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April 26, 2008, the landscape is beautiful this morning, no yard work worries today.  I doubt anyone will even bother to snow plow because it is supposed to warm into the 50’s by afternoon.  I’m just glad I don’t have to drive anywhere until this evening.  Today I’m just going to enjoy looking at the last breath of winter.

More tomorrow,

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska landscape artist

Yesterday we were raking dead leaves and planning to aerate the lawn and today 15″ of snow is forecast!  We’ve already taken the studded tires off the cars.  Accidents are everywhere.  A strange, cool Spring.  Last year the lake was free of ice by May 5, I don’t think this will be the case this year.  So much for global warming.  Maybe in your town, but not mine.

More tomorrow,

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska landscape artist

Yesterday I wore the hat of Alaska State Arts Council Board member and Co-Chaired an all-day meeting at the British Petroleum Energy Center, Anchorage, to evaluate biennial and annual support grant applications from non-profit arts organizations.  The hard-working panel included (from left to right) Michele Miller of Anchorage, June Rogers from Fairbanks, Co-Chair Ben Brown of Juneau, myself, Charlotte Fox the AKSAC director Anchorage, (not shown) Annette Evans Smith of Anchorage, Roger Schmidt from Sitka, and sitting in front on the right, Vivian Kinnaird of Anchorage.  The public was invited to attend and a teleconference phone connection remained open for grant applicants to listen to the discussion.  The applications filled a four inch thick book that was sent in advance to each member to review.  I’m really glad to be finished lugging around that big, fat, heavy notebook.

More tomorrow,

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska wilderness artist

Yesterday Gail gave a presentation about her work as an artist to a group of 8th grade students during the Palmer Middle School Career Day, Palmer, Alaska.  She enjoys sharing herself and her world as an artist with her community, and even though she is very busy she tries to find time to do as much community service as possible.

Yesterday an early Spring snow storm snarled traffic and caused endless accidents on the Glenn Highway from Palmer to Anchorage, and I was committed to give a power point presentation to the Alaska Watercolor Society in the evening.  We packed up the new Apple Macbook Pro and Optoma65 digital projector with my first ever power point presentation using Keynote, a part of iWork software, and carefully drove through the highway wreckage for the meeting.  I must admit, after endless hours of scanning old slides of early artwork, and tedious color correcting in Photoshop CS3, I thoroughly enjoyed the benefits of new technology for my presentation.  I am pictured in our driveway on our return, standing next to our car caked with ice and covered with salt from the ice melt used on roads.  It is 9:30PM and still light outside.  Another day in the life of an artist in Alaska.

More tomorrow,

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska landscape 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.

More tomorrow,

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska Artist

Frigid winds and chill factor well below zero did not stop crowds of people who stood in line the length of the Palmer Depot, Alaska, from casting their vote for a presidential candidate during the Super Tuesday primaries and caucuses.  Inside the lines snaked back and forth from one end of the Depot to the other, people politely accommodating, making space for as many inside the warm building as possible.  Poll workers were swamped, doing their best to process the crowd efficiently.  It is exciting to be a part of the presidential primary selection process, and I’m proud that Alaska is now a viable and important part of Super Tuesday.

More tomorrow.

Gail Niebrugge, Artist of Alaska

Details and information regarding my Summer Workshop July 14-18 are now posted on my website. Click on the above link to find out how to register and what to bring. We are planning to paint a lot, learn much and have a really great time in the height of Alaska’s beautiful summer. Included will be an informal tour, a gourmet dinner and lunch every day, as well as working on location in some very scenic places. I look forward to meeting and working with you!

Alaska Artist, Gail Niebrugge

This very grainy photo taken in the early morning darkness caught the trio of culprits red-handed who have been munching the plants in my yard! I’ve observed their footprints in the snow every day but finally saw them this morning. I’m sure it is the same cow with calves that were here last fall.  I don’t mind them visiting they are really fun to watch as long as they stay clear of my treasured perennials.

More tomorrow,

Gail Niebrugge, Artist of Alaska

My daughter, Tawny Buck, and me working at the “Promoting Positive Partnerships” Conference held last weekend at the Best Western Hotel, Wasilla, Alaska.

