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Ned and Cookie Hales with Bob at Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco.  We spent the afternoon touring shops along the wharf and ended up with a collection of San Diego Padres hats.  These were a rare find in Giants country, but we had to stay true to our childhood roots in San Diego and show support for the home team.  The Padres and Giants were tied after two games in a three game series held at the spectacular AT&T Park.  We planned to attend the third game the next day, wearing our hats of course.

The AT&T Park is an amazing place, pictured above are Bob and I standing in front of a bronze of Willie Mays Jr., one of many statues of legendary baseball players (Giants) to grace the exterior of the building.  The stadium itself is magnificent, perched on the edge of the San Francisco bay with sweeping views, it is a major landmark.

We arrived at our incredible box seats early before the sold-out crowd so that we could tour the facility in leisure.  Over 42,000 people soon filled every seat in the house.  Bob and I were but two tiny voices cheering for the Padres among the roar of boos and hisses of Giants fans as the Padres won this game 8-2.  Our trip to visit our friends ended far too soon, the next day we were winging our way back to rain-soaked Alaska to prepare our booth for the Alaska State Fair at Palmer.

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska artist

After a day of hiking and wine tasting we spent a wonderful evening at the home of Michele and Chris Cameron in Hollister, CA.  Michele, the daughter of Ned and Cookie Hales, is an attorney and her husband Chris is a high school football coach and local super star.  Pictured with the coffee cup is my God-daughter Jennifer Hales Turk, Chris and Michele, and Cookie Hales on the far right chatting with Gretchen Coelho.  We had a wonderful evening catching up with the Hales offspring and their grandchildren.  All are expected to visit Alaska very soon, yes indeed, very soon

Gail Niebrugge, artist

After a lovely stay at Seascape Beach Resort in Aptos, California, our hosts, Ned and Cookie Hales enlisted the services of their son, Gregg, as a travel guide.  An outdoor exercise enthusiast, Gregg led us to a series of gorgeous trails and turned us loose in the Nisene Marks Forest State Park an area of giant Sequoias and babbling brooks a hidden gem within two blocks of downtown Aptos.  A wonderful surprise for all of us.  Thank you Gregg!

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska artist

Left to right, Bob with Cookie and Ned Hales, front Boom and Gregg Hales, some of our oldest and best friends walking the beach front in Santa Cruz, California, on a wonderfully sunny day.  At Ned and Cookies house in San Jose, wild deer, geese, ducks and turkey browse along the yards and golf course at their lovely home in the villages along the eastern hillsides of San Jose.  Gregg and Boom live in the charming coastal town of Santa Cruz.  It was such fun to be together again with our good friends.

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska artist

During our stay in Fairbanks we toured the World Ice Art Championships where a stunning display of incredible sculptures are best viewed after dark.  Each piece is beautifully lit with colored spot lights.

Along with all the superb sculptures are many fun, whimsical, interactive ice displays.  We wound our way like children through a complex maze built out of ice blocks with colored lights frozen, glowing inside.  I love the creative imagination used to  build this entire world of whimsy.  Many sculptures depicted undersea themes, mermaids, and fish were plentiful.

One of the most colorful and joyful interactive displays were the ice slides where peals of laughter and squeals of delight could be heard all over the park as sleds careened wildly down the frozen chutes.  We really enjoyed our time in Fairbanks and look forward to returning next year.

Gail Niebrugge, Alaskan artist

Spending a week at Girdwood, Alaska, a tiny town situated a the base of the world class ski resort Alyeska gives me the opportunity to gather valuable winter research in an area that accumulates a lot of snow. Moose’s Meadow is a wonderful groomed Nordic/Skate Ski area with a stunning view of the surrounding mountains and ski lifts. My preconceived ideas for finding majestic spruce loaded with snow got shot down when a warm front moved in and brought wind and rain. Nonetheless, the landscape still retains it’s magic, and skiing is very pleasant in the warmer temperatures. The clouds alternately covered and uncovered the distant peaks, occasional ray of sun illuminated the mountain tops and I found a different kind of beauty to use in future paintings. Lesson learned again, let the landscape speak to you, watch and wait…..it is worth every minute.

