WELCOME to Raven's gallery!
Take a look around. Each gallery 'room' holds a different set of paintings. Enjoy a stroll through them and please feel free to write your comments.

PAINTINGS
Each gallery holds different paintings by this artist. Oils, acrylics, watercolors and also a few charcoal and conte drawings.
Some are for sale and some are already owned by collectors. If you are interested in an original painting, send an email to jan.alaskanraven@gmail.com to get more information.

HOW TO PURCHASE A PRINT?
If the painting is already sold but you would like a high quality giclee print, select the painting and click on the button above it that says "Buy". It will give you options on the type of giclees that are available and prices for the different sizes. You can select high quality watercolor textured paper, stretched canvas or a panel to be sent directly to you. Feel free to send an email to the artist if you have any questions.

WHAT IS A GICLEE?
Giclee prints are made with high-quality archival inks on fine art papers using a high resolution large format printer. The premium inks produce images with smooth tones and rich colors making them appear as close as possible to the original paintings.
WATERCOLOR GICLEE
The watercolor giclee is printed on heavy acid-free 100% cotton paper with a subtle texture.
CANVAS GICLEE
The canvas giclee is printed on museum-quality canvas with a protective coating added to help prevent scratches. There are three different mounting options: Canvas Wrap, Canvas Stretch/Staple and Canvas Board.
Canvas Wrap prints are a stylish, low-cost alternative to traditional framing. The print is wrapped around a stretcher frame so that 1 3/4" of the photo's edges are visible on the sides of the frame. They are sent directly to you with hanging hardware attached so you can display them on your wall right away.
Canvas Stretch/Staple mounting is a unique way to display your images like a fine art canvas. The print is stretched to the edge of a 3/4" thick wooden frame, and stapled around the edges, leaving the full image on the front. Perfect for framing.
Canvas Board prints are mounted onto sturdy Gator Foamboard, a very rigid foamboard adn lightweight backing with a white finish.
Contact Raven by email if you would like to arrange with her to add a few brushstrokes to your print to personalize it.

WHO IS RAVEN?
I am a painter. Alaska is my home. My husband and I live in Fairbanks when we aren’t enjoying the panorama of mountains, river valley and wildlife from our wilderness home.
Raven is my brush name. I always sign my paintings RAVEN. I chose this brush names over twenty five years ago and later discovered from my brother that it was the nickname of our families ancestor, Sam Houston.
I love to paint but I also enjoyed working as Creative Director for University of Alaska Fairbanks' Marketing and Communications office. I had the opportunity to work with a team of creative individuals to promote a very special Alaskan university. Alaska is not an easy place to live, but it is a rewarding place to live and grow. The landscape and people continue to amaze me.

WHY DO I PAINT?
My goal is to draw often and paint wildly!

The photo above shows me painting a small watercolor of Mt. McKinley while sitting by Wonder Lake in Denali National Park. Fall is a wonderful time to be in the park because of the bright golds, reds, amazing views of the mountains and there are no mosquitoes (usually, but occasionally you might see a hardy one that has braved the cold night tempertures) photo by Donald Mellema

Subjects
Landscapes, portraits, animals, still lifes. I paint the world around me and capture my feelings on paper or canvas. I focus on subtracting the distracting elements to create a visual dance in pigment using strong lines, daring color and balanced compositions.

Mediums
Oil or acrylic paint on canvas, watercolor on Arches or Fabriano paper, conte crayon or charcoal on paper.

PLEIN AIR AND STUDIO PAINTER
What does that mean?
En plein air is a french term meaning “in the open air” referring to painting outdoors which enables the artist to see the subject (usually landscapes or animals) close up and personal to catch all the subtle qualities of light and color that a photograph will distort. It gives the artist the opportunity to experience all the joys and hardships of painting on location such as swatting at mosquitoes, getting drenched in the rain or having the easel ‘take flight’ if it isn’t weighted down properly. The challenges are worth overcoming because painting on location gives the artist the taste and smell of the place plus all the subtle changing patterns of light which they can then translate to the canvas. It gives life to a painting and is a good experience for the painter to bring into the studio. It will also enhance their studio work.
Studio painter refers to bringing the reference material and sketches into the studio, doing the painting indoors in the more controlled ‘comfortable’ environment close to the tea or coffee pot!

Paintings in public collection
University of Alaska Museum of the North
Fairbanks, Alaska

Paintings in private collections
Germany, Sweden, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, South Carolina, Texas, Washington, Alaska

Represented by
Well Street Gallery, Fairbanks Alaska

Online Gallery
AlaskaRavenStudio.com

WHAT IS NEW ON THE EASEL?
Check out the Alaskan Raven Studio facebook page.

