Aurora Fine​ Art

At just sixteen years old, Chuck Leake hitchhiked to Alaska from his home in Prescott, Arizona to follow his dreams of becoming an artist. In the summers, he fought forest fires and in the winters he studied art. In 1979, Chuck started visiting Native villages to buy ivory carvings and then began to start carving his own pieces. Since then, he has expanded his horizons, working with many different mediums including fossilized whalebone and mammoth ivory. Chuck currently lives in Fairbanks, AK.

Rick Seeganna is an Inupiat Alaska Native carver. Orginally from King Island, Alaska, Rick learned to carve from his elders at a very young age, and attended The University of Alaska, Fairbanks to earn a degree in Fine Art. Rick's primary carving material is soapstone, however, is also skilled at carving whalebone, ivory and wood. Rick is exceptionally well known for his "Transformation" pieces, which represent spiritual themes specific to the Inupiat culture. Rick currently lives in Fairbanks.

Rob Goldberg is an artist specializing in acrylic and watercolor painting as well as hand printed serigraphs, which he creates with his wife Donna Catotti. Rob ventures to the rural most parts of Alaska, where he backpacks, hikes, and canoes with his family; which is also where Rob gets his inspiration for many of his pieces. Rob works primarily from his own photographs which he recreates through paint in his home studio. Rob currently lives in Haines, AK with his wife and two sons.

Shawn McDonald began casting metal when he was still in high school. He received a degree in fine art from the University of Minnesota, where Shawn really developed a passion for bronze casting. Shawn utilizes various old and new world techniques of metal casting including, sand casting, ceramic shell casting, and metal melting. Many of these techniques have been used by various cultures around the world for thousands of years. Shawn lives and works from his studio in Moose Pass, Alaska.

Gail Niebrugge, holds a Masters degree in Illustration from Syracuse University, New York and is a signature member of watercolor USA Honor Society. Gail paints with a tiny brush creating thousands of small dots of color, a technique called "pointillism". Gail has painted Alaska and its wilderness for over three decades, her work is collected worldwide and included in corporate, museum and private collections. Gail currently lives and paints in Palmer, Alaska.

Having lived most of his life in Alaska, Eric Miller finds inspiration for his work all around him. Many of his pieces are inspired by career highlights such as aviation in rural Alaska. Eric uses the highest quality materials to create works of art that last. Eric makes his own paints by mixing pigments and a unique polyurethane that cures rock hard. The finished product is a piece that is completely weather-proof and can be exposed to direct sunlight without fading. Eric resides in Portland.

Juneau born, Timber Vavalis, has lived in Alaska his entire life. Timber was taught to carve wood from his father, John Vavalis, a well-known artist, when he was eight years old. Timber's pieces are inspired by Tlingit and Haida designs, as he himself is one-fourth Tlingit and a member of the Sockeye clan. Timber's work is in collections all over the world and was once presented as a gift to President Bush. Timber uses yellow cedar, which grows native to Juneau, for all of his carvings.

Jeanne Young's oil paintings tell a story of everyday life. Jeanne's wet into wet style of painting creates a fluidity and movement to work that gives it life. Jeanne began her education studying to be an engineer, but decided she wanted classical training in painting rather than pursuing a math-based degree. Jeanne's work focuses on scenes of family and the landscapes of Alaska. Jeanne lives and works in her home with her husband and four children in Wasilla, Alaska.

Marilyn Miller began her artistic career working with paints and charcoal. After discovering clay, specifically "Raku-fired" clay, while in nursing school, she transitioned to 3-D work. Her work has evolved from a classical wheel-thrown form to an altered, sculptural form which she accomplishes in her garage-studio. Marilyn currently has work touring the US and is in public and private collections world-wide. After retiring from nursing in 1998, Marilyn now devotes her time to clay.