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska Artist

After two seamless flights on Alaska Airlines from San Diego/Seattle, Seattle/Anchorage and Bob met me at the beautiful Anchorage International Airport for the one-hour drive to our Palmer studio. The weather here is blustery, but still in the mid 40’s during the day. No snow on the ground yet. While in San Diego I did not adjust to the humid heat, I’ve been away from that climate for so long it seems I’m a true Alaskan. I like the cool daytime temperatures of October with nighttime near freezing, relieving us from yard work until spring. The days are growing shorter, today it was dark until nearly 8:00AM and dusk arrives around 6:00PM. Winter is the time of the year that I paint, toasty warm in the studio with good light I recreate lush, bold colors in acrylic of all seasons. Landscapes, birds, flowers, and wildlife come to life on my easel. Yes, I’m looking forward to winter in Alaska.

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska landscape art

Cousin Arlene Shuster and I visited the wild animal park during my recent trip to San Diego and the Lorkeets gave me a surprise as they landed on my hand, arm, and shoulders while I fed them. This is a gorgeous park, the foliage and gardens are beautiful and I enjoyed watching the animals and waterfowl in re-created natural habitat. Sunny warm weather greeted us every day, we wore shorts and sandals summertime in October. Tomorrow I fly back to Alaska where winter is on the way. Good bye old friends and family, it was nice to see all of you again!

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska artist

Forty cousins and second cousins met for a picnic in Escondido for the annual family reunion that has convened for more than 75 years. Grandma and grandpa are gone along with our six aunts and uncles, but the third and forth generation still meet. It is wonderful to be a part of this family. Pictured above are my second cousin Noell Krueger with husband Kelly and second cousin Dennis Orsborn with wife Sally.

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska artist

Friends since grade school the four of us shared memories at the class reunion in San Diego last weekend. From left to right are myself, Karen Smith, Toni Moreno, and Phyllis Smith, good Girl Scouts all.

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska artist

Last weekend I traveled to San Diego for a class reunion and family reunion. Pictured are five of us, long-time girlfriends, outdoors in sunny warm weather lunching at Little Italy downtown San Diego. Left to right; Barbara Ohlund, me, Doree Radici, Carol Rife and Toni Moreno. We laughed and talked non-stop for two days reliving memories and old-times. Reunions are great fun!

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska artist

The trusty old truck and camper are packed and ready to roll for my Artist-in-Residence at Denali National Park. I packed for 10 days; food, water and extra gas in 5 gallon cans. We are bringing our bicycles to provide another mode of transportation from the Murie cabin where we will be based. I’m not sure if I will be able to connect to the internet during my stay, I’ve packed the laptop and hope I can publish a blog or two and check email at the Toklat Ranger Station where we have access to showers.

The residency includes use of the historic John Murie cabin outfitted for wilderness comfort with a propane refrigerator and stove, but has no electricity or running water. This should be a great adventure. I’m planning to do a lots of photography, miles of hiking and biking, and will keep the sketch book handy at all times. My daily journal is important for notes and observations. Included in my supplies are tools for pen and ink sketching, I’m planning to produce drawings in ink directly on location, weather permitting. Painting on location is not something I normally practice, but I may try some quick studies using my tiny back packer watercolor set.

We are expecting frequent encounters with wildlife as this location is known for grizzly bear, caribou, sheep, fox, wolves, and other small critters. Binoculars are a must.

If I am unable to obtain internet connections I will save my blog posts and publish them when we return.

Gail Niebrugge, Denali artist-in-residence

While visiting Copper Center, Alaska, we took a short drive to see the beloved fishwheel that served us during our ninteen years of residency.  I walked down the familiar, worn wooden ramp and checked the box where two fresh red salmon were flopping, straining to escape.  I miss my daily walk down the dusty lane through the forest of paper birch to the fishwheel.  Things haven’t changed much, the river was full and raging from the summer heat, a few more houses are sprinkled in the woods, and my onetime neighbors yard sports a lush vegetable garden nearly as large as the one I’m growing in Palmer.  Life in the Copper River Basin during summer is good, but I don’t miss the severe, difficult winters anymore.

