Solo Exhibit at the Alaska State Museum
Gail Priday holding one of her paintings.
The Alaska State Museum in Juneau is presenting a solo exhibition of Gail Priday’s paintings through Feb. 4, 2023. Priday, associate director of Summer Sessions and Lifelong Learning and UAF art department alumna, received a 2022 Individual Artist Award from the Rasmuson Foundation. A portion of the award helped cover the cost of shipping 33 paintings from Fairbanks to Juneau.
An artist talk from the opening night was recorded and will be added to KTOO’s website and the museum’s website. The exhibit is titled, Up Close and Underfoot, and every piece was inspired by the boreal forest — specifically, the trees and understory discovered on local trails. “My paintings of the Alaskan landscape acknowledge the quiet, unpretentious beauty of a land revered for its grandeur. Rather than seeking out awe-inspiring vistas and dramatic scenery, I choose to represent the ever-changing treasures up close and underfoot. The blooming and decaying forest floor, lichen, and berries consistently capture my attention. These easily overlooked features of the landscape suggest an extraordinary and active world that exists quietly beside my own.”
For more information about the exhibit and Priday’s work, visit GailPriday.com.