Til Next Time, Alaska

We just finished taking pictures at the top deck of the ship, and just before that, the award ceremony (I won an award! Still can't get over that). But the glaciers were all around us, and the ship was only 30 minutes or so from leaving... time for one last painting! So Jonny and I hurried to our cabin to grab our painting gear. My stuff was in disarray, so I grabbed random things and put them in my bag, and proceeded to the front of the ship.

(sold) 

 

When I got there, Jonathan Luczycki was already there  and it seems halfway done with his painting! Karen Whitworth was there, looking happy, and no doubt quite relieved that the whole trip was successful. I can't thank the Painted Ladies enough for organizing this trip, it was a unique and wonderful experience. Bunch of other guys were there too taking pictures and generally celebrating what was a grand trip.

 

But there was the one last painting to do! So I took out my gear, and to my dismay, my acrylic paints were not in my bag. It was too late to go back to my cabin and get them, so I did this painting using my little watercolor tin that I have for my sketchbook. I'm not an experienced watercolorist, but I enjoyed doing this painting, and I think I'm gonna start doing more watercolors. By the time I was able to do this though, the ship had turned around; the captain having waited just long enough for Jonny to finish his painting. And the ship was making the journey to out last stop, Whittier. So no painting of the glaciers from me sadly.

 

Well maybe I can paint the glaciers next time. I hope there will be many more trips to Alaska, this wild beautiful land. I was there last year and was struck by its grandness, and I'm glad I got to go back this year and paint some of it. Hopefully there will be many more opportunities to come back and paint, and enjoy it. Rockwell Kent stayed in Alaska over a winter, and loved his time there...