Bald eagles, bears and otters fill the Kenai Chamber of Commerce’s conference room. Although not physically there, a leisurely stroll through the room will reveal over 50 crisp photographs of these creatures, alongside sunsets and other natural sights the Alaska wilderness has to offer.
Edward Marsh is April’s featured artist, part of the chamber's new tradition of hosting monthly art shows. Marsh has enjoyed nature photography since childhood, but didn’t begin pursuing it full-time until retiring a few years ago. He says his artistic passion finally gives him a chance to get outside and explore the state he moved to over 40 years ago.
“I’m just blessed to be doing what I love to do, because if I get a camera in my hands, I don’t stop," Marsh said. "I loose track of time, people, it doesn’t matter to me; I’ve just got my head in my camera. What a blessing it is to be here.”
Although many photographers frame their work in a traditional wood or plastic frame, Marsh displays his differently. Most of the photographs in the exhibition have been printed on aluminum sheets, which he says better highlight a photograph’s color and detail.
One of his favorite pieces on display is a large photograph of running water, hung among a collection of more abstract photos. To get the shot, Marsh stood barefoot in a creek, getting caught in the moment.
“That’s when I learned where the magic was in photography, you could see it," he said. "I didn’t want to go down there because I had to put my boots on, I didn’t want to change shoes, it was one of those things where you lie to yourself. I put my boots down and I was in the creek for probably two hours taking pictures.”
While some of his photographs have been published in local magazines and visitor guides, many of them at the chamber have never been displayed in a gallery setting. Marsh says the space is crucial to local artists in not only displaying their work but inspiring others through their work.
“I hope everybody gets a sense of the beauty in the world and the idea that it takes time sometimes, we can’t just run out there and it’ll be there," Marsh said. "You never know what nature’s going to present, but I just hope they can see the beauty in the world and that there is beauty in this world, we just have to look for it.”
A slushy April trudge around the corner to the Kenai Art Center is the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District’s 33rd Annual Student Art Show. The juried exhibition includes more than 150 pieces created by middle and high school students enrolled in art courses throughout the school district, some as far as Seward. The show is the art center’s largest of the year.
Displays are categorized by medium, from painting to drawing to ceramics. Students in each category have the chance to win prizes.
“It really helps them tap into a part of their lives that maybe won’t be so easily accessible as they get older and they start needing to work and earn money,” said Charlotte Coots, the art center’s executive director. “Sometimes, that’s when our artistic drive kind of dies. I think it’s really important that they have this experience of creating art when they’re young, and then the art being shown when they’re young.”
Although the show is technically not open yet, Coots says people have already stopped by to view the new display. She says many are shocked to discover the art was created by people of such young ages. With the emergence of newer technologies, guests are also amazed by the several digital pieces on view in the show.
“I watch students create that stuff, and it just blows my mind that they’re able to tap into technology so easily and be so creative and make such beautiful work within a computer program,” Coots said.
Emma Hunter is a senior at Soldotna High School, and has three pieces in the gallery, including a digital one. She says the show gives students a chance to express themselves while connecting with other young artists.
“It really builds confidence in both your own art and yourself," Hunter said. "Also, you get to see other people’s art. It’s really nice for community building.”
“They’re there with their peers’ work,” said Chris Jenness, an art teacher at Soldotna High School. “They get to see what’s going on in Homer, what’s going on in Kenai, what’s going on in Nikiski, and they can see how their work both stacks up and inspires them to create different things.”
Jenness says oftentimes, school athletics or academia overshadow the arts. He hopes the show will allow the community to get a glimpse of art programs in public schools while encouraging young artists in the district.
“What I hope it does is that it inspires them to create more art, to get further with their art, to see new things that they can try, and new ways to look at things,” Jenness said.
Both art installations will have their opening receptions this Friday from 5 to 7 p.m. The shows will be on view throughout the month of April.
