During my time as an artist living in rural Alaska I have sought out and sketched many historic buildings and equipment.  My very first prints were ink drawings of roadhouses along the Richardson Highway, in Chitina, and McCarthy/Kennicott.  There were 12 prints in all, and have been sold out for many, many years.  Today a few of the buildings are gone, burned to the ground or collapsed.  I’d like to think that my drawings serve as a record of contemporary history in rural Alaska.  Here is another addition to the series, the historic Rose Building in Fairbanks, built in 1925 it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.  We are offering this unframed ink drawing for sale.

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I am always on the lookout for historic places and relics, I love drawing and painting these subjects, and was amazed to discover a treasure trove in a tiny settlement south of the ghost town of Iditarod called Flat.  One year while following the Iditarod Dogsled Race in a small ski plane we arrived at the Iditarod check point several hours before the leaders were due and decided to fly around the area to see what we could find.  Shortly we saw several houses boarded up for the winter, and a lot of machinery scattered throughout.  It was the remains of an old gold mine in a settlement called Flat.  After trudging through deep snow drifts checking out the ancient equipment we found this awesome gold dredge.  Just my kind of subject, it easily translated to pen and ink.  This unframed drawing is now for sale.

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This is one of my favorite views along the Glenn Highway, Alaska.  I love the geology, the mountains, and the glacier fed braided Matanuska River.  We drove this highway at least once a week for 19 years while living in Copper Center, Alaska, and I knew by heart every curve, grade and pull-out along the way.  “Braided River” was painted in 1996 from my research files after we moved into Palmer, Alaska.  Sometimes I miss that drive. and other times I’m glad I don’t have to do it anymore.  The beauty of Alaska is undeniable, a wonderful place for an artist to work.  This painting is for sale.

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This morning I chose to rock in the comfort of the old wooden chair.  Its arms show years of wear, especially the right one where the dark wood stain has been rubbed pale yellow.  At 5:00AM I heard the newspaper thud as it hit the garage and purr of a car engine as it moved through the neighborhood making deliveries.  This time of year summer solstice is only a month away, through the light gray early morning dawn I spotted eight  Mallards working their way along the shoreline dabbling and dipping beaks underwater to feed.  Two stunningly beautiful Common Loons emerged from a deep dive and skimmed the shore occasionally rising, pummeling wings to preen.  These are the moments I love.

My mood changed when I spotted the pesky Bonaparte Gull rebuilding its nest in the tall spruce near the dock, we’ve discouraged this activity daily.  I made a mental note to take the broom and dislodge this new attempt, or better still, use the power washer.  “Go into the woods you nasty bird, leave our yard alone…” I muttered to no one.  We’ve had a long-standing battle with gulls, once the chicks hatch the adults become kamikaze dive-bombers attacking anything that comes near.  This is not what I want to experience every time I walk to the dock.

Suddenly a small reddish animal scampered across the lawn and stopped in its tracks.  A red fox!  Awesome.  My heart raced as I grabbed my camera, I hoped I had time to shoot a photo.  Fox are quick and do not stay out in the open.  I was amazed to see him slowly stalking in the direction of the dock, then stop again to let out a snarling scream that sounded like two cats hissing.  He screamed again, and again.  I’ve never heard a fox before.  The source of his rage was a owl decoy that normally resides at the end of the dock, it was moved to the lawn yesterday.  He continued to snarl and hiss at the ceramic, sand filled owl decoy.  Nervously circling he approached closer and growled again, the owl did not move.  All eight ducks were lined up watching this drama from the shore below.  The gull flew to the neighbors roof top and the loons dove appearing minutes later 200 yards away.

Finally bored with its inert threat, the fox sat down, took stock of the situation and quickly disappeared into the woods.  A splash of motion in the floating lilies revealed our resident muskrat who climbed onto a long and proceeded to dine.  You miss much by sleeping late.  Just a few moments in time early in the morning at the lake.  Life goes on.

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska artist

A final painting from the Syracuse University graduate student assignment to illustrate my impressions of the city of New York.  This idea sprang forth from spending time at the telephone company headquarters where the deteriorating condition of the myriad of underground tunnels was of great concern.  I used photos shot from the vantage point of the Statue of Liberty for the city skyline, the rest came from research about rats and a hunk of swiss cheese.  I really enjoyed my time in the Independent Study program at Syracuse, I could do most of the work from my home in Copper Center, Alaska, we traveled as a class to different locations several times a year culminating our study with two weeks each summer on campus.  “Subterranean Decay” is offered for sale from our private collection.

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This is another of my illustrations done during graduate studies at Syracuse University, New York, depicting my impressions of Chicago.  I used the store front of an upscale mall downtown for the design and then added people in a montage.  I was impressed by the way the people dressed and coped with the ever present wind.  This was a very fun piece to put-together from my research photos.  “Chicago” painted in 1991 is now offered for sale from our private collection.

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The nest box on the lake side of our lot must have gone through the same ritual because a single swallow can be seen occasionally poking its head out of the entrance hole.  We’ve had swallow boxes as long as we’ve lived here but never witnessed the nest site claiming before.  Researching the event on the internet this morning I learned that the males come first to claim a nest, then occupy it until the females arrive (up to a week later).  Then they chirp, fan, and display themselves until they attract a female.  The females may also fight each other for the male and the nest.  Once the female settles in the pair become bonded and mate.  So fascinating, I hope all three nests produce chicks.  We love having swallows in the yard, they really do a great job eliminating mosquitoes!

