Arts and Culture

Back wall of the Upholding Balance exhibit. (Photo by Felix Wong)

What ‘Upholding Balance’ means to Ketchikan Museums

The Tongass Historical Museum of the Ketchikan Museums has brought to its city an exhibit that is looking at both art created up to 100… Continue reading

Back wall of the Upholding Balance exhibit. (Photo by Felix Wong)
“Natural Selection,” is part of the Boneyard Series by Ian Grant, a Juneau painter. Courtesy image.

Painting As He Sees It

This First Friday, Sept. 1, meet abstract painter Ian Grant. His work will be display at Annie Kaill’s starting at 4:30 p.m. The Capital City… Continue reading

“Natural Selection,” is part of the Boneyard Series by Ian Grant, a Juneau painter. Courtesy image.
President Harding holds flowers as he greets children in Skagway, 1923. From the Marguerite Bone Wilcox collection, identifier ASL-P70-20. Image courtesy of the Alaska State Library Historical Collections.

President Harding’s visit to Skagway

It’s a pleasant July morning in 1923, as three ships pull into the Skagway harbor. The passengers are on a cruise through Alaskan waters, having… Continue reading

President Harding holds flowers as he greets children in Skagway, 1923. From the Marguerite Bone Wilcox collection, identifier ASL-P70-20. Image courtesy of the Alaska State Library Historical Collections.

Haines obituary writer’s experiences being produced as a TV show

It’s a time-honored ritual in Haines. When someone dies, local author Heather Lende meets with family and friends to write about the life of the… Continue reading

The Sisters and Rivers group, on board the F/V Happy Time with Eric Grundberg and Malena Marvin, owners of Schoolhouse Fish Co. (Photo by Dan Kowalski.)

Standing for Salmon

One great part of this summer has been getting to meet people on their way to adventures around the state. I was lucky enough to… Continue reading

The Sisters and Rivers group, on board the F/V Happy Time with Eric Grundberg and Malena Marvin, owners of Schoolhouse Fish Co. (Photo by Dan Kowalski.)
Jeff Feldpausch (right) and Brenden Didrikson (left) help Kyle Rosendale, STA Fisheries Biologist (center), deploy a seine net at Klag Bay. (Photo by Sarah O’Leary)

Sitka Tribe of Alaska’s Traditional Foods Program nourishes families

It’s a cloudy Tuesday in July. At 4 a.m., it’s already light out, and Jeff Feldpausch and Mike Smith are preparing for a trip up… Continue reading

Jeff Feldpausch (right) and Brenden Didrikson (left) help Kyle Rosendale, STA Fisheries Biologist (center), deploy a seine net at Klag Bay. (Photo by Sarah O’Leary)
Building a floathouse

Building a floathouse

The day was Sept. 11, 2001. While my mom and I stared in horrified disbelief at the live footage of a jetliner crashing into a… Continue reading

Building a floathouse
Figures stand at Point Woronzof in the winter of 2015 as part of an art installation by Sarah Davies called 100Stone. (Photo by Sarah Davies)

100Stone artist creates grant for art project that focuses on homelessness

The Alaska Humanities Forum has paired up with artist Sarah Davies to give an Alaskan a $10,000 opportunity. The grant is geared specifically toward those… Continue reading

Figures stand at Point Woronzof in the winter of 2015 as part of an art installation by Sarah Davies called 100Stone. (Photo by Sarah Davies)
Debby Bloom holds one of her paintings that will be featured at Coppa in Juneau. Courtesy image.

Q&A with Debby Bloom: ‘A quirky view of our natural world’

Drop into the Coppa coffeehouse at 917 Glacier Ave. this month and you’ll have a hard time not noticing walls saturated by the colorful work… Continue reading

Debby Bloom holds one of her paintings that will be featured at Coppa in Juneau. Courtesy image.
Astraea carrying foam blocks to use for flotation in the ramp. Photo by Tara Neilson.