Gail Niebrugge, Alaskan artist

Saturday we attended a long planned, super secret, surprise birthday party for my old friend Donna Church in our former community of Copper Center, Alaska.  We had a wonderful time renewing friendships, catching up on news and eating authentic home made pot-luck food.  Our visit brought back many memories of raising our children and working in this wilderness neighborhood during the late 1970’s through early 1990’s.  What we miss most, besides the use of the resident fish wheel, are the people.  Warm, generous, tough, hard-working, the people of the Copper River Basin are the best of the best.  We love and cherish our old friends and neighbors.

Gail Niebrugge, Alaskan artist

Bob and our guide, Jeremy Anderson, standing next to Bob’s King Salmon caught from the drift boat on the Kasilof River, Alaska.

Seining boats harbored in the beautiful Kasilof River.

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska Artist

We have taken our house guests King Salmon fishing with guide Jeremy Anderson of Drift Away Fishing on the Kasilof River, Alaska.  My blog posts will be irregular for the next week.  I’ll let you know how we did when I get back to my computer and internet service.

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska Artist

All the members of our family lead very busy lives, it is a rare occasion when we can all be together.  Successful photographer, son Ron, just returned from a four month photo shoot on the road in the lower 48 states, joined us during the Alyeska Ski Club races and used his skill to photograph his niece and nephew during the competitions.

Ron’s wife, aunt Janine, congratulates niece Sydney who placed third in the Mighty Mites Beavers category.

Later in the afternoon the Challenge Alaska Ski Lodge hosted their last day before closing celebration with a relay ski race.  Here is the first of four legs where son-in-law Rob skis the pylons with his daughter Quincy in her adaptive bi-ski.

The second part of the the race team are daughter Tawny and her son Reilly with his eyes covered as they complete the leg using training for the blind with voice commands.  The Buck team placed third in this very challenging event.  Earlier in the day Reilly took second place in his division in the Brian Russell Memorial Races.

Bob and I spent our time running back and forth between events, being present when awards were presented and I shot photos with my aging pocket digital camera with a non-functioning LED screen.  It is amazing that the photos came out half way decent.  And, that is our first day with the whole family in 2009!  We hope we can have a few more family gatherings soon, but with this busy group it is not easy.

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska Artist

The drive changed every half hour as we towed the cargo trailer home from Fairbanks to Palmer after the show.  It started out sunny with a frosting of fresh snow on the landscape and clear, dry roads.  We were ecstatic!  Then, as we approached the Denali National Park area the sky grew dark and delicate snow flakes swirled, pushed by strong winds.  Windy Pass lived up to its name and the roads became slick with packed snow.  An hour later we were in the conditions shown in the photo above that I took through the front windshield of our vehicle.  We were doused regularly with a wet, sandy, ash and salt mixture.  The good news was that the fresh snow blanketed and smothered the ill effects of the volcanic ash fallout from Mt. Redoubt.  Later the roads were dry and only an inch of snow covered the land.  Back home at the studio with temperatures around 30 Fahrenheit, Bob hooked up a garden hose to the hot water faucet and rinsed the frozen mud-salt-ash paste off the exterior of the cargo trailer and took the car through the local car wash.  Now all is well, everything parked back in their respective storage spaces and we are ready to collapse into bed.

It was a lot of work but worth it, a very good show.

Gail Niebrugge, Alaskan artist

I’m still thinking about the landscape and countryside in New Zealand, there is no question they are gorgeous.  All of the Harry Potter films were shot in the Marlborough country, and I can see why.  This is a sheep and cattle ranch near the town of Dunedin.  I hope to visit again someday.  But now, it’s back to work.  We are on our way to Fairbanks for a show this weekend where we will have a booth of my paintings and prints.

Gail Niebrugge, painter of the land

The botanical gardens in New Zealand are amazing, during our recent trip we visited a number of private gardens that were unequaled in their design and careful care.  This privately owned yard is a stunning example of a very formal garden, not shown are water features and sculptures strategically placed for interest and beauty.

Gail Niebrugge, Landscape painter