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska artist

“Grant Park” is part of a series of illustrations created during my studies as a graduate Student in the Independent Study Program at Syracuse University, New York.  We traveled to several different cities and the assignment was to paint our impressions .  I loved the beautiful park in Chicago along the shore of the lake with the city scape in the background.  It is a busy place, well-loved and full of people.  I pictured five of my fellow students and our professor Roger DeMuth walking in the springtime sunshine.  Painted in 1991, we are now offering this “Grant Park” for sale.

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I will never forget painting this one.  In 1984 after taking a workshop from Edward Betts at the Mendocino Art Center, Mendocino, California, I completed a smaller version titled ” ‘Neath the Tree” shown in my most recent blog post.  Back at my studio in Copper Center, Alaska, I started this much larger version.  Right from the start it began badly and went downhill from there.  I was so frustrated with this painting that I finally put it in the bath tub and sprayed it with the shower scrubbing it vigorously with a sponge.  Several days later when the rag paper was thoroughly dry I began to paint over the top of the original pale ghostly image.  Finally satisfied I submitted “Gnarled Sentry” to the 1984 Alaska Watercolor Society annual Christmas Juried Exhibition where it won the award “Best of Show”.  The moral of the story, “never give up”.  This watercolor painting is now offered for sale.

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Painted in 1984 during my studies under artist Edward Betts, the subject of this watercolor was located along the highways and back roads of Mendocino, California, where we practiced plein aire painting.  There are two versions of this subject, the second one will be posted next.  ” ‘Neath the Tree” is now offered for sale from our private collection.

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Gail Niebrugge, Alaska artist

In 1981 I found a mentor, Edward Betts professor emeritus of art at the University of Illinois, featured in 1983 American Artist Magazine as one of fourteen “living legends” in American Watercolor.  I had the pleasure to attend several classes he taught, one in Anchorage, Alaska, and two at the Mendocino Art Center, Mendocino, California.  He took me under his wing and we corresponded for more than a decade, I sent him slides of my work and he would offer critiques.  Isn’t it interesting that I began working with dots with a splattering technique that I experimented with while studying under his tutelage.  This painting is of the bridge at the entrance to Russian Gulch State Park, Mendocino, California.  “Russian Gulch” painted in 1984 is now offered for sale from our private collection.

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Gail Niebrugge, Alaska artist

This is a very early work (1979) and was painted as a live still life in my studio as an example for my students in an art class that I taught in Glennallen, for the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, extension.  My students still tell me how much they hated painting that yellow chair.  I was delighted several years ago when visiting the Copper Rail Depot in Copper Center, Alaska, owned by my long-time friend Ron Simpson, to see one of my (former) yellow chairs on display in the window of his museum!  This was painted right after my palette knife period when I was experimenting with brushes.  We are now offering this artwork for sale.

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I really found myself and style with pointillism, “Country Road” was painted in 1998 when I explored combining the two mediums of watercolor and acrylic.  It was great fun.  This is a scene along the Eklutna Flats, Alaska, looking north, an area that I explored frequently while gathering research for my book Gail Niebrugge’s Alaska Wildflowers.  We relocated to Palmer, Alaska, in 1995 and I found the summer wildflowers abundant in the valley and a great pleasure to paint.  This landscape is now offered for sale.

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From 1986-1988 I pushed, explored and experimented with my style and subject matter, “Designer Fish: Paisley” painted in 1988 is one of the few surviving works from that period.  This piece is heavily painted, many versions are underneath.  I began pointillism in 1988, the background of this piece is pointillism and the fish are painted with careful brushwork.  It is an odd mix of styles and the last of my search for who I am as an artist.  I didn’t have a decent slide of this work so I propped the framed piece up against the wall and shot this photos through the glass.  Thanks to Photoshop I was able to eliminate most of the glare, but the lighting is uneven, it is much brighter on the left side than the right.  Given the less-than-professional photography, it is still remarkably representative of the true painting.  We have decided to offer this unusual painting for sale.

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Gail Niebrugge, Alaska artist

“Yupic Funeral” is painted from research gathered in 1980 during my stay in the village of Atmautluak, in the lower Kuskowim Delta, Alaska, to complete a Per Cent for Art commission for the new school.  I posted the story about this experience on my blog under Commissioned Paintings; Atmautluak Commission.  During a one-week stay at the school a Yupic elder died, and people flew in from all the nearby villages to attend the funeral.  I watched the proceedings from my space inside the school library.  In 1983 I completed “Yupic Funeral” and it is now being offered for sale from my private collection.

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This month I’ve devoted myself to scanning slides of early paintings in my personal collection, and posting them on my website.  It has been an emotional walk down memory lane, and tells the story of my life as an artist in Alaska.  “Fourth & Washington” painted in 1983, shows the main street downtown Seward decked with colorful flags in preparation for the famous 4th of July event, the Mt. Marathon Race.  It is painted in realism using brushes, a style I adapted after my palette knife period, and before pointillism.  I became acquainted with Seward when I won a Per Cent for Art Commission in 1980 for the new lobby of the Alaska Vocational Technical Education Center.  In order to gather the research I needed for the project I visited the community multiple times during all four seasons.  It was a challenge.  The drive from Copper Center to Seward was 320 miles one-way, in the late 1970′s-early 1980′s the road was two lanes, very narrow, and curving, and passed over several mountain ranges.  This is an historic image, the downtown looks much different today although most of these buildings still stand, the Sea Life Center sits at the end of this road blocking the view of the bay.  I am offering this painting for sale, and praying it finds a significant historic collection.

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Gail Niebrugge, Alaska artist