Betany Porter, painter
As a resident artist in the Kobuk Valley National Park, painter Betany Porter spent four days last August on the Kobuk sand dunes with four other artists (a poet, filmmaker, educator and curator), each documenting their experience and impressions through their various mediums. Sponsored by the Anchorage Museum, the goal of the residency was to highlight the geographic diversity of the state and to get an outsider's perspective of this Northwest Arctic desert. Porter focused on micro-scale images: a satellite phone, camping gear in the sand, sand flies, bug bites. All unfamiliar with the area, "It was interesting to see what other people found important," Porter said. The educator documented her findings of plant life; the curator interviewed local residents to reveal the human story of the park. After their week of camping in the Kobuk, the group hosted a hands-on science exhibit at the Kotzebue National Park Service offices and did a radio segment on the local Kotzebue station describing their experience.
Nancy Lord, writer
Homer-based writer Nancy Lord has traveled to Denali, McCarthy and Prince William Sound through programs offered by Denali National Park, the Wrangell Mountain Center and the U.S. Forest Service. Each residency, ranging from one to two weeks, has allowed her time to experience, reflect upon and produce new material—all with a goal "to publish something that will be useful for the promotion and protection of a particular place," Lord said. She hopes her work during these residencies reflects well on the place and helps others understand its values. In Denali National Park, she spent 10 days in a cabin, creating poetry and a short story for use in the visitors' center; during her time in McCarthy, she spent time hiking, exploring and viewing wildlife; in Prince William Sound she traveled by kayak with a U.S. Forest Service ranger patrol to the Harriman Fjord and produced a video essay along with a photographer. As a professor for UAA's MFA program, she advises a similar approach to inspiration and creativity: "I encourage all my students to try experiential writing—getting out and having an adventure and writing about it."
Drew Michael, mask carver
An Alaska Native adopted out of his Yu'pik/Inupiaq culture, Drew Michael was raised by a mother who wanted to make sure he and his twin brother learned about their heritage during their upbringing in Eagle River. As Michael developed an interest in mask carving, he pursued training at UAA and the Alaska Native Heritage Center, "but the rest of it has been trial and error," he said. In the same way his mother encouraged him, he has spent his career sharing his skill and knowledge with Native youth, so they can learn about their culture, as well. He has worked with students statewide—from Bethel to Unalakleet to Tatitlek. "When we learn about history, we often go to objects—usually art," Michael said of his medium for teaching Native heritage to Native youth. "All art is a time-capsule; it represents a place, a time and a perspective." Using materials such as driftwood, metal and organic items (grass, roots, feathers, hair), Michael discusses the importance of place, how place influences culture, and how culture influences identity. "A way of life is just as important as history in understanding identity," he said.
Jimmy Riordan, illustrator, printmaker, bookbinder, creative placemaker
Over the past five years, artist Jimmy Riordan has shared his diverse set of skills with an even more diverse set of communities. From Moose Pass to the Pribilof Islands, Riordan has traveled to more than 10 rural communities teaching students techniques in illustration, printmaking and bookbinding. Bookbinding may seem boring, Riordan admits, but it involves math (measurement of materials, page counts), history, art, science (the fiber make up of paper) and English. In each case, he arrives with the materials he needs to do a variety of things and can adjust and shift projects based on the interests of the school and its students. Whether he's helping youth create a mural in Golovin or a new school sign in Cooper Landing, it's all a part of what has become a trend in creative placemaking. "You can't make an assumption about what rural Alaska is as a whole," he said. "It's very relative to where it is and the people that make up that community." He continues to help communities express what sets them apart through art.
This article appeared in the Fall 2015 issue of 61°North. Contact 61° editor Jamie Gonzales at jgonzales@alaskadispatch.com.