At this point I’m contemplating the shapes and hues in the background, and I think I’ll modify some….they seem too regular, to much the same. Some should be larger, some lighter, some darker, more variety. I’ve begun to add definition to the flower petals and the center. Nothing has been done to the butterfly for quite awhile. There is much to do yet, it is not the way I want it to look…..time to think, and study.

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska painter

I’ve always found solace and comfort in nature no matter how tough the distress or tension, a few moments of quiet, gazing at the beauty of creation and I’m restored. Such was the case last Monday. The Holiday Food and Gift Show was unusually difficult, even though we took great measures to make things easier.

My husband, Bob, has shellfish allergies and becomes very ill if he consumes even a trace of these tasty crustaceans. We ordered baked halibut Saturday night and within hours he was violently sick. It was clear that the kitchen had used poor food handling and cross-contamination had occurred. I stayed up with him all night, finally falling asleep near 4:00AM. Sunday I worked the booth alone, Bob was exhausted. The event staff helped me tear down the booth and load the cargo trailer, I dreaded the drive home with falling snow in the dark. We arrived home safely, very tired and fell into bed.

In the morning I woke to the stunning sight of a fresh snowfall. All day I rested, working leisurely, sharing time between catching up the art business and gazing out the windows at the gorgeous miracle of new fallen snow. Slowly my fatigue disappeared, replaced with a peaceful contentment. Soon all was well again in my world. What a difference a day makes.

And then as the sun set, everything even got better!

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska landscape artist

While friends Warren and Vicki visited our booth at the Holiday Food and Gift Show, Warren started shooting photos of the people and activity. Good friends Lori and Bob Sunder stopped to say hello and the next thing we knew Warren took our picture. It was a day of good times, best friends, memories, stories, and shared experiences. Part of the fun of doing these events is sharing time with wonderful people. Moments to treasure.

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska artisst

It was quiet on Friday and gave people lots of time to browse in the booth, but don’t be fooled, Saturday and Sunday will be a mad house. Savvy shoppers know to come on Friday.

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska painter

We spent all day Thursday setting up our booth for the Holiday Food and Gift Show at the Anchorage Denai’na Center. The weather warmed up and made the experience towing our cargo trailer very easy. The show opens today at noon and closes Sunday, November 8, at 5:00PM. We are showing the first new print of “Wing Dancing”, it looks great. I look forward to seeing friends and collectors this weekend.

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska artist

I’m developing shapes using hues and shades of blue and green dots in the background behind the butterfly and the flower. It could work out fine or I might change the whole thing, we shall see how it goes.

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska artist

At this point I’ve added more dots of color to the butterfly wings and began to define soft shapes in the background on the lower right by adding darker shades of blue and green. I’m contemplating varying the background values throughout the painting, a few dark dots have been added along the left side. This will be an exploratory effort and will be subject to a great deal of change.

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska painter

I’m adding more colored dots to the butterfly and the flower shape. The background remains unchanged. All of the work at this point is nothing more than laying in values and color, many changes will take place before the painting is finished.

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska landscape artist

After a week of strong winds, gusts from 50-80mph, the temperatures dropping into the low 20 degrees fahrenheit, we assessed the yard. Tree branches, wood chips, trash and unsecured containers were strewn everywhere. Even as the wind continued to blow, Bob tackled the job of cutting down a tree that threatened to fall on the storage garage. He tied it to a rope and used the ATV to pull it in a direction away from the garage with the hope it would not fall on the building or the fence.

Viola, success! Now if only the wind will stop blowing.

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska artist

I’ve filled the background with dots in shades and hues of blue with a slight variation in value, and began adding color to the butterfly and parts of the flower. All of this work is very preliminary at this point, many changes will take place before I am satisfied. The background could change entirely, I won’t know until values and color have been added throughout the painting.

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska painter

Many more dots in shades and hues of blue are added to the background of the painting. At this stage the value of the blue is pretty much the same, I will begin to lighten or darken areas of the background later.

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska artist

I’ve begun to apply the first layer of dots to the background of the painting, multiple shades and hues of blue. The dots are applied very random and the values are applied equally random at this stage.

