Moving to the Copper River Valley, Alaska
“Copper River Country” original acrylic painting by Gail Niebrugge. Sold.
In 1976 my children, my husband and I lived in a nice home one acre in the rural community of Lakeside, San Diego, California. I worked as a Graphic Artist for the Grossmont High School District, my husband worked as an Aerospace Engineer for General Dynamics. We were growing disenchanted with the rapid growth and fast-paced lifestyle of Southern California and took a summer vacation to Copper Center, Alaska, to visit friends.
Our time in this incredible, wilderness community was so enriching and enjoyable that we extended our vacation to experience a winter. It has been 31 years since that summer, and we’ve never gone back to California except to visit. Our experiences with re-locating and establishing a home in this remote environment would fill a book. Looking back it is interesting to see that I created paintings during these years that give a personal glimpse into the contemporary history, landscape, lifestyle, way-of-life, wildlife, flora and fauna of this region. Each day I will post a blog and a painting from this period. Let me know your impressions of my online journal.
More tomorrow,
Gail Niebrugge, Alaska Artist
August 4th, 2007 at 6:05 am
How wonderful, Gail! I will eagerly look forward each day to your paintings and your stories of your earlier days in Alaska.
In 1968 I moved, with my parents, 3000 miles across Australia, from Melbourne in the East to settle in Perth on the West coast. I was 19 years old, and the single ‘highway’ connecting Perth with the rest of Australia still had over 700 miles of corrugated limestone and deep potholes of red bulldust (very fine, red sand). What an adventure!
I love this painting, with its wonderful depth that draws me right into it. I think the lines of the mountains and lines of the the billabong formed by the river are so rewarding after being led deeply into the scene by the river, and the light reflected on the water makes it so alive and interesting. I look at the painting - and I want to be there, right in it! Love the colours too.
August 4th, 2007 at 9:41 am
Noella;
Oh my, you have had an interesting life as well. I enjoy your comments so much. sometimes it feels like I’m alone in this fantasy world that I’ve created in paint. It is nice to get feedback.
Gail