2023-2024 Main Street Gallery Season

Charlotte Tanner

Digital painting lends itself to exploring the dynamics of landscapes, their reality, and their artistry.

My work invites viewers to traverse virtual trains, forging a connection between the organic beauty of the physical world and the limitless possibilities offered by the digital canvas. I present here two variations of the same landscape, one printed on metal, one on a giclée print.

Through vibrant hues and intricate details, I can evoke a sense of wonder, inviting viewers to explore the intersection of the organic and the digital in the immersive realm of my creations.

The digital painting of a landscape printed on metal offers a modern appearance with vibrant hues and bold strokes.  The metal enhances the contrast creating a contemporary and durable art piece.

In contrast the same landscape printed on paper presents a softer feel, while drawing attention to specific details.

*Image by Charlotte Tanner

Mountain Meadow Prism, 2024
digital painting giclée print
22” x 18”

*Image by Charlotte Tanner

Mountain Meadow Prism, 2024
digital painting on metal
24” x 20”

*Image by Charlotte Tanner

Woodturning/woodworking allows me to explore the inner beauty of trees. Taking a piece of wood and turning it on a lathe lets me shape it into unlimited forms, creating beautiful and functional forms. Adding embellishment to turned pieces adds to the beauty of the wood. The possibilities are limited only by my creativity.

You can find more of my work at the upcoming Blueberry Arts Festival!

*Image by Dale Clark

Yellow Cedar Bowl, 2024
yellow cedar, turned, beaded, woodburned, & painted with lacquer  
11” x 2”

*Image by Dale Clark

Sitka Spruce Burl Bowl, 2024
Sitka spruce, turned leaving a natural edge, & finished with Danish Oil
10.5” x 7”

*Image by Dale Clark

Debbie Johnson

I met my former husband when I was working at a self-serve gas station in Bellingham, Washington. For 42 very adventuresome years we fished together. We were caretakers at Bell Island in the early 80’s. We ran our fishing boat up to Valdez, Alaska and worked on the clean-up of the infamous Exxon Valdez oil spill.

Since my husband passed, I live in Ketchikan in the winter months on my boat and spend the other part of the year at the home we built together in Union Bay by Meyers Chuck. All off grid, the peace and beauty of nature inspires my painting…my skiff is my “work truck”!

You can find more of my work at the Scanlon Gallery and Custom Framing in Ketchikan!

*Image by Debbie Johnson

The Abyss, 2023
acrylic on canvas
16” x 20”

*Image by KAAHC

Janalee Gage

Born and raised in Ketchikan, Alaska, Janalee is a 5th generation resident with a strong passion for photography, inspired by her Great-Great Grandmother Harriet Hunt, a noted Ketchikan photographer of the early 20th century. She pursued a Fine Arts Degree in Photography from Otis Parsons School of Design in Los Angeles, CA. Janalee has traveled extensively, living in various places including Kotzebue, Alaska, to New York City, but she always finds her way back to her home, Ketchikan.

In 2014, she produced a show titled "Look, See, and Hear," which shed light on the daily stigmas faced by people living with disabilities, drawing from her own experience after a life-altering incident in 1995.

In 2018-19, she created a collection of images documenting the gradual return of local totems to the earth, finding beauty in their decay and imperfections as they went back to the earth. She likened this process to her own life, capturing the fading constants in her daily life.

Janalee's work delves into her personal connection with the world, exploring the beauty in decay and change. She strives to capture not just images, but also the emotions, memories, and scents they evoke.

You can find Janalee's work in Ketchikan at Parnassus Book Store, Crazy Wolf Studio, and The Outpost.

*Image by Janalee Gage

My Deer Mountain, 2024
photography giclée
12”x 26”

*Image by Janalee Gage

Wat.sa.dan Héen Dzeit, 2024
photography printed on canvas giclée
20” x 30”

*Image by Janalee Gage

Jessica Kidder

I’ve always loved the relationship between the mountains and the ocean. The way the towering peaks seem to look over the ever-changing, emotional seas. While I can do my best to capture their stark beauty in a simplistic way, I know I could never begin to embody their grace through any medium. So humbly, I present to you “Mountains and Sea.”