Growing up hands-on

“When is it my turn to use the sledgehammer?” Astraea, the 12-year-old girl we have staying with us this summer, demanded. We were working on… Continue reading

Astraea carrying foam blocks to use for flotation in the ramp. Photo by Tara Neilson.
Diego SunWoo, age 8, holds volumes of his zine “Happy Mollusk.” Courtesy image.

August First Friday

Happy Mollusk Zine by Diego SunWoo Kindred Post 145 South Franklin St. 4:30-7 p.m. Diego SunWoo (age 8) will be releasing the first four volumes… Continue reading

Diego SunWoo, age 8, holds volumes of his zine “Happy Mollusk.” Courtesy image.
Children participate in a sack race at the Sitka Seafood Festival in 2014. Photo by Bobbi Jordan.

Sitka Seafood Festival returns

The Sitka Seafood Festival is returning to the summer scene after last year’s absence. The festival has been an opportunity for the Sitka community to… Continue reading

Children participate in a sack race at the Sitka Seafood Festival in 2014. Photo by Bobbi Jordan.

Writers’ Weir: The Leaf

Some greener, some just blossomed, some have withered and soon will fall. Which one are you? How did you spend your time in the tree?… Continue reading

Della Cheney. (Photo by Alfie Price)

Haida woman releases book on traditional weaving

Della Cheney’s book “Weaving Our World”, published on May 26, is a reminder of the importance traditional practices can, and should, still have on the… Continue reading

Della Cheney. (Photo by Alfie Price)
California residents Eric Simoni, JT Thomson and Eric Smith were at the right place at the right time on Prince of Wales last week. Photo by Jeff Lund.

Value the moment, even if it’s fishless

There is nothing new under the sun. So really, there are no new fishing columns. Unless of course you’re talking about new technology, which I… Continue reading

California residents Eric Simoni, JT Thomson and Eric Smith were at the right place at the right time on Prince of Wales last week. Photo by Jeff Lund.
“Fishing in Nome” - Sarah Betcher. Courtesy image.

JUMP Society: A place for local filmmakers

Since the summer of 2002, the Juneau Underground Movie Picture Society (JUMP) has been entertaining Juneau-ites with its twice yearly film festivals, while at the… Continue reading

“Fishing in Nome” - Sarah Betcher. Courtesy image.
Anna Brown Ehlers and the Killer Whale Chilkat blanket, the longest Chilkat blanket in history. It’s eight feet wide and seven feet long. Courtesy image.

Chilkat weaver earns national honors

Anna Brown Ehlers’ artistic mastery in Chilkat weaving has earned her a place as one of the nine recipients of a 2017 National Endowment of… Continue reading

Anna Brown Ehlers and the Killer Whale Chilkat blanket, the longest Chilkat blanket in history. It’s eight feet wide and seven feet long. Courtesy image.
Ernestine Hayes laughs at a Sept. 2015 49 Writers Crosscurrents panel called “Shaped by the North.”

Writer laureate launches story project for Alaskans

Everyone who is alive today has created their own unique stories simply through their existence. Alaska State Writer Laureate Ernestine Hayes is an advocate for… Continue reading

Ernestine Hayes laughs at a Sept. 2015 49 Writers Crosscurrents panel called “Shaped by the North.”
Janine Gibbons at The Fleet. Photo by Chelsea Tremblay.

Bringing a Petersburg artist’s Fleet together

It happens fast. When the fishermen go to the grounds and leave empty harbor stalls, I find myself imagining Petersburg in the wintertime. I know!… Continue reading

Janine Gibbons at The Fleet. Photo by Chelsea Tremblay.
Paul Theroux with wife Sheila by the White Pass Railway train tracks. Image courtesy of Katie Bausler.

Discovering writer Paul Theroux at Skagway’s North Words

“All genuine knowledge originates in direct experience.” -Mao Tse Tung (as quoted by Paul Theroux) Before we signed up for the North Words Writer’s Symposium,… Continue reading

Paul Theroux with wife Sheila by the White Pass Railway train tracks. Image courtesy of Katie Bausler.