I changed hats last weekend and worked as a volunteer for the LINKS “Promoting Positive Partnerships” Conference helping my daughter who is the Director of Development of this most worthy organization.  The mission statement of LINKS is; “Mat-Su Parent Resource Center is dedicated to providing information, support, and assistance to parents of children with disabilities, their professional partners, and their communities. We are committed to listening to and learning from families, and encouraging full participation in community life by all people”

The training workshop conference, a first time event, was very well attended with excellent speakers from Alaska and the lower 48 states.  This is the first of many planned events in the Matanuska Valley to educate, train, and assist parents and professionals who work with disabled children.  I am impressed with this group and their sincere dedication. Congratulations LINKS, a job well done!

More tomorrow,

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska Artist

At 8:00 this morning Bob is busy rearranging our first big snow of the season.  The rest of South Central Alaska has been buried in snow for weeks, but for some reason the storms would miss us.  Two days ago our lawn was completely exposed.  This snow is just what we need.  I can’t wait to see everything in the daylight.

More tomorrow,

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska artist

A few days ago I listed my basic palette and mentioned that I could not find my favorite color Acra Violet by Liquitex listed anywhere on the Liquitex website, so I submitted my question. Amazingly I received a very complete answer from the product manager, Alexis Dykstra. Here is the scoop taken directly from her email;

“Thank you for your email. Lots of changes have happened with Liquitex over the last couple of years. I would like to share a few of them as I hope this will help answer your question.

For a long time, we named all of our colors that contained Quinacridone pigments by the short version “acra”. In 2005, we updated our product names. All “acra colors” are now referred to by their proper pigment names “Quinacridone.” Thus, Acra Violet would turn into Quinacridone Violet, HOWEVER, at that same time we simplified some of the names of our colors. Prior to 2005, Acra Violet was actually known as Acra Magenta/Acra Violet. NOW you can find this color by simply looking for Quinacridone Magenta.

In case you are not aware as well, in 2005 we also changed the names of our products from Viscosity to Body. Now Medium Viscosity colors are Soft Body Colors. High Viscosity Colors are Heavy Body Colors…..”

Unfortunately I doesn’t seem to come in 8 or 16 oz. jars, only in tubes. I need big jars. So, I guess I’ll have to start a new search for a replacement. I hate it when I have to do this, I do so love my favorite colors and find it very annoying to have to make new purchases to test colors that I will probably not use.

More tomorrow,

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska pointillism artist

I have mentioned several times in my blog posts that I use Sintra as a surface for major public commissions, or large original paintings. It is a PVC plastic material, very light weight and strong. I like it for public art because it is durable.

Here are a few tips for preparing the surface of Sintra so that the acrylic paint will bond. If you want to paint on this surface in my July 14-18 workshop, bring some along and I’ll help you. You will also need to bring some GAC 200, a liquid acrylic polymer emulsion made by Golden, to mix with your first layer of acrylic paint to increase adhesion to this non-porous surface. Before you apply paint the surface must be sanded with 000 steel wool and thoroughly cleaned using cotton balls and rubbing alcohol. For best adhesion no trace of oil from your hands or anything else should remain on the surface.

More tomorrow,

Gail Niebrugge, original acrylic paintings

This week I wore the hat of a board member of the Alaska State Council on the Arts and joined our director, Charlotte Fox, for a board meeting of the Palmer Arts Council. This is a dynamic, active group of art supporters who’s mission is; “….to nurture, encourage, sponsor, and support the free expression of ideas in our community through the Arts.” This fledgling organization has done an impressive job of attracting members in the community and have sponsored a Summer Youth Program among other good works. Congratulations to the the Palmer Arts Council, keep up the good work!

More tomorrow,

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska Pointillism Artist

I usually do not make resolutions, because they seem to get lost in life and never happen, but this year I have a couple of things that I really want to accomplish so I’ll risk failure and ridicule and post them on my blog. Number one, I want to learn how to downhill ski. Nothing fancy, just be able to stand up and go slowly down a small slope without falling. I’m not planning to be a fast, double black diamond skier, I just want to be able to meet my family at the bottom of the slopes once in awhile and not just sit in the lodge all day.

