(PNAN-AK) – One of their missions is to “Maintain an active and diverse changing exhibition program that acquaints the community with the global spectrum of human artistic, cultural and scientific expression.” World-class on all levels, The Anchorage Museum continues in its quest as what American General George S. Patton Jr. once said, “Always do more than is required of you,” with their selection of eight Alaska artists, who will show their beauties in the Patricia B. Wolf Solo Exhibition 2012-15 series, a program that encourages the creation of new art.
Halibut Cove: Annette Bellamy works in ceramics, focusing on large-scale installations. Her solo exhibition history includes the Alaska State Museum, Juneau. She received a Rasmuson Foundation Individual Artist Award in 2006.
Petersburg: Painter Ashley DuRoss works with oil, acrylic and charcoal on canvas. She has had solo exhibitions at the Clausen Museum, Petersburg. She is an art teacher at Petersburg High School.
Ketchikan: Stron Softi, also known as Stephen Jackson was trained by his father, Nathan Jackson in traditional carving techniques. He uses a combination of materials, including wood, animal fur, paint and digital media. In 2009, he had a solo exhibition at the Alaska State Museum, Juneau.
Fairbanks: Sculptural work by Margo Klass is mostly in the form of box constructions and is composed of found objects, both natural and fabricated. In 2008 she received a Rasmuson Foundation Individual Artist Award.
Focusing on the constructs of Native American identity, works by Da-ka-Xeen Mehner is comprised of a variety of media including steel, concrete and photography. He is an assistant professor of Native Arts at UAF and the director of UAF’s Native Arts Center.
Anchorage: This marks Mariano Gonzales second solo exhibit at the Anchorage Museum; his first was in 1989. He received an Anchorage Mayor’s Arts Award for Outstanding Individual Artist in 2010 and currently chairs UAA’s art department. He has worked in metal, sculpture, collage and digital media.
Multimedia artist and art instructor at UAA, Keren Lowell works in diverse fiber forms. Her solo exhibition history includes the International Gallery of Contemporary Art in Anchorage.
Edward Timothy Remick works with large-scale photography, using a 4×5 camera primarily. On view through March 12 at the Alaska State Museum in Juneau, Remick’s work explores the human condition in the moments after climbing North America’s highest peak, Mt. McKinley (Denali).
For more information, see www.anchoragemuseum.org. With over 200,000 visitors annually, Director and CEO James Pepper Henry could probably agree with words by 1930s movie star: “Too much of a good thing can be wonderful” as well as McDonald’s Ray Kroc (1902-1984): “The quality of an individual is reflected in the standards they set for themselves.”