Made in Skagway

Skagway has long been known as the "Gateway to the Klondike" referring to its strategic
position to access the gold fields of the Yukon during the gold rush of 1896-1899. One
important aspect of Skagway that has escaped most people's attention is the depth and
quality of its many artists and craftspeople. This page is dedicated to promoting the arts and
crafts in Skagway and to give greater visibility to the talented individuals who have made
Skagway a successful artistic community.

This small southeast Alaska community has a strong tradition of art going back many
centuries of Tlingit (clingk-it) settlement. In the Tlingit culture, art is pervasive. Everything is
adorned with exquisite art work including house fronts, screens, totem poles, ceremonial
staffs, hats and blankets, paddles and canoes, storage and eating utensils, and weapons.
There is still a native influence in Skagway's art especially with native carvers such as
Richard Dick and Gordon Cook and painter/illustrator Lance Twitchell.

Skagway's European art tradition goes back to the gold rush days. During
the hustle and bustle of the stampede there existed a small number of
artists/craftspeople who made a living creating and selling their work.
Herman Kirmse opened a jewelry store in 1897 and his jewelry creations in
gold, Alaskan ivory, and silver became world renowned and he won several
awards at the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition in 1909. At the turn of the
century there was a furniture maker, and the music publishing house of
Latimer Musigraph had artists on staff such as, photographers, etchers,
designers and engravers. The house also produced half-tone and line-cut
works including maps. Painters such as Vic Sparks continued to keep this
artistic energy strong well into the 50's and 60's.

The closing of the railroad in 1982 led to a significant change in Skagway's
economy. The town moved from being a transshipment hub to a tourist
destination. This led to a transformation of the arts in Skagway from being a
small part of the economy to eventually becoming a significant sector in
itself.

Today, while the majority of artists are white, the art and crafts produced
are many and varied. These arts encompass a broad variety of mediums
and traditions, while the artists themselves come from as varied a
background as the art they produce. The many different forms include
wood carving, ivory carving, painting, drawing, photography, ceramics,
jewelry making, corset design and making, quilting, silk scarves, glass
fusion, bead making, stained glass, and fine furniture & cabinetry. With as
much variety as this, you will always find something you like.

Jeanie Wendell-Vogel A Fine Line - Gold Vein Designs

A Fine Line's - Gold Vein Designs Porcelain Jewelry are individually hand

painted by Jeanie. Each piece is fired in a kiln three times, layering the

glazes and 14K gold to ensure high quality color and durability. Jeanie has

lived in Alaska for 25 years and owns a small gallery in the heart of

Skagway's Historic Business District.

551 Broadway Phone: 907-983-2468

P.O. Box 351 Email:

fineline@aptalaska.net

Skagway, AK 99840

Dimitra Lavrakas Photography

While I’ve been photographing for over 20 years, the 12 years of

shooting in Alaska have been the most satisfying. A career in

photojournalism took me from the Alaska Arctic to Anchorage to

Southeast Alaska. Throughout, the land and people have

provided a

visual bounty.

P.O. Box 631 Phone: 907-983-3393

Skagway, AK 99840 Email:

dimitra@aptalaska.net

Website: www.DIMITRALAVRAKAS.com

Debbie L. Ackerman Translucent Treasures

In January 1987, the Skagway Community Education program offered a

Stained Glass workshop for beginners. I enrolled and have enjoyed the

craft

ever since. My studio, Translucent Treasures, is a part-time

endeavor which I

share with my regular work life. I create autonomous

panels and lampshades,

commissioned unique work, windows, and acid

etching. My work graces

homes as close as my neighbor's sun room and

as far away as Florida.

PO. Box 79 Email:

TranslucentTreas@aol.com

Skagway, AK 99840

Donna S. Snyder Artist WithInn

Inspired by the natural beauty of the north, Donna's whimsical artwork

incorporates gold flakes and nuggets, impressions of leaves, shells, and

other

found objects. Her art encompasses lamp-worked beads, fused &

slumped

glass, silver metal clay, and sterling wire work. Donna's work can

be found in

several Skagway galleries or through her studio which offers

art classes.

P.O. Box 734 Phone: 907-983-3222

Skagway, AK 99840

Bruce Schindler Schindler Carvings

My father was a cabinetmaker and my grandfather carved wood and silver

a hobby, so I guess my desire to carve stems from them. Carving fossil

ivory

drew my interest in the summer of 1993 when I first arrived in Skagway

after

graduating from college. Today, it is my livelihood and I've chosen

fossil ivory

because of its incredible beauty and agelessness. My goal is to

carve simple

yet bold designs that emphasize the beauty, age, and the

varying conditions

of burial of the ivory.

P.O. Box 586 Phone: 907-983-3899

Skagway, AK 99840 Email:

schindlr@aptalaska.net

www.schindlercarvings.com

Michael Klensch Alpenglow Photo

As a freelance landscape photographer, I look to the natural beauty

that

surrounds me everyday for limitless photographic inspiration and

adventure. Exposure to the beauty of the natural world has created a

personal passion for the preservation and stewardship of nature, which

express through photography. I feel that photography not only

provides

aesthetic pleasure for the eyes, but is also an artistic medium

that

delivers

a very genuine understanding of who we are, and how we

fit in.

My photographs have been hung in local and state museums. I have

especially become recognized for aurora (northern lights) photography.

P.O. Box 1076 Phone: 907-983-2049

Skagway, AK 99840 Email:

mike@aglowphoto.com

www.aglowphoto.com

Tina Cyr Designs

Tina loves color! She works and plays in several mediums, experimenting

with various materials and colors as revealed in her watercolor paintings,

stained glass mosaics, as well as the design & creation of glass bead and

precious stone jewelry. Inspired by spectacular scenery, wonderful

friends and fellow artisans, a dynamic Alaskan energy radiates from all

Tina’s work.

Tina was born in Skagway where she maintains a home and manages

Skagway Artworks Gallery with her artisan partner, Ralf Gorichanaz. Tina

is appreciative of the flourishing tourism industry that allows her an

opportunity to showcase her creative side to visitors from all over the

world.

P.O. Box

Phone: 907-983-204

Skagway, AK 99840 Email:

misstinacyr@yahoo.com

assman Art-Effects

The Wassman's are a family of carvers accomplished in and known for

their distinctive and unique carvings using mammoth and walrus fossil

ivory and rare, exotic hardwoods from around the world. These ancient

materials are used to create one-of-a-kind art including sculptures, wall

masks, exquisite vessels and carved knife handles.

Their line of jewelry incorporates fossil ivory and amber, precious and

semi-precious stones and silver into stunning necklaces, bracelets,

earrings, pins and pendants.

P.O. Box

424

Phone: 907-983-

3646

Skagway, AK 99840 Email:

wassman1@earthlink.net

www.wassman.com