Number two, I want to continue to learn how to cook healthy food. Last year we explored a Vegan diet and did pretty well for months, then we expanded to Vegetarian by adding an occasional egg and cheese. This was an amazing step for life-time carnivores. But, we feel better, and our cholesterol numbers are better, as is our blood pressure. So, there must be something to this you are what you eat stuff. I want to be able to feed company and have them love what they eat.

Third and last, I want to master yoga. I’ve been taking a once a week class now for a month and know that this is a very good thing for my body to learn. So there they are, my good intentions. If you see me during the year, encourage me to stick to my resolutions. And I’ll do the same for you.

More tomorrow,

Gail Niebrugge, original paintings of Alaska

May the year 2008 be prosperous and bring joy and happiness into your life. May this be a year of learning new things, growing, changing, exploring and challenge. May you never loose sight of your blessings, and always be thankful. Keep your eyes open and watch for things to paint, find the beauty in nature, observe the changing light, take the time to evaluate the differences in the structure of leaves, petals on flowers, branches of trees, the shapes of rocks, the cast shadows in the morning and how they change in the evening, and again, always be thankful.

Happy New Year! And, God Bless.

Gail Niebrugge, Artist of Alaska

Bob wearing his red and white apron with volunteers in the kitchen at Wasilla High School on Christmas day.  A beautiful Christmas dinner was served for free to over 1,500 people, many were delivered by volunteers to shut-ins and folks without families.  This amazing community event is months in the planning.  We helped on Christmas eve morning by peeling boxes and boxes of potatoes donated by valley farmers.  Then at 6:30AM Christmas morning we were there to help cook, mash, serve, and clean up.  It was a festive and fun event, but we were dog tired by the end of the day.  It feels good to give back to the community.

More tomorrow,

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska artist

“Holiday Tree” original acrylic/watercolor painting sold. Artist proof prints and art cards available.
Best wishes to all, God’s blessings, and Merry Christmas from Alaska. Enjoy your day wherever you may be, and be sure to attend a Christmas day worship service. I give thanks for this day, the beauty of nature, for family, for food and shelter, for my Blog family and collectors, for friends, to be able to see, to hear, to talk, to sing, to paint, and especially to love and be loved.

Sincerely,

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska fine artist

If you are scratching your head about what to give the budding young artist this Christmas, or for that matter, the person who has expressed an interest in learning about art but is reluctant to try, give art supplies. They will always be appreciated. A great way to introduce someone to the skills needed to handle a brush and paint is to have them try a paint-by-number painting. Many nice sets are available for all ages and skill levels, and some come with brushes, paint, instructions, as well as the numbered picture and a photo of how the finished piece should look. It might seem amateurish or simple, but believe me if someone is really interested in learning to paint they will enjoy one or more of these kits. For last minute shoppers I have found some very nice kits on the shelves at WalMart.
More tomorrow,

Gail Niebrugge, Pointillism Artist

I believe in studying art, taking classes, and learning all that you can about this wonderful profession.  It has been a few years since I’ve taken any workshops or taught, but my shelves are full of art books from classes I’ve taken and courses I’ve instructed.  No matter what your talent, classes can help you grow and improve.  I think of it this way; it is same as the athlete with natural skills, those that just rely on their talent and don’t study and practice can be out performed by those without a lot of talent, but who work hard, practice and study.

People ask me where I learned to paint, and the answer is; it is the accumulation of knowledge from years, and years of study.  No one person can give you all the answers, but with input from many different people suddenly someday something will click in your head and you will gain some understanding.  I remember studying under a lady who had much less talent and skill that I had, and wondered if she could teach me anything.  It was amazing, but with an open mind I learned a lot from this incredible woman.  Some people are gifted teachers, and are better at teaching than they are at practicing what they teach.  So, study at every opportunity and keep your mind open to new ideas and techniques and soak up information like a sponge.

More tomorrow,

Gail Niebrugge, Artist of Alaska