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska artist

This sketch is from my trip to New Zealand where I saw many butterflies in the botanical gardens, I’m painting a Monarch butterfly as it feeds on a flower.

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska flower artist

Unusual warm, mild temperatures this fall allowed migrating waterfowl the opportunity to spend extra time on our lake where an abundance of feed abounds. These two adult Trumpeter Swans and their five signets spent nearly a week foraging along the shoreline attracting the attention of ducks who benefited from the leftover scraps. This photo was taken from inside my studio where I spend a lot of time watching these beautiful birds swim around our dock very close to shore. It is fun to watch an excited neighbor approach for a close-up photo with camera and big lens, every time someone tries the swans swiftly swim to the middle of the pond. We all keep each other notified of the swans arrival with a telephone “Swan Watch Alert”, just one of the joys of living near the water in Alaska.

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska waterfowl artist

The day after the Governor’s Awards for the Arts, the Alaska State Council Board of Directors met in a room with an incredible view on the top floor of the hotel Captain Cook, Anchorage, Alaska. I have the pleasure to serve as Vice-Chair of the Board for the past two years and am constantly impressed with the quality of the board members and the efficiency of the hard-working staff. During our all-day meeting we discussed many issues facing arts in Alaska with particular attention to the small rural communities in our vast state. I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to serve the people of Alaska as part of this outstanding board.

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska artist

Thursday night I had the pleasure of attending the Alaska State Council on the Arts Governor’s Awards banquet at the Hotel Captain Cook downtown Anchorage, Alaska. I was thrilled to be seated at a table with two of the founders of the state constitution and the award winner for Lifetime Achievement in art, not to mention I sat next to my friend and fantastic artist Dot Bardarson of Seward, Alaska! It was a wonderful evening with heartfelt speeches by the winners. Pictured above left to right is Polly Lee from Petersburg, Alaska, the winner of the Lifetime Achievement award, Vic Fischer and Katie Hurley who helped write the constitution for our state of Alaska. It is an honor to be able to know people who had such an impact on our young state, we just celebrated our 50th year of statehood this year! What an awesome evening. I am humbled.

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska painter

After two seamless flights on Alaska Airlines from San Diego/Seattle, Seattle/Anchorage and Bob met me at the beautiful Anchorage International Airport for the one-hour drive to our Palmer studio. The weather here is blustery, but still in the mid 40’s during the day. No snow on the ground yet. While in San Diego I did not adjust to the humid heat, I’ve been away from that climate for so long it seems I’m a true Alaskan. I like the cool daytime temperatures of October with nighttime near freezing, relieving us from yard work until spring. The days are growing shorter, today it was dark until nearly 8:00AM and dusk arrives around 6:00PM. Winter is the time of the year that I paint, toasty warm in the studio with good light I recreate lush, bold colors in acrylic of all seasons. Landscapes, birds, flowers, and wildlife come to life on my easel. Yes, I’m looking forward to winter in Alaska.

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska landscape art

Cousin Arlene Shuster and I visited the wild animal park during my recent trip to San Diego and the Lorkeets gave me a surprise as they landed on my hand, arm, and shoulders while I fed them. This is a gorgeous park, the foliage and gardens are beautiful and I enjoyed watching the animals and waterfowl in re-created natural habitat. Sunny warm weather greeted us every day, we wore shorts and sandals summertime in October. Tomorrow I fly back to Alaska where winter is on the way. Good bye old friends and family, it was nice to see all of you again!

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska artist

Forty cousins and second cousins met for a picnic in Escondido for the annual family reunion that has convened for more than 75 years. Grandma and grandpa are gone along with our six aunts and uncles, but the third and forth generation still meet. It is wonderful to be a part of this family. Pictured above are my second cousin Noell Krueger with husband Kelly and second cousin Dennis Orsborn with wife Sally.

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska artist

Friends since grade school the four of us shared memories at the class reunion in San Diego last weekend. From left to right are myself, Karen Smith, Toni Moreno, and Phyllis Smith, good Girl Scouts all.

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska artist