First Friday puts wood first
June’s First Friday celebration is all about wood as local businesses open their doors to showcase the best of woodworking in Haines.
The Haines Sheldon Museum, in collaboration with Alaska Arts Confluence, is opening its next Six Week Spotlight on June 1, called “From Forest to Finish: A Story of Wood in the Chilkat Valley.”
The Babbling Book and Dragon’s Nook will feature an elliptical soaking tub with a three-piece wooden cover crafted by Gordon Whitermore of Whitermore GA Custom Woodworking. The hot tub is crafted from quarter-sawed old growth Western Red Cedar harvested and sawed in Craig, Alaska.
Zen Bathworks, on Spruce Grove Road next to Haines Headstart, will have an open house to showcase their wooden soaking tubs. Kent Larson and his crew will have informative signs to walk guests through the process of making a tub, and Larson will be on hand to answer questions.
Alaska Arts Confluence is showing Tia Heywood’s “Feels Like Home – Celebrating the Places We Live,” a series of sculptural pieces reflecting Heywood’s perceptions of the places and things she loves about the Chilkat Valley as remembered from her college years on the East Coast.
Amelia Nash of Ampersand AK said the store’s First Friday theme will be “Wood and the Senses,” including “wood visuals” by Nash and co-owner Andrea Nelson, wooden musical instruments and new wooden rolling pins by artist Sean Bryant.
The Hammer Museum will unveil a birch Eagle Hammer mounted on a myrtle wood base carved by Tresham Gregg. Gregg said the hammer, about 14 inches tall, depicts an eagle in flight with its wings pointing down the handle. Gregg will also perform “The Fur North” puppet show at his store Uniquely Alaskan at 6:15 p.m.
“It’s animal banter based on the concept of them being radio personalities,” Gregg said. “There’s a raven announcer who interviews animals and gets into trouble.”
Other First Friday events include the grand opening of La Loft in its new space, the L.A.B building on Main Street.
Port Chilkoot Distillery will feature “Chandeliers inspired by the sea: functional found art” by Megan Morehouse. “The chandeliers are composed of shells with a little sparkle and bohemian feel. They are inspired by the sea and what surrounds me,” Morehouse said.
Caroline’s Closet will host Travina Stuart of Frosty Beads’n Things who will give a glass bead jewelry and decorative art demonstration.
The Rusty Compass Coffeehouse will celebrate one year of business and showcase wildlife photography by Brian Staurseth. The Magpie Gallery will have Josie’s spruce tip bread, bagels and other spruce-tip goodies. Alaska Rod’s featured artist will be Haines local Joan Brown who paints the northern lights on canvas. Haines Brewing Company will have artwork by Merrick Bochart.
Soon-to-open marijuana dispensary Winter Greens, next to Lynn View Mercantile on Beach Road, will be open for a sneak preview at 7:15 p.m.
Polish language class at library
The Haines Borough Public Library is offering a Polish language and culture class this summer.
Jolanta Ryan, new education cultural coordinator, will teach the class. She said she was born in Poland and moved to the United States when she was 7 years old.
“I spoke Polish growing up and I wanted to share that,” Ryan said. “Learning a language is good for the brain.”
Ryan said she knows of several people in town who speak Polish and wanted to teach the language and culture to other community members.
Ryan said class participants will learn some conversational Polish, watch Polish cartoons and movies, make Polish food and learn about Polish holidays and culture.
The class is open to kids, adults and families and takes place at 11 a.m. for about an hour every Tuesday in the library conference room throughout the summer.
Holly Davis will teach Spanish every Friday at 3 p.m., and library staff hopes to organize a Tlingit language immersion class for the fall.
Local wood focus of museum exhibit
The Haines Sheldon Museum, in collaboration with Alaska Arts Confluence, is opening a new Six Week Spotlight on June 1 focused on the development of local wood products, called “From Forest to Finish: A Story of Wood in the Chilkat Valley.”
Sylvia Heinz, who runs a local sawmill with her husband, said she got involved with the show to tell the story of how a tree turns into a finished product.
The exhibit “showcases the breadth of local wood products, with products from established and emerging artisans, entrepreneurs, and local forestry workers,” according to a press release. “The exhibit celebrates our forests, the role the trees play in our valley, and the people who are supported by our vast and beautiful timber resource.”
State forester Greg Palmieri created maps that display the history of logging and land ownership in the Chilkat Valley pre- and post-statehood. Museumgoers can see samples of local woods like birch, cottonwood, spruce and hemlock.
Items including a guitar, ukulele, bowl, dip platter, hat, mirror, puppet, music stand, paddles and skis, made of wood by local artisans, will be on display. John Hagen, Rob Goldberg, Burl Sheldon, Tia Heywood, Shori Heaton, Tresham Gregg, Dana Van Burgh, Ian Seward, Terry Jacobson, Marian Carlson, Graham Kraft, Joseph Jacobson, Megan Morehouse and Joe Ordonez are among contributors.
A hand-carved Alaska Forest Products sign by Budge and Clara McRae also will be featured. The AFP sawmill at Jones Point operated from 1965 to 1976. Local logger Scott Rossman donated old forest gear like a hard hat, boots and logging tongs.
The museum will display a historical painting of John Schnabel’s sawmill, Schnabel Lumber Co., on Lutak Inlet by John McOmber. Schnabel’s original cross-cut saw he brought to Alaska in the late 1930s, as well as a “photographic chronicle” of Schnabel’s early time in Haines on loan from daughter Debra Schnabel, will be displayed.
“There’s a huge number of people involved in the local wood industry,” Heinz said. Others who contributed to the exhibit include Jack Smith, Gordon Whitermore, Scott Carey, Lorraine Kasko and John Carlson. Heidi Robichaud helped design the exhibit with Heinz, Arts Confluence creative director Carol Tuynman and museum staff.
Museum community coordinator Regi Johanos said the public is invited to the opening reception 5-7 p.m. on First Friday; the show runs until July 14.