You can find more of my work at the upcoming Blueberry Arts Festival and on Instagram @amanitapotterystudio!

*Image by Jessica Kidder

Mountains, 2024
clay, carved stoneware
6” x 6 1/4”

*Image by Jessica Kidder

Sea, 2024
clay, local clay slip 
7.25” x 5.75”

*Image by Jessica Kidder

Jim Guenther

The universe, and everything in it, is a conglomeration of objects and ideas that we observers believe, with ridiculous certainty, to be the true nature of things. But the illusion of solidity and the conspiracy of cause and effect is forged and tempered in the furnace of the truly unpredictable, of pure chance, of happenstance and outright chaos. We make sense of it all by sorting and rearranging things into neat cubbyholes in our consciousness. Art is a pathway to play in the fields of our subconscious minds and to leave behind our physical bodies for short periods of time. We unsort things and disregard the superfluous man-made categories, expel the rigid morays of society, and cast aside the boastful and extravagant ego of our public selves. In so doing, we gain a modicum of possibility to an otherwise minuscule chance to imperfectly express our absolute truths and our innermost feelings, and perhaps, to bring others along as witnesses. We look at things from different angles and ask questions that have never been answered. Art is a way to interpret and express our existence. We are here. This is how we are now. This is who we are right now!

I’ll express it in a poem...

Trascendentia

at the zenith of creativity

there emerges vibrant clarity

generated from a place

beyond the self

the background world

disintegrates into a mass

of superficial gray

an invisible hand

a scepter’s wand

illuminates truth

casting about shadows

gathering light from darkness

and coloring thought

You can find more of my work at Scanlon Gallery and Custom Framing in Ketchikan.

*Image by Jim Guenther

Vallenar Point Friday, 2024
oil on canvas
31” x 25” x 2.5”

*Image by Jim Guenther

Vallenar Point Saturday, 2024
oil on canvas
31” x 25” x 2.5”

*Image by Jim Guenther

Ken Decker

Ken Decker is an internationally known Tsimshian artist. Born in Ketchikan Alaska, he is a descendant of the First Nations Canadian Tsimshian that migrated from Old Metlakatla in Canada to New Metlakatla, Alaska. Ken’s Grandfather, James Leask, traveled with missionary Father William Duncan in the first canoes of the migration in 1887.

Ken is of the wolf clan. The traditions of Tsimshian Northwest coast art have been handed down for generations. Ken has experienced a lifetime of learning and teaching the legends of the Tsimshian.

Ken has apprenticed under some of the great master carvers in the world of Northwest Coast art, such as Ernie Smeltzer, Dempsey Bob, and Marvin Oliver. Ken has created designs for IBEW-Alaska, Alaska Airlines, Ketchikan Indian Community, and Peace Health Ketchikan Medical Center.

In the tradition of the Tsimshian people, Ken generously shares his culture and traditions with kindness and respect.

Ken has served in the Vietnam war as a Seabee in the 1960s. For his love of country, he created the freedom Eagle that you may see in his collection of designs.

Collections of Ken’s work are seen all over the world: “Teaching offers me a way to share the knowledge others have given me, and a way to spread the fulfillment that can be gained when working with Northwest Coast art forms.” - Ken Decker

You can find more of Ken’s work in Ketchikan at Crazy Wolf Studio.

*Image by Ken Decker

Bear & Human Bentwood Box, 2024
yellow cedar, carved Bear/Human/Salmon designs, paint
8” x 8” x 10”
 

*Image by Ken Decker

Bentwood Boxes or Chests
Before the Europeans explored the Northwest Coast, the Native People had bentwood boxes in every household. Before metal pots and pans arrived, they even used a plain box for cooking on hot coals. These boxes came in many sizes for storing woolen garments and other cloths, and they also were used to store food and greases. 

These early craftsmen used a single plank by kerfing 3 sides and steaming, then pegging the fourth to make a box. By then adding a recessed bottom, they would make the boxes water tight.

