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PHOTO ABOVE: Gail Priday installing works commissioned by the state of Alaska’s Percent for Art program at Ryan Middle School in July 2017. Photo by Brandon McGrath-Bernhard

Gail Priday is fascinated by the details of the Northern landscape. Her paintings and woodcuts highlight the treasures found in the forest, suggesting an active world that exists quietly underfoot. Her work explores both the bloom and decay of the forest floor, examining fungus, berries, and even the shadows on a snowbank. It provides a space to explore environmental elements while also ruminating on the wonder, beauty, and variety of her surroundings. Her work is featured through March 2019 in the Café Gallery at the UA Museum of the North.

Is there a theme to the artworks that you selected for this show? The pieces included in this show bring attention to the details I find most compelling about the Northern landscape. I am able to find a seemingly endless variety of subject matter in the woods around my house. There is so much variety in a small area, and there are daily and seasonal changes that continually add interest. The blooming and decaying forest floor, fungus, berries, and shadow patterns on the snow, consistently capture my attention. These easily overlooked features of the landscape hold great significance to me. They suggest an extraordinary and active world that exists quietly beside me.

Have any of the pieces been shown in public yet? This show includes new work as well as work previously exhibited at Well Street Art Company in Fairbanks and Alaska Pacific University in Anchorage. There are two brand new paintings not yet shown in public, as well as several pieces that have not been exhibited in Fairbanks before now.

PHOTO ABOVE: “Decomposing Birch” by Gail Priday

Why did you pick these particular works? These pieces illustrate the wide range of subject matter available in a small area. It is a cross section of the many features I am drawn to in the woods around my home on Chena Ridge. I included works from each season because seasonal changes are such a remarkable feature of living in the Interior. This show features woodcuts alongside oil paintings. Painting allows for the use of so many colors and the inclusion of endless details, while woodcuts force me to use only the essentials. As a result, they compliment one another. The large paintings can be viewed from a distance, while the woodcuts draw you in.

What are you hoping the audience will take away from this exhibit? So many people are fascinated by the same subjects, whether they are scientists, trail runners, mushroom hunters, or berry pickers. I think many people get excited about the rapid summer growing season or the unique winter light. Anyone who spends time in the woods around Fairbanks sees decaying logs, rosehips, and shadows on the snow. I hope viewers connect with these familiar subjects, recalling times they were out in the forest doing what they love. Many viewers will be visitors who may only be in Fairbanks for a short time. It is my hope that this exhibit will add to their experience of the Northern landscape.

What inspires you as an artist? I am inspired by the things I see every day and I am fascinated by the ever changing natural world. I equate walking through the woods to treasure hunting. I frequently carry pockets full of fallen leaves, lichen covered branches, and decaying logs back to my studio. I have even had those closest to me surprise me by leaving a fungus covered log by my woodpile as a gift, or help me carry a log home.

I am also inspired by the things I cannot see, such as the microbial processes that cause the fallen logs and leaves to decay, and the spores that infiltrate the woods, causing so many interesting things to emerge. I get a jolt of inspiration anytime I go outside and see that what I saw the day before is different in some way. Finally, I find much inspiration in the work of other artists in Alaska and beyond. Spending time exploring the work, processes, and ideas of other artists is crucial to a strong studio practice.

What does it mean to have your work on display at the UA Museum of the North? It is an honor! For the past three years I have worked at the museum as the school and community liaison as part of the education and public programs team. I am fortunate to spend my days here and know many of the artworks and objects well. Showing my work in the same space that houses artwork I have so often studied and admired is really exciting. I am also excited about having a new and varied audience for my work. The museum attracts visitors from all over the world, and the café is frequented by many UAF employees and students who may or may not be familiar with my work. It is my hope that having my art on display in the café will give many visitors a unique perspective of the Alaskan landscape.