Local artist’s work chosen for Anchorage exhibit
Katie Craney is among the artists featured in the Anchorage Museum’s Alaska Biennial 2020 exhibit which celebrates contemporary Alaska artists.
The exhibit, which features works that evoke a sense of place, includes various mediums including drawing, painting, mixed media, crafts, jewelry, fiber art, visual art, metal smithing, printmaking, ceramics, photography and sculpture.
Craney’s piece “Hearing Loss” includes nine, playing-card-sized metal panels with various found objects, including Janine Allen’s hearing aid batteries, glued to the panels. Other objects include bullet casings, sheep’s wool from Iceland and an image of a dead puffin.
“I’ve been really interested in sound, what we hear, what we don’t hear, what we pay attention to in a hyper visual culture. Sound is ever more important in our ability to listen; human-based sound versus natural sound, and what we’re not hearing.”
Anchorage Museum chief curator Francesca Du Brock said Craney’s piece was chosen because it spoke to the themes other artists depicted in their works including environmental concerns and social unrest.
“I felt that Katie’s piece ‘Hearing Loss’ really spoke to that connection to the land, the connection between humans and the land,” Du Brock said. “The title of it is pretty evocative combined with the image of the dead bird and these empty bullet casings and the hearing aid batteries.”
Craney said the image of the dead puffin and hearing loss are connected to the firing of a gun. “The death of something from a bullet is interesting to me, that sound of actual loss. That’s why I titled the piece hearing loss, bringing light to anyone who experiences hearing loss to what it means to not be able to hear everything we used to be able to hear.”
The exhibition drew 444 submissions from 129 artists. From those, 127 works were selected.
The exhibition opens Nov. 6 and ends April 4, 2021. The Alaska Biennial is exhibited once every two years.
First Friday events planned next month
First Friday events are being scheduled again after pandemic concerns caused a months-long hiatus. The Haines Chamber of Commerce board voted to begin the program again after conversations with local business owners, who said they were ready to begin hosting local art and special events or sales, executive director Tracy Harmon said.
“The chamber encourages following COVID-19 safety protocols and social distancing as each First Friday business requires,” Harmon said.
Second Nature, a first time First Friday participant, is offering door prizes with drawings. Masks are required to enter the store.
Haines Brewing Company will host work by John Svenson. Svenson began displaying work earlier this month and will continue rotating his watercolors and glassworks for several more weeks. The brewery has social distancing markers in place.
“There’s five weeks to go. It’s like a job,” Svenson said of keeping new work on the brewery’s walls. “I’m challenged every week to come up with something new. It’s keeping me working on the things I should be doing.”
Svenson said the watercolors are images of the “insane landscapes” he’s explored, climbed and adventured through in his mountaineering outings.
The glassworks include images of moose, ravens, whales and bears.
The Alaska Arts Confluence is featuring glassworks by Teri Bastable-Podsiki and Melissa Ganey’s and Kaitlin Combs’ 907 Clothing designs.
“Since there’s no public market this year, I’m going to focus on smaller gift type items, ornaments, jewelry, my butterflies and dragon flies, and a couple of my new sunflower scenes,” Bastable-Podsiki said.
Alaska Rod’s is featuring artist Judi Rice and Haines Home Building is offering sale items.
Woman’s Club to host annual bazaar virtually
The Haines Woman’s Club is hosting an online marketplace for vendors who traditionally sell their wares from booths at the club’s annual holiday bazaar. The club canceled this year’s bazaar due to pandemic concerns.
“About a month ago we were trying to decide what to do,” Woman’s Club president Judy Ewald said. “I threw out the idea we could do something with an online virtual bazaar. We will not make any money off this. It’s pretty much for the community, and for any vendor.”
Vendors will be able to post photos of their products and the website will last indefinitely. Vendors can also set shipping fees and arrange other methods for delivery. Purchases will be made through PayPal.
The Woman’s Club typically raises money from the bazaar by charging each vendor $10 plus 10% of the profits. The money goes toward providing $3,000 scholarships for Haines School graduating seniors. This year, Ewald said, they won’t charge vendors for participating. The club will attempt to fundraise with baked goods and donations.
Vendors interested in participating can visit hainesbazaar.com to find instructions for how to sign up or email [email protected] with further questions.
Woman’s Club representatives will have a booth between Ampersand AK and the Alaska Arts Confluence to provide more information to interested shoppers and vendors on Nov. 6’s First Friday event.