Statement about Raven's painting
“...beautifully freely painted, loose and detailed at the same time... “
—Asia Freeman, Bunnell Street Gallery owner
Homer, Alaska

Solo exhibit
Well Street Gallery, Fairbanks Alaska
March 2006

Solo featured artist
2005 Taste of Art benefit and auction for the Fairbanks Counseling and Adoption

Education
Graduated from the Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design in Denver Colorado
Received training from accomplished painters and from professionals working in the field of graphic design.

Signature member
Alaska Watercolor Society since 1998
‘Signature membership’ means that an artist has been selected based upon their work and experience in juried shows

Experience
Creative Director for the
University Marketing & Communications office at the University of Alaska Fairbanks

Publication
Driving from Alaska to Florida: A journal of paintings and photographs
2010 Alaskan Raven Studio

Juried shows
A juried show is the opportunity for an artist to compete with other artists. The selection of the ‘best’ works is made by a juror with extensive experience in the arts. It is often a fierce competition such as the annual 64th Parallel which receives over 300 entries and only 64 can be chosen by the juror.

64th Parallel annual juried show
Fairbanks Arts Association , Bear Gallery, Fairbanks Alaska
Raven's painting(s) were selected for these juried shows in 2011, 2010, 2008, 2007 with juror: Marjolaine Renfro, Idaho; 2006, 2005 with juror: Elizabeth Kuiper, Calf; 2004 with juror: Ed Levine, New York; 2003 with juror: Sheri Simons, Calif.; 2002 awarded HONORABLE MENTION from juror: Bella Feldman, Calif.; 2001 with juror: Gary Kaulitz, Alaska; 2000 awarded HONORABLE MENTION from juror: David Giese, Idaho, 1996 with juror: Richard Benson, NY; 1995 with juror: Don Decker, Alaska 1991; 1988 awarded HONORABLE MENTION from juror: David Routon, Nebraska

Patterns of Influence annual juried show
Raven's painting was selected for these shows:
2003 awarded HONORABLE MENTION from juror: Asia Freeman, Homer, Alaska, FAA Bear Gallery; 2001 with juror: Julie Decker, Alaska; 1999 with juror: Linden Ontjes, Alaska;

26th Alaska Watercolor Statewide juried show, 2000
Artique Gallery,Anchorage, Alaska, with jjuror: Fran Larsen, New Mexico
24th Alaska Watercolor Statewide juried show, 1998
Anchorage Museum of Art with juror Carole O. Barnes, Colorado

Independence Show 1997, Fairbanks Arts Association withjuror: Vincent Burke, Maryland

Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design Alumni Exhibit 1996, philip j. steele Gallery, Denver, Colorado

acrylic on canvas  •  adventure  •  alaska  •  alaska landscape  •  alaska range  •  alaskan range  •  aspen  •  aurora borealis  •  aurorabear  •  autumn  •  autumn dance  •  autumn reflections  •  autumn sunset  •  bear  •  below zero  •  big sky  •  birch  •  birch trees  •  blue sky  •  blue water  •  borealisbear  •  canvas  •  challenges  •  charles hayes  •  chena river  •  childs glacier  •  cold  •  color  •  copper river  •  cordova  •  denali  •  denali national park  •  drawing  •  eastern alaska range  •  facing fear  •  fairbanks  •  fall  •  fall color. sunset  •  fishing boat  •  flowers  •  garden  •  giclee  •  giggles  •  goal  •  gold  •  golden birch  •  great one  •  gyrfalcon  •  hesitation  •  homer alaska  •  interior alaska  •  interior of alaska  •  landscape  •  light  •  luxurious fiber  •  morning light  •  morning sun  •  mountain  •  mountains  •  mountainscape  •  mt hess  •  mt. deborah  •  mt. hayes  •  mt. hess  •  mt. mckinley  •  mysterious warm greys  •  observation island  •  ocean  •  oil on canvas  •  orca inlet  •  orca lodge  •  painting  •  palette  •  pleistocene  •  polar bear  •  prince william sound  •  qiviut  •  raven  •  red  •  river  •  snow  •  spruce  •  strength  •  studio view  •  sun  •  sunset  •  sunshine  •  tanana river  •  tanana river valley  •  tanana valley  •  trail river  •  tropical paradise  •  valley  •  vigilence  •  walking the dog  •  warm coat  •  watercolor  •  wind  •  winter  •  wonder lake