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The Kennicott Glacier Lodge hosted me during my Artist-in-Residence at Kennicott, and is my favorite place to stay. I have watched the lodge grow through the years and am friends with the staff, the Assistant Manager Joann pictured with me above, and the owners. I recommend this place as a must to stay when you visit Kennicott/Mc Carthy, Alaska.

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska Artist

I spent another full day hiking with National Park guides to the iceberg filled Erie Lake on the Root Glacier planning to frame the lake with the glacier in the background to use as reference material for a future painting. Pilot reports said that the lake was full of water, unfortunately it drained out during the night and all that remained were huge icebergs. In the distance is the stairway icefalls. The hike was about 12 miles round trip and very interesting. We had to wait for a black bear with two tiny spring cubs to leave the trail on our return trip.
More tomorrow,

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska Artist

Students joined me for a sketching walk at the Historic Kennecott Copper Mill site. We climbed the trail alongside the mill and sketched from the bridge over National Creek. Students are pictured on the trail to Silk Stocking Row sketching a scene of the mill buildings.

A bonus surprise, we found a garden of Columbine to sketch.

More tomorrow,

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska Artist

Ranger Marie accompanied me with a guide on an all day hike exploring the Root Glacier and the waterfall at Donahoe Peak in the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. It was a hot, sunny day, ice crampons worked well in the porous surface of the glacial ice.

More tomorrow

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska Artist

The largest building at May Creek served as the central kitchen, sleeping quarters and gathering place for the brush clearing volunteers. The guys cooked pancakes for everyone on the last day. (more…)

During my Artist-in-Residency I was invited to join a group of volunteers who were clearing brush from remote airstrips within the park.  This was a perfect opportunity to see more of the park, sketch and photograph some of the public use cabins and surrounding scenery.  We spent a beautiful day at Peavine, a gravel airstrip at the base of the Chitistone Canyon between the Wrangell and St. Elias mountain ranges. (more…)

While serving as Artist-in-Residence I flew in the park owned single engine Cessna to many interesting sites that can only be reached by small gravel and grass runways.  Here is the runway at Jake’s Bar, a beautiful spot along the Chitina River with a public use cabin. (more…)

My first assignment as Artist-in-Residence for the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park was to teach a workshop about sketching in the field. The sun blessed us as we walked and sketched along the bluff trail overlooking the Copper River with views of the Wrangell Mountains. We pursued three points of view; finding compositions in the distance, middle ground and up-close. (more…)

Join me at the historic Kennecott, in the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, July 17 for a two hour field sketching workshop from 1:15-3:15PM. Art supplies provided. I will be giving a slide presentation showing 30 years of painting the Wrangell-St. Elias July 17, 4:00-5:30PM at the Kennecott Recreation Hall.  Slide presentation July 18, 8:00PM at the Kennecott Glacier Lodge. I don’t think I will be able to post to my blog during my week at the Kennecott, but will catch you up on all the happenings when I return to the studio.
Gail Niebrugge, Alaska Artist

I’m getting ready to spend some time in the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park as the Artist in Residence 2007. Friday, July 13 at 7:00PM I will be presenting a slide show at the Copper River Princess Lodge, showing 30 years of paintings. July 13 at 1:15-3:15PM I host “A Walk through the Eyes of an Artist” with a field sketching workshop at the park Visitor Center. Art supplies are provided. You can find out more about my schedule in the park by going to the Events Calendar on my website.

During my stay in the park I may not be able to update my blog, but will certainly update everything when I return to the studio. From the Copper Center headquarters I will travel to the Kennicott where I will spend the bulk of my time. Hope to see some of you out there, it is one of the most beautiful places in the world!

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska Artist