This is the last of three blog posts that highlight each artist member that submitted work to our 2020 Members Exhibition. This, along with the online store and the window displays, represent our efforts to share with you, our arts community, the vision and talents of our creative membership.
This year, we challenged our members to look back on 2019 and define their work in a submission to this exhibition. Many of the artists took the time to tell us a little bit about themselves and where their creative focus has been in the past year, and we have shared those thoughts with you below.
You can look through the images by clicking on the thumbnails below the main image. If you are interested in purchasing any of the artworks for sale you can do that through our online store which is accessible via the “shop” button on the menu bar above, as well as by clicking on the image.
Don Mohr
Don is one of the founding members of the IGCA, and continues to volunteer on the board.
Brandon Moore
Brandon has been a member of the IGCA for about a year now, and volunteers as a gallery sitter as well. When asked where his artistic focus has been this last year, he says,
“I’ve always enjoyed working with ink and now, over the last year, I’ve been experimenting more with stippling and working with other kinds of inks. It’s become a form of meditation and exploration for me.”
Discover more about Brandon and his work on instagram - @birberous, or on his website, www.birberous.com.
Richard Murphy
Richard has been a member of the IGCA from the beginning, and shares with us some of this last years inspiration…
“This piece came from an enforced stay in Fukuoka, Japan on the southern island of Kyushu in February of 2019. The lotus ponds in winter are largely ignored, in fact this pond was clear cut of old lotus plants while I was there. These plants, and their soon demise, spoke to me of the Japanese concept of wabi sabi, of the transitory and imperfect beauty of nature.”
Find more information on Richard and his work by following him on Instagram - @instaak
Monica O’Keefe
A member for 7 years, Monica shares a bit about her work and her inspiration…
“I’ve always felt the need to make things and create art, and I’ve always been drawn to the outdoors, to the beauty and quiet of natural places. Living in Alaska it’s easy to get outside and notice the things that I want to interpret in paintings. I’m intrigued by variations in scale from tiny to vast. I continue to experiment with acrylic mediums, as well as carving rubber stamps and making stencils for use with acrylic paint, to create designs based on my concept of what looks interesting.”
Discover more about Monica and her work at monicaokeefe.com
Karen Olanna
Discover more about Karen and her work by following her on Instagram - @karen.olanna.art
Carlos Pereira
Carlos has been a member of the IGCA for 2 years. We asked him to tell us a little about himself and his practice…
”My art is a soliloquy of tales from personal experiences. The styles I use include abstract, landscape, and impressionism work. At the age of 6, I started learning landscape techniques with my mother, an art professor in Texas. In the last two years I have begun experimenting with abstractions, and find that I can create art that communicates my personal experiences to the viewer. Through this channel of thought, I wish to capture an audience that is intrigued by my story.”
Discover more about Carlos and his work at carlospereiraart.com or on instagram - @carlospereiraart
Nathan Perry
Nathan has been a participating artist member for 10 years, as well as a consistent volunteer. This last year he as been focusing on “moving more towards color with Acrylics and exploring Combinations of Realistic Figurative with Abstract elements.”
Discover more about Nathan and his work by visiting his Facebook page, Nathan Perry, or by following him on Instagram - @nhperry01
Miranda Petruska
Miranda has been a member for a little over a year now and has spent much of this last year expanding her audience…
“The past few months I created a website for my work which features a shop, a blog, a gallery, and an “about me” section as well as acknowledgements. I’m still learning the business side of selling art. I’ve participated in a couple of pop-up shops to sell my earrings. I paint, but only when I have time. My full-time job is raising 2 young children, taking college classes, and also working for a tribal health organization. Never a dull moment in my life, which I am grateful for.”
Visit her website, www.dichinanek.com, to discover more about Miranda and her work.
David Pettibone
David has been a member for multiple years and when asked where his creative focus has been this year, he told us “I’ve been working on large-scale narrative work but also painting small, plein air studies. These studies, I find, are an important breath of fresh air while I am deep in my studio work.”
That’s a coincidence - David and his work, WE FIND, are an important breath of fresh air.
Discover more about David and his practice on instagram - @pettibonedavid, or on his website, davidpettipone.com
Elissa Pettibone
Elissa has been a member for the last several years. You all will remember her as the former IGCA gallery manager, who couldn’t resist the pull of Homer. Over this last year, she’s been focusing her natural dye practice onto indigo. “After 10 years of working with natural dyes, I've dug even deeper into indigo. I am experimenting painting with indigo, a dye that goes through a redox reaction to color fiber. It's hard to paint fabric with a medium that oxidizes before the brush touches the fabric- leading to many experiments. Aside from experiments, I gained inspiration from a Japan trip last fall, learning traditional growing/processing/dyeing/after treatment techniques with indigo. An informative year for me and indigo!”
You can find more information on Elissa and her work at blueredyellow.org or on instagram - @blueredyellow_dyers.
