony many stood outside as shown in my photo above.  My painting progressed very well because I was alone and could concentrate on it completely.

More tomorrow.

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska Artist

The boardwalk, almost invisible under snow drifts in February, was very easy to use. I spent the better part of my first evening in the village of Atmautluak, Alaska, walking up and down the boardwalk just like the kids. It was glorious to be here again!

More tomorrow.

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska Artist

During break-up I found the village landscape much more interesting than it was in February, contrasts between the snow and the rich, dark earth, and reflections in the water puddles from melting snow. I found myself wishing I had waited until April to do my research, it would have been so much easier. I spent the first day taking photos for my own personal reference to use for future paintings. It was exhilarating!

More tomorrow.

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska Artist

During a period of nice April weather I was greeted by happy, smiling children on my return to the village of Atmautluak, Alaska. The landscape had changed dramatically since my visit last February, Spring break-up was well underway. All of my art supplies and gear traveled well in the single engine Cessna aircraft, and arrived in good condition. I was ready to get to work on the painting for the school library.

More tomorrow.

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska Artist

The proposed painting of “Race Day” for the Atmautluak school library, Alaska, will be 3′ high and 8′ long, much too long to fit comfortably into the small single engine airplane that is chartered to bring me back to the village. So, my engineer husband Bob designed four 2′ long panels that could be bolted together when the painting was complete.

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At home again in my Copper Center, Alaska, studio I studied all the photo research and began sketching ideas for the Atmautluak painting. Several themes emerged; one was the sled dog race with the village in the background and the other was the village at night with northern lights overhead. I settled on the sled dog race because it showed the people at play and represented the entire community. I finally began to relax a little and became excited at the prospect of creating the painting, but I still worried about transporting everything I needed in a small single engine aircraft. More planning is still needed. (more…)

Artist Gail Niebrugge boarding Cessna 180 photo.

My week in the Yupic eskimo village of Atmautluak, Alaska, to gather research for a painting was finished and it was time to fly home. As I rode a snowmachine to the airstrip the wind was blowing just as it did when I arrived. Strangely, I had no fear of the wind anymore and happily climbed into the shiny red Cessna 180 for my return trip to Bethel. With a bit of saddness I said goodbye to the people of Atmautluak. After I design the painting and purchase supplies I will return to spend several weeks painting the orignial in the school library where the finished work will be installed. A lot of planning will be needed between now and then. My work has only just begun.

Atmautluak airstrip in the wind photo.

More tomorrow.

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska Artist

Atmautluak dog team photo.

Some of the participants for the Atmautluak village sled dog race were dressed beautifully, the gentleman standing on the sled wore a gorgeous coat made of fur! Perfect for twenty below zero. I became captivated by this event and shot photos all afternoon. An idea began to formulate for my painting, I could show the racers with dog teams with the entire panorama of the village in the background. I was happy that I had already done my homework and photographed the village with close ups of the houses the day before. Tomorrow I fly home.

More tomorrow.

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska Artist

Yupic village dog sled photo.

Race day in the village of Atmautluak, Alaska, dawned bright and clear. It was cold, but without wind it was quite pleasant. I began to feel like a native, how could I think minus twenty below zero was pleasant? The frozen river that ran alongside town was alive with people, they seem to come out of nowhere, old and young alike. Their were several dozen sleds with small dog teams milling about getting ready for the start of the race. I snapped photos like crazy.

More tomorrow.

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska Artist

Homes in Atmautluak, Alaska photo.

With the thought in mind that I could paint an Atmautluak village scene at night showing the northern lights overhead, I began shooting close up photos of all the houses from the same vantage point. These close ups will provide needed detail for the finished painting. I worked at a feverish pace, I had a lot to do, so little time. Tomorrow was the dog race and the next day I fly home.

More tomorrow.

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska Artist

Oil drum pilings photo.

I walked up and down the boardwalk every evening shooting photographs, my painting might show the village of Atmutluak at sunset, or maybe with northern lights overhead. I would need to photograph the village at dark and that would be tough to do. I packed so light that I didn’t bring a tripod, and their are none in the community that I can borrow.
More tomorrow.

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska Artist

Yupic students photo.

During my stay at the Atmautluak school, I gave art demonstrations during classes. I found a surprising number of very talented artists among the students. Here are two of my young Yupic friends from the school.

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska Artist

Atmautluak village, Alaska photo.

One day I braved the wind and the chill factor and walked to the far end of town to see the full panorama of the village of Atmautluak, Alaska. This view says it all; the countryside is flat, devoid of trees, and the houses sit all in a row along the frozen river bank. How can I incorporate this environment in an interesting way into my painting for the school? I’m hitting a brick wall with my thoughts.

More tomorrow.

Gail Niebrugge, Alaskan Artist

Yupic eskimo home photo.

I am still drawn to portray the village way of life and the modest homes of these happy Yupic eskimo people. Each day I scour the community for likely subjects for my painting for the Atmautluak school. This dwelling is decorated with a Wein Air sign on the outside.
More tomorrow.

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska Artist

Yupic eskimo children photo.

I am totally crazy about the wonderful, fun-loving Yupic eskimo children who live in the remote village of Atmautluak, Alaska. My research for subject matter for the commissioned painting continues, I only have a few days left, my visit is coming to an end. The school cook and the bi-lingual teacher both suggested that I attend the dog sled race Saturday at 1:00PM held at the far end of the village, and see if this could be a possible subject to paint.

More tomorrow.

Gail Niebrugge, Alaskan Artist

Outboard motor engine cover sleds photo.

I shot a lot of film of the Atmautluak village Yupic eskimo children using outboard motor covers as sleds.  My subject matter search for the commissioned original painting for the school is leading me toward showing children at play.  The older residents are not outdoors much during the day. They come to the school almost every night for different activities, the most popular is watching basketball games between neighboring villages.  Somehow, I’m not too excited about painting a basketball game.  I want to show more of the total village environment, the homes, the landscape, and the way of life for the community outdoors.  Be patient, I keep telling myself, keep searching.
More tomorrow.

Gail Niebrugge, Alaskan Artist

Outboard motor engine cover sled photo.

I’m still fascinated by the children of Atmautluak, Alaska. They are so happy and have fun with simple “found” objects for toys. Here an eskimo boy uses the engine cover from an outboard motor as a sled. I can’t quit mulling over using the idea of children playing as the subject matter for the painting commissioned for the new shool.
More tomorrow.

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska Artist

Atmautluak village school and playground photo.

The younger Yupic eskimo children spend a lot of time outdoors playing, and could be the subject for the original painting for the school.  But, showing the children at play would only represent a small segment of the community.  Because I’m living in the school I’ve become very aware that it is the center of activity for the entire village, from babies to elders.  Everything happens there.  I’m totally stymied at this point, because I believe the art work should represent the whole populace.  A small thread of panic is beginning, I’m worried that I won’t find the perfect subject before my stay at the village ends.

More tomorrow.

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska Artist

Yupic children sledding on the frozen river at Atmautluak photo.

The Yupic eskimo children of Atmautluak village were fun loving and playful. The bitter cold and wind did not seem to bother them as they created toys from “found” objects. Here a group of children use outboard motor engine covers as sleds on the frozen river. As I pondered ideas for subject matter for the painting, I thought that it might be nice to show children participating in their very unique play. Ideas churned inside my head. None seemed quite right yet. I still had plenty of time to do my research for the painting for the school, by being patient, watching and observing, I hoped the right subject would emerge.
More tomorrow.

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska Artist