Donna Catotti’s drawing class, “Finding the Light and Shadow” was held at the Sheldon Museum Saturday. It was the second installment in the Alaska Arts Confluence “Inside Out” workshop series. “Well-presented format was enjoyed and some hidden talent emerged from the exercises,” said organizer Carol Tuynman. “Julie Rae, Stephanie Scott, Mardell Gunn, Tim Huber, Becky Nash, Carol Tuynman, Gerri Marquardt and her sister Kathie Kroviak gave their all for six hours of right brain development.”
Coleman and Amber Standford have returned from Pheonix, Ariz. along with their kids Ari’el, Grace, Oren and Eva and grandparents Deb and Jim Stanford. The group met up with Coleman’s sister, Sitka resident, Jamie Bentley, her husband Jeff, and kids Tae, Jema, Cyrus and Ledger. Coleman’s brother Cash Stanford of North Pole also joined with his wife Cassandra and daughters Charlee and Makynlee. Highlights included fun at the zoo, amusement parks, college basketball games—including the Oregon Ducks women’s basketball team winning the Pac12 Conference Championship, and a day spent hiking in Sedona. The families visited extended family around Arizona as well.
Gabe Thomas and Tracey Harmon have returned from a vacation in Florida with their two children Mila and Silas. The trip began with a surprise 3-day Disney World extravaganza. “The kids loved Disney but got just as many thrills out of the airport terminal train,” Tracey joked. Highlights for the couple included a date night “Around the World” at the Epcot Center. The rest of the trip was spent in Naples where they spent time at the beach, shopped, went boating in the gulf, swimming at grandparents’ Patty and Elza Harmon’s house and also visited Tracey’s extended family. “The kids’ swimming went from a two to an eight, Disney was crazy, the weather was in the upper 80s. One day it dropped below 80, we were the crazy Alaskans that went to the pool,” Tracey said.
Chilkat Valley Preschool’s annual Spring Sip and Paint was held last weekend. Kelleen Adams demonstrated painting techniques on wooden boxes for eager artists. “The last Sip and Paints we have used canvases, but board member Laura Rogers suggested we paint on something that could be beautifully used rather than displayed and admired,” said CVP president Lexie DeWitt. “The fundraiser brings in a good amount of funds for our non-profit and we are lucky that it has such a great following and many returners each fall and spring.”
Haines cheer team member Eli Williamson was named a “Super Fan” and also earned all-tournament honors for cheer for Haines at the Region V Basketball Tournament last weekend in Sitka. The team cheered for six games and performed for judges. “They really pulled it together to perform on Saturday after a last-minute injury forced us to change our routine,” said head coach Natalie Benassi. “I am so proud of each and every one of them. We had a great time and are already thinking about next year.”
Josh Benassi is enrolled in two 45-hour workshops at the New Approach School for Jewelry in Arrington, Tenn.; a bench comprehensive and a stone-setting intensive. Instructor, Blaine Lewis, is a world-renowned stone setter and has been teaching for 15 years. “My goal is to incorporate more advanced stone-setting techniques in my local, natural and carved silver cast items, and maybe ease my processes with better fabrication strategies. I have been metalsmithing for about nine months total and this is the first class I have taken for jewelry.”
“Gold Rush: Parker’s Trail” will air Saturday, March 30 on the Discovery Channel. Parker Schnabel will be featured in an adventure through the jungles of Papua New Guinea. This is the show’s third season.