2003 Artists-in-Residence

weird artwork of baby ravens
“Baby Raven Trio” 17" x 22" x 18" Mixed media: wire, muslin, sisal, paper-mache, caulk, India ink

Photo by Chris Arend

Rachelle Dowdy


Baby Raven Trio

Much of my work deals with themes like loss and identity expressed through contemporary bird and animal forms. When I applied for the residency, I imagined tapping into the grandiose. Instead, I discovered that no noise is not good noise for me. I found silence to be surprisingly uncomfortable! Fear of bears played a tremendous role in my Denali experience, although voles almost scare me more than bears. They have always made me scream like a girl. One goes to Denali expecting to experience the place, but I ended up experiencing myself.

— Rachelle Dowdy, 2003

Rachelle Dowdy, a sculptor, has had solo exhibitions in Fairbanks, Anchorage and Homer. She is currently the Artist-in-Residence with the Artist-in-the-Schools Program in Fairbanks, working with students from elementary age through high school. She gets ideas through her experiences and observations, and sees her work as a reflection of human relationships to Alaska’s landscape. Visit Rachelle Dowdy's website.

 
painting of a river and mountains
“East Fork of Toklat River” 30” x 40” oil paints, stretched canvas

Photo by Chris Arend

David Mollett

East Fork of Toklat River

My painting, “East Fork of the Toklat River,” was done on site over a few mornings in June during my residency in 2003. My painting method is to first block in the subject roughly then to follow with several coats of paint refining all the articulations with each pass. I like to get the whole painting wet each time I work on it, rethinking all my previous decisions, hopefully improving their accuracy and feel for the light. In Alaska, June is generally the best month for steady day to day weather and light so it was an excellent time to capture the morning sun on the braided river.

— David Mollett, 2003

David Mollett is well-known for his brightly-colored paintings of the dramatic scenery of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and areas in and around Denali National Park. He owns the Well Street Art Company, a contemporary art gallery in Fairbanks and was the 2002 guest curator at the Anchorage Museum of History and Art. He has had solo shows throughout Alaska and his work is included in all of the state’s public art collections. Visit David Mollet's website.

 
yarn artwork of mountains and rivers
“East Fork Toklat River #2” 8” x 13” fiber art, colored yarn

Rebecca Voris


East Fork Toklat River #2

My recent works consist of spontaneously generated images from the imagination. Primitive art has influenced both my subjects and compositions. The figures are filled with personal meaning although for the viewer a feeling of fantasy is present. Subjects are intuitive and exploratory. I put down a mark with a piece of thread and proceed with the image where it takes me. A composition is decided upon and the images are composed as they are made. Color is added after the piece is woven. Each image suggests another image and thus a single composition is completed.

— Rebecca Voris, 2003

Rebecca Voris is a weaver who draws with yarn and paints with dye directly on the loom while composing an image. Her work has been exhibited in Anchorage and Fairbanks and is in the collections of the Anchorage Museum of History and Art.

Last updated: March 7, 2019

Park footer

Contact Info

Mailing Address:

PO Box 9
Denali Park, AK 99755

Phone:

907 683-9532
A ranger is available 9 am to 4 pm daily (except on major holidays). If you reach the voicemail, please leave a message and we'll call you back as soon as we finish with the previous caller.

Contact Us