Alaska is a vast and wild place; a constant fluctuation of movement and changing landscapes. Rugged mountains are carved by massive, chaotic glaciers – and lush, brown-green valleys are cut by powerful silt-laden rivers. During the spring and short summer seasons, the landscapes come alive; the lowlands teeming with wildlife and colorful and fragrant boreal forests. Then in the winter, a darkness falls, blanketing the ground with snow and ice, and I quiet the you can sometimes feel, more than hear.
Some people shy away from these natural environments, choosing a more urban existence full of creature comforts and predictability. While other folks, people like artist, skier and wilderness guide Klara Maisch, embrace it, choosing to let the wildness of Alaska shape every aspect of who they are, and how they live.
To immerse yourself into Klara’s artwork is to transport yourself into the heart and soul of Alaska’s wilderness. Flowing lines are meandering rivers. Circles and shapes are glacial erratics. Wistful strokes on canvas are citadels in the distance. And introspective shades and colors, are the crisp interior sky.
Attigun River, Books Range, Alaska.