Basketweaver and textile artist Lani Hotch recently received a $5,000 cultural preservation grant and fellowship from the First Peoples Fund, a national nonprofit that supports indigenous artists across the country. “I’m honored that my artwork and commitment to my community have been recognized by First Peoples Fund. This grant and leadership training will help me to share my artistry with all who want to learn, and allow me to continue to give back to my culture and community,” said Hotch.
Emma Lee Nash recently published an all-ages coloring book called “Bird Love.” Nash said she started drawing the pages when she returned to work and was having a hard time being away from her son, Leo Randal Nash. She would shut herself in her office once a day, turn on the radio and start doodling. Once the pages started accumulating, her husband Carl volunteered to edit and format them into a book, which is available on Lulu.com. Though she doesn’t have much experience as an illustrator, Nash has kept birds as a child and adult. She received her bachelor’s in biology and spent four years volunteering for the Cascades Raptor Center.
Dermot Cole and John Hagen caught up at the Bamboo Room Saturday. The two worked together at the Fairbanks News-Miner between 2001 and 2007, when Cole was a columnist and Hagen was a photojournalist. Cole currently writes for the Alaska Dispatch News.
Kyle Gray recently vacationed in Breckenridge, Colo., where he met up with parents Joyce and Jerry Gray of Phoenix, Ariz., brother Eric Gray and sister-in-law Allie Mounce of Memphis, Tenn. Kyle spent most of his time snowboarding, logging about 30,000 vertical feet per day. Gray returned to Haines briefly then took off again to Anchorage, where he attended a First National Bank Alaska conference of loan officers and senior vice presidents. The two-and-a-half day conference included meetings covering changes in policy, economic presentations, volume summaries from the past year and projections for the upcoming year. Gray said one of his favorite presentations was by University of Alaska Anchorage professor Dr. Gunnar Knapp, who spoke about the economy.
About 30 sleds and 50-60 people turned out for the Chilkat Snowburners’ Family Fun Race Sunday at Mosquito Lake, said participant George Campbell. The event included three heats of ice racing and drag races, for children and adults. Steve McLaughlin took first place in the ice race, Chris Brooks took second and Clayton Lapp took third. Participants enjoyed hot dogs and burgers cooked over a bonfire.
Byrne Power will be in Europe for three months to work on his documentary film project “Gravity from Above: A Journey into European Puppetry.” He traveled to Europe in 2005 and 2012 to interview famous European puppeteers and puppet filmmakers. On this trip he will film the Brothers Quay, whose puppet films have been celebrated by the Museum of Modern Art and were recently featured in a short film directed by Christopher Nolan. Power also plans to meet up with puppeteers in Belgium, France, the Czech Republic and Georgia. Follow his journey on the “Gravity from Above” Facebook page or at www.gravityfromabove.wordpress.com.
Twenty-four hardy birdwatchers braved rainy and icy conditions for a total of 40 hours to count birds for the Audubon Christmas Bird Count, organizer Pam Randles reported. In all, they counted 1,660 birds of 43 different species. Three of those species are usually summer visitors – belted kingfishers, varied thrushes and fox sparrows. Two of the species are unusual – a red-winged blackbird and an arctic loon. Birdwatchers walked, drove, skied, snowshoed and watched feeders. They reported low numbers due to high winds and rain, especially among the smaller songbirds.
Amy Lowery of Postville, Iowa, is the new intern at the Sheldon Museum. She will be working on the facility’s archive consolidation project and will be here through June. Lowery is a graduate student in museum science at Texas Tech University. She holds undergraduate degrees in biology and anthropology.
Friends of the late Layton Bennett can write his wife Lou Bennett at 11448 Rainier Ave. S Apt. 230 Seattle, WA, 98178-3957.
Haines Ski Club members Bill Holton, Glen Jacobson and Ray Staska groomed a 14-mile roundtrip skate and classic ski trail out the Kelsall Road this week. The Ginzu Groomer from Yellowstone Track Systems was purchased by the Haines Ski Club last year with funds acquired by Jon Hirsh and Leslie Ross through a Rasmuson Foundation grant along with matching funds from a fundraiser whale watch donated by Glen and Alison Jacobson of Alaska Fjordlines.