The more plain ones were for everyday use and cooking but some could be well decorated by painting, copper, and even shells added. The more decorated ones could indicate the owners were of a higher class in the tribe.
These boxes were a prized possession and treated with care for they may be passed down (as an heirloom) to the next generation.

Ken Decker
Tsimshian

Kevin Clevenger

My name is Kevin Clevenger, my indigenous name is Nanum gaax. I’m Tsimshian from the Raven clan. I am from Metlakatla but live in Ketchikan.

I did an eight-year apprenticeship with my Uncle/teacher Wayne Hewson in order to be a carver of masks and totem poles.

I was the winner of the 2022 Blueberry Arts Festival logo design competition and more of my work can be found at the Alaska Rainforest Sanctuary.

Tsimshian Female with Lebret, 2024
alder, acrylic paint, abalone inlay
7” x 10.5”

*Image by Kevin Clevenger

Kim Bartholomew

My art is inspired by nature, the magic of nature, and the flow of metal and stone together. As a lifelong resident of Ketchikan, I have all the beauty of the forests, mountains, beaches, oceans, and weather in our area to offer inspiration to my jewelry ideas. I also gather inspiration from the things I love like music, history, animals, and pop culture.

I first started making jewelry as a teenager because I had a tough time finding jewelry I could wear as I have sensitivity to certain metals. I started making earrings first, and then at the beginning of the COVID pandemic, I discovered wire wrapping. Something about the medium spoke to me and it sparked excitement and joy. I started learning from YouTube tutorials by OxanaCrafts, and then eventually I felt comfortable enough to start creating my own designs.

I have been selling my jewelry through my Etsy shop Frosty Rain Designs for the past 3 years. I have had hundreds of orders from all over the US and internationally. I have participated in local markets around Ketchikan over the last couple of years as well. I am hoping to participate in more markets in the future.

My jewelry can be viewed and purchased through my Etsy at frostyraindesigns.etsy.com. I post updates on items I am creating and any events I am participating in on my Instagram account @frostyraindesigns.

Deer Mountain Moonlight, 2024
labradorite stone cabochon, sterling silver wire
3” x 2.75” x 1.5”
 

*Image by Kim Bartholomew

Rainforest Raindrops, 2024
glass teardrop bead, sterling silver wire
2” x 1”
 

*Image by Kim Bartholomew

Lisa Doyon

I’ve always looked to nature for my art supplies. Growing up on my family’s float camp on the bays of Southeast Alaska sent me to the beaches and woods to play. At a very early age I discovered the surprises of kelp seaweed!

I began my journey with kelp first as a food source. I pickled, chopped, and diced my way to over a dozen blue ribbons competing at the Southeast Alaska state fair. I simply loved playing with kelp! I would eventually use my wonderful kelp as a medium to create art.

I am inspired by seaweed. Harvesting and creating art from kelp is Zen-like for me. Every piece of kelp dries to its own unique color and shape. I let the individual piece dictate what I will make out of it.

My work is cured and will last a lifetime. It is available locally at Crazy Wolf Studio and my website alaskanshoresart.com.

*Image by Lisa Doyon

Ocean Dream, 2024
bull kelp seaweed & abalone
13” x 7.5”

*Image by Lisa Doyon

Mary Ida Henrikson

Mary Ida Henrikson is an icon of contemporary painting of the Tongass. Her canvases are guided by intellect and her connection on both a physical and metaphysical level to this land. Having lived in remote hard-to-get-to wild places, across rough waters, guarded by sharp rocks and tides, she now lives in Ketchikan and maintains a cabin off the grid.

Henrikson taught painting, drawing and printmaking in her Danger Island studio and at the University of Alaska Southeast, as well as colleges in Washington and Southern California. She painted large-scale public art installations for the high school and other locations in Alaska.

She is the author of The Mystery of the Fire Trees of Southeast Alaska, a book about indigenous peoples’ fire storage.

Mary is currently a featured artist at the Star Gallery on Creek Street.

