Mendenhall Glacier

Mendenhall Glacier is just a short drive from the Ernest Gruening State Historical Park.  It is massive in size and easy to get to.  Ken and I hiked a mile to get as close to the base as possible by foot.  I am so happy to have him with me.  Today he took on the role of "Artist Sherpa".  I must say, every girl should have one :)  

Believe it or not, it was a tough decision trying to figure out what to paint.  I know that seems very odd standing near the base of Mendenhall Glacier and not knowing what to paint, but let me tell you (and show you) why.  Nugget Glacier is about 5 miles away and it's run off turns into an enormous waterfall just feet from where we were standing.  In this reality the falls were much more commanding than the glacier.  I always remember the observation of perception in life and this was a sure example.  I probably "broke" a few compositional rules with this one but I decided to paint both purely as a reminder of how "it's all relative".  

With Ken's help, while I painted and visited with some of the onlookers, we handed out at least 50 cards explaining the Artist in Residence Program and the Ernest Gruening State Historical Park.  People from Asia, Australia and places in between were made a little more aware of the partnership with the state and the arts.  

A few more photos to share the grandeur of sites not to be missed in Juneau.