Tami Phelps
Discover more of Tami’s work and process on her website, tamiphelps.com
MaryBeth Printz
MaryBeth is a new member this year, and she took the time to tell us a little about where her artistic focus has been over the last year…
“My practice has developed from classical observational painting into creating imagery that is conceptual and poetic. I am a visual raconteur who explores a variety of subjects, both personal and societal, that I weave together to express my experiences, opinions, and feelings in an imaginative realistic style. My background in classical realism is meshed with elements of graphic design learned throughout my career and my imagination to produce visual images imbued with a sense of magic.”
Discover more about MaryBeth and her work on Instagram, @mbprintzart.
J. Reto
Jay has been a member for 2 years and is currently working on 2 different series…
“These pieces represent two series I'm working on. 1) Ice Scraper Landscape Series in which principle painting is done using the tooth side of an ice scraper. 2) Reverse Portrait Series implementing German reverse glass painting techniques with mixed media on plexi.”
Faith Revell
Faith has been a member of the IGCA for 3 years. She shared a little about where her focus has been this last year…
“Human geography, natural phenomena and the essence of movement inform my painting. An artist residency in Denali National Park and a float in the Kenai Fjords with scientists and educators inspired new work and a new perspective on the natural world. I puzzle over how to navigate the landscape with imagination, sometimes grace, and a measure of safety. And grow daily, more aware of the din that signals a global community in peril. My work, abstract and experimental, weds heavy with light.”
Amy Robinson
Not only has Amy been a member for about 2 years, she volunteers as a gallery sitter and serves on the board as well! When asked where her creative focus has been over the last year she says…
”I have been creating abstract pieces on board and canvas using primarily acrylic paint, pastels, and collage. I am developing intentionality around shapes and techniques I use, and also trying to understand the shapes I repeatedly make and to embrace them.”
Find out more about Amy and her practice by following her on instagram - @amy_robinson_art
Elise Rose
Amanda Saxton
Amanda has been a member of the gallery for about 10 years. We asked her to share a bit about herself and where her creative focus has been this year…
”This year I have concentrated on pen & ink illustrations about suffragettes. This exhibit print is in sepia on parchment to exemplify its historical context. I have had past illustrations for Environment and Natural Resources Institute, Taste of Home: Mediterranean Cooking in Alaska, and graphics for the U.S. Arctic Research Commission. I have a MFA in Art from University of Hartford and a MA from Syracuse University. I feel lucky to be in a city close to the mountains with vibrant art and music centers.”
Mikhail Siskoff
Discover more about Mikhail and his work on Instagram - @keysgoclick
Christine Smith
Christine doesn’t know exactly how long she’s been a member but its “a long time!” When asked about where her creative focus has been over the last year she says
“My work can be abstract but is generally grounded in realism. Everything from experimental cold wax paintings like these to animal portraits in oil to intricate mosaic work. Lots of commissioned work is keeping me busy this year!” We are happy to hear it Christine!
Find more information about Christine and her work at www.christinebradnersmith.com
Becky Stephan
Jen Wang
Jen has been a volunteering as a gallery sitter since last summer and shares with us a little about her process and focus this last year…
“I'm an oil painter. I start a lot of pieces and never finish them, and forget to cap my paints in the meantime. I've gotten better about it only recently, with better habits and more time spent in the painting chair. There's a lot of trust involved in making strong decisions and then allowing yourself to call a work "done." This past year was one full of blocky coloring and cartoon birch trees.”
Discover more about Jen and her work in Instagram - @amanita_house
Lee Waters
Lee has been a member for over 5 years, and she shared a bit about herself…
“In addition to being a special education teacher, I teach American Sign Language in the community. My art work is primarily based in Encaustic, mosaic sculptural pieces and fused glass jewelry. This year, in addition to spending time with my family, I dance to live music 2-3 times a month and host dinner/game night parties. Currently I am a teacher mentor in training and also a post-grad fellow at UAA.”
Visit her website, leewaters.org, to discover more about Lee and her work.
Deondra Welch
Deondra is a new member who has been practicing stained glass for about 25 years. This last year she been putting her shop back together after moving back to Alaska nearly 4 years ago.
“The piece that I am submitting is the first one that I've done in 4 years and now belongs to my Aunt. Most of my work is made as gifts but I do plan on displaying more of it and possibly selling some in the future. I don't have a website or Insagram yet but that is something else that I will be working on in the coming months.” Everyone look out for her on instagram in the near future and give her some love.
Sheila Wyne
Sheila, a member of many years, took the time to share with us some of her inspiration and process…
“My work reflects a personal view that an artist’s perspective is applicable in many venues. The media I use is as wide-ranging as the scale, scope and emotional content of each project. No material is off limits. Everything is available for the creative act. I gather the flotsam and jetsam from Northern communities – objects, words, stories, attitudes, ideas and events. I dismantle and deconstruct. Then reconfigure these remnants to find new meaning with fresh insight.”
Visit her website to find more information about Sheila and her work - www.sheilawyne.com
