Alaska politics and art merge at local gallery

Collectors of the art of Rie Muñoz filled her gallery Wednesday night for the dual purpose of buying her latest print and helping fund the FRANK Committee's legislative-move information campaign.

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Limited edition prints of Muñoz' "Chess Game" sold for $100 each. All the proceeds went to the committee.

The FRANK Committee, which stands for Fiscally Responsible Alaskans Needing Knowledge, advocates for voters to know and approve all bondable costs of a legislative move. The committee was formed in 1977 during an attempt to move the capital to Willow. Alaskans approved the FRANK Initiative in 1978 by 55 percent of the vote and again in 1994 by 77 percent.

Muñoz is one Alaska's most celebrated artists. Her paintings depict village life and Native folklore and legends. Muñoz was present at the showing, signing copies of the print.

The watercolor print depicts two men playing a game of chess at the Silverbow Inn in downtown Juneau. Outside of the building hangs a blue and yellow Alaska Committee sign reading "No Legislative Move."

Juan Muñoz, owner and manager of the gallery and Rie's son, said sales of the print before and during the show totaled about $24,000. He expects print sales will raise another $10,000 before election day.

FRANK Committee Deputy Treasurer Bill Corbus extended the committee's gratitude to Muñoz for donating the prints. Along with Wednesday's fund-raiser, Corbus said the FRANK Committee has sent out mailings to local businesses and homes to raise campaign contributions.

Former Juneau Mayor Bill Overstreet, who has helped lead the fight against several capital move initiatives over the years, was at the event with wife Jean.

"I may just have as an epithet, 'no move,' " Overstreet said, with his Muñoz print in hand.

Overstreet encouraged everyone in Juneau to tell a friend, neighbor or relative to vote no on the ballot measure.

"The only thing we have to fear is the absence of fear," Overstreet said, spinning off of the famous quote of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. "I don't sense the fear, and that's worrisome. I think the campaign is going well, but we have to fight overconfidence."

Timothy Inklebarger can be reached at timothyi@juneauempire.com.