*Image by Ray Troll

Bot Thot, 2024
mixed media (primarily oil) on canvas
18” x 24”

*Image by Mary Ida Henrikson

The Frequency of Scilence, 2024
oil on canvas
40” x 30”

*Image by Mary Ida Henrikson

Mimi Kotlarov

Mimi Kotlarov is a Ketchikan artist specializing in weaving with natural materials and creating extraordinary beadwork. 

She studied cedar bark and spruce root gathering and weaving, taking classes at the Totem Heritage Center in Ketchikan, Alaska. Under the guidance of master Haida artists Delores Churchill, Holly Churchill, and Diane Douglas Willard, Mimi has perfected her weaving techniques and expanded her use of naturals. 

Mimi enjoys creating a variety of contemporary baskets and containers using cedar bark, black ash, spruce root, dyed grasses and/or waxed linen cord depending on the piece.

Mimi exhibits locally in the Ketchikan Area Arts and Humanities Council’s group exhibitions, Arctic Spirit Gallery, and regularly donates her work to area non-profit fundraising events.

*Image by Mimi Kotlarov

Red Cedar Basket, 2024
red cedar twined & plated with yellow cedar
7.5” x 4.5”

*Image by Mimi Kotlarov

Three Small Baskets, 2024
red cedar bark, twining, weaving
approx. 2.5” x 4.5” each
 

*Image by Mimi Kotlarov 

Ole Gundersen

Growing up in Ketchikan, Alaska, Ole Gundersen could row a boat long before he learned to ride a bicycle. The love of the water and outdoor life led him to the world of commercial fishing, where he's been for over forty years.

Ole is known for his incredibly vibrant, crisp, and clean images. His breadth of work is impressive, ranging from wildlife, to food photography, to natural landscapes. Ole's work has been featured in magazines such as Alaska Home, Edible Alaska, Power Boat Canada, InStyle UK, Sea Magazine, Passage Maker, Where Women Cook, NW Yachting, and National Fisherman. His work also has a permanent display at Ketchikan General Hospital.

Ole's true passion is shooting food photography. He and his wife, LaDonna, have published seven Alaskan-themed cookbooks.

Ole's prints on metal preserve photos by infusing dyes directly onto specially coated metal sheets. The metal prints display magical luminescence. Because the image is infused into the surface—and not on it—the archival qualities of this unique process are unparalleled.

More of Ole’s work is available at Scanlon Gallery and Custom Framing in Ketchikan.

*Image by Ole Gundersen

Sunset Rain, 2023
photograph printed on metal
20” x 6”
 

*Image by Ole Gundersen

Fall Pilling, 2023
photograph printed on metal
12” x 18”
 

*Image by Ole Gundersen

Nakat Inlet, 2023
photograph printed on metal
12” x 18”
 

*Image by Ole Gundersen

Patricia Hayden

As a self-taught artist, I started making pottery in 2020.  I’m inspired by my beautiful Ketchikan surroundings, from the ocean coast to hiking trails and the spectacular Northern Lights. All of my work is individually hand-crafted and hand-painted with specialty glazes, so every piece is one-of-a-kind. 

My work can be found at Scanlon Galley & Custom Framing in Ketchikan.

You can also order items or contact me with questions at PhaydenStudio@outlook.com.

*Image by Patricia Hayden

Winter View, 2024
stoneware white clay, local alder branches
5” x 7”
 

*Image by Patricia Hayden

Sandy Shepard

“I love to create! When I look at a subject that I want to paint, I visualize the medium that would best present the subject. I use various media when I paint — watercolor on Yupo, oil and cold wax, encaustic, pastels, acrylic, mixed-media, and collage. I want to show my viewers the world from my perspective.” - Sandy

Sandy Shepard is a well-known Southeast Alaska artist who has shown widely in Ketchikan and elsewhere in Alaska. She has lived in Ketchikan, since 1973 and in 2012 she and her husband bought a home in Pacific City, Oregon where they spend part of each year.

Sandy is most inspired when taking walks either in the woods, on the beach or in her travels. She loves the ocean and what it leaves for us to view at low tides. She loves the rainforest — the drippy, mossy, secluded feeling.

When working on her art, her desire is that the viewer feel the depth and texture of nature that she has experienced in real life.

