Day 2 in Kotzebue!

Weeks have gone by and a couple of people emailed to ask "What happened next?" I've been busy working on a commission, going back and forth to the chiropractor to deal with the aftermath of the rear ender that happened on May 1. But back to Kotzebue........

My roommate and I awoke to no hot water in the hotel. It was 18 degrees outside. I was bound and determined to proceed as normal, just in case we got to go to a village, just in case we were to get stuck, just in case I didn't know where the next shower would be-or if there would be one. So in remembrance of my one summer of commercial fishing at a set net site in Kodiak, I took a deep breath and took the plunge. Whew! Then I dressed in all the layers I could find to get warm again.

Our intrepid Captain Crabtree picked us up in the school bus and we headed for the Armory for breakfast. The cooks were serving grits- a favorite of mine- and so life was good. We spent some time photographing the eye exams and went to the section where eyeglasses were being made. They had brought in totes and totes of lenses and frames along with portable lens grinding equipment so that glasses could be made on the spot. Nearsightedness and farsightedness are big problems, and it was fascinating to see the machines go to work so that people could get their glasses made without having to wait weeks for prescriptions to be filled.

We got the news that we were to fly out to the village of Kiana, so we hustled back to the hotel to pick up our overnight gear and off we went to the airport to meet the helicopter. The people who had been trying to get out to Point Hope finally had a good weather day, and the National Guard brought in a Sherpa C23 to transport them and their gear. We caught a glimpse of the boxy aircraft as we drove by. A workhorse to be sure!

Our trip to Kiana, about a half hour away, was smooth and the weather was sunny. Instead of a study in values as was the day before, the landscape was bright with glistening snow and shadows. The Kobuk River Valley was picturesque. Traveling with us were Rick & Mick Vignuelle, a Christian ministry team from Alabama. Check out their website- www.rickandmick.com. They are fun loving guys who have a musical ministry designed to reach young people. While in Kiana, we learned about MREs- Meals Ready to Eat. MSgt Kiel was our personal chef, helping us to first get the packages open, add water, and wait for them to heat up. I had a vegetable cheese omelet which had an interesting texture, but was actually quite good. We had a short time to visit with the dental and veterinary teams before the helicopter arrived to pick us up. The commuter flight- a Bering Air Cessna Caravan-was sitting on the runway when we arrived at the Kiana airstrip, and snow machines began arriving from the village to deliver people for their flights to Kotzebue and beyond as well as pick up arriving passengers. We arrived in Kotzebue in time for dinner at the Armory. From there we went to the hotel to get packed up for our early flights home.

I've been putting together a montage of images for a painting of as many scenes as I can remember which I hope to have available in print later this summer. As soon as I finish the commission, I can get back to work on my Air Force pieces. The memories of the trip as well as the interaction with all the people we met are ones I hope to retain. Time seems to fade these memories away, and I'm so glad to be able to remain in contact with several of the people on Facebook.

A little background.....

I've had the honor to be a member of both the Air Force and Coast Guard Art programs since 1994. The purpose of the programs is to tell the story of the missions through art. Artists may visit bases and/or observe missions with the purpose of creating artwork that is donated to the military. In the Air Force program, many artists are members through illustrators' societies. My affiliation is through the Northwest Air Force Artists association.

While living in Kodiak, home to the nation's largest Coast Guard base in terms of area of responsibility, I was able to go out with cutters and small boats as well as fly on helicopters and C130s. For a small town, the large Coast Guard contingency is an integral part of the community. Over the years I have submitted many paintings to the program and one was displayed in a Coast Guard exhibit in The Netherlands last year.

Since we moved to Washington in 2006, I have continued to contribute to the programs, and in 2007 was invited along with three other artists to McChord Air Force Base south of Seattle to document the Rodeo where units from all over the world come together to compete in various exercises. Not only was the event an exciting experience, the other artists have become close friends and we had the opportunity to regroup at the "art turn in" held at Bolling AFB in Washington DC in 2008. The painting here is entitled "Wranglers," which Rodeo participants are called, and they are shown as they load mannequins onto a waiting C130, being timed and graded on their activities.

When the call came a few weeks ago asking if I would be willing to go to Kotzebue, Alaska to observe Operation Arctic Care, I jumped at the chance. To return to Alaska, to interact with our men and women in uniform as they go about their duties, to create paintings from the experience.....Does it get any better than this? Not for me!

Operation Arctic Care is in its 16th year. Reservists and active duty personnel with medical expertise come together from all over to provide medical coverage for people in the remote villages of Alaska. This year the mission would be hosted by the Air Force. We would spend two days there and weather permitting, would fly on BlackHawk helicopters to villages to observe and interact with medical personnel assigned there.

Official orders and itinerary arrived and I began checking weather in "Kotz," 30 miles north of the Arctic Circle. Emails flew back and forth with our assigned escort, MSgt Brady Kiel and fellow artist for the mission, Shiho Nakaza of Los Angeles. We were to bring sleeping bags, just in case we were to fly to a village and be unable to get back to Kotzebue, and don't forget the cold weather gear! Temperatures hovered below freezing. Like, 8. Or 18. Or 22 degrees. The Arctic is still frozen at this time of year. Unlike Kodiak, the cold is dry and breakup won't happen for another month.

So how could I take enough stuff, travel light and still get the job done? How would it feel being back in Alaska, even though I had never been that far north? I put my trust in God, and the Air Force, to show me what needed to happen and prepared for the trip of a lifetime. Pr 3:5, 6

More to come.......

Demo!

Check out my Beyond Skywriting site! Did a demo at the Museum and Arts Center in Sequim this morning and posted some progression photos. They have a cool show of area barn paintings that runs through the end of June.