She has discovered that oil and cold wax as well as encaustics can be used in conjunction with other artistic mediums. “I just love to mix them up! In some of my pieces, I use three or four different mediums together.”

Sandy is an active member of the Ketchikan Arts and Humanities Council, a member of the Silverton Arts Association, and Lincoln City Arts Council in Oregon. You can find more of her work at Scanlon Gallery Scanlon Gallery and Custom Framing in Ketchikan.

*Image by Sandy Shepard

Spirit Wolf, 2024
oil & cold wax
24” x 24”
 

*Image by Sandy Shepard

Kaleidoscope, 2024
acrylic mixed medium
21” x 25”
 

*Image by KAAHC

Savannah LeCornu

As an Indigenous artist I am here to tell stories. Storytelling has always been important to us as a people, and it is something I have always gravitated to through painting, drawing, and beading. I also create works inspired by stories I love.

I come from multiple tribes (Tsimshian, Haida, and Nez Perce) and work in the art forms of both my northern coastal and plateau roots, often combining them. Through vibrant colors, humorous titles, modern elements, and traditional shapes, I strive to create art that reflects my unique view and invites the audience to rethink the preconceived notions they may have about Indigenous peoples and art.

My formline is often on the traditional end of the spectrum, however the paintings here explore a more abstract version. Both works are inspired by different plays and are titled after stage directions from them. One is a play I wrote and the other is more traditional. I did this in the hope that you see a series that celebrates not only stories, but old ways and new ways of telling them.

You can find more of my work at Arctic Spirit Gallery in Ketchikan.

*Image by Savannah LeCornu

Exit, Pursued by a Bear, 2024
acrylic on canvas
18” x 24”

*Image by Savannah LeCornu

Father John Misty Plays Faintly in the Background, 2024
acrylic on canvas
18” x 24”

*Image by Svannah LeCornu

Tory Shultz

Tory is of the Haida Eagle Moiety from the frog clan. She has been making jewelry for over a decade, however she has found peace and connection with her hand woven beaded jewelry. She draws inspiration from her ancestral land and her Haida people who are immaculate carvers, weavers, and ocean-dwellers. She resides in the land of the Lingít Aaní people with her husband and three children. She pays respect to the Lingít Aaní people of this land since time immemorial.

This exquisite, handwoven beaded choker necklace and earring set, called “Warrior” is a bold and beautiful statement piece that embodies the strength and elegance of the Haida Tribe - matriarchal heritage. This set celebrates the powerful women of the tribe where individual identity is often defined through one’s mother. Women of the Haida tribe were revered and held in the highest esteem.

Wearing this stunning set is not just a fashion statement; it’s an homage to the legacy of matriarchal strength and the beauty of female empowerment.

You can find Tory’s creations on her website: awaacollective.com, follow her online on Instagram @awaa.collective or find her artwork in person at Arctic Spirit Gallery in downtown Ketchikan.

*Image by Tory Shultz

Warrior (Necklace), 2024
delica beads, hand woven
15.5” x 6.25” 

*Image by KAAHC

Warrior (Earrings), 2024
delica beads, hand woven
1” x 4.75” 
 

*Image by KAAHC

Jerrine Peeler

For the last 20 years Jerrine Peeler has been employed as a commercial fisherman, most recently aboard the Lady Jane, the commercial fishing vessel she owns with her husband. They pot fish for prawns in the spring and seine and troll for salmon in the summer through early fall.

As a child, she was introduced to weaving on her mother’s floor loom, making rugs out of worn-out denim jeans.

In her basketry, she loves repurposing retired material and transforming it into something completely brand new.

In her spare time, she explores new coastlines and beach combs with her family and dog, Rainy.

You can find more of Jerrine’s art at the Star Gallery in Ketchikan.

*Image by Jerrine Peeler

Crabline Basket, 2024
commercial crab line, fishing glove, buoy
16” x 17”
 

*Image by KAAHC

Longline Basket, 2024
commercial long line, fishing glove, buoy, seine twine
11” x 15” 
 

*Image by KAAHC