Pratt Museum: Arts, Science, and Culture of Kachemak Bay, Alaska | Exhibits

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Special Exhibits Archive

Learn more about our current, upcoming, or recent special exhibits. Please visit our calendar for our schedule of special exhibit opening receptions. You can also preview our 2010 special exhibits and programs on

Past Events

August 6 through September 26, 2010
Inspiration
An Alaska Native Art Exhibition

raven2 August 6, Opening Reception 5 – 7
Ron Senungetuk, Curator, will speak at 6:00 PM

This exhibit is supported in part by Alaska State Council on the Arts, ART Works, National Endowment for the Arts, The CIRI Foundation, Pioneer Natural Resources, Koniag, and City of Homer.

May 21 – August 1 BBDE
Sailing for Salmon - 125 years of Commercial Fishing in Bristol Bay. This exhibit, curated by Tim Troll of Anchorage, consists of historic photographs and numerous artifacts used by the fishermen who sailed Bristol Bay. In conjunction with this special exhibit two Bristol Bay Double Ender boats, one recently donated to the Pratt, and one acquired by the Wooden Boat Society will be restored on the Museum grounds. Dave Seaman, President of the Wooden Boat Society will be coordinating both projects with the assistance of other members of the Society, staff of the Pratt and community volunteers. Other special events are planned throughout the duration of this exhibit that runs through August 1st.

March 19 - May 16
backak Backyard, Alaska by Michael Walsh and Asia Freeman explores the stories --truths and myths-- contained in our backyards. In many ways, our backyards reveal us. Asia and Michael draw on their collective experience in diverse media including sculpture, installation, photography, audio and moving image to create installations that reveal down-home Alaskan perspectives for Backyard, Alaska.

February 2 - March 14
Quake The Big One: Earthquakes in the Pacific Northwest, addresses key questions that every Northwestener should know – Why are earthquakes inevitable here? What hazards do they present? What can we do to prepare? Visitors will learn about the geological processes that cause Northwest earthquakes, the ways earthquakes are detected and measured, the hazards they present, and steps we can all take to make our homes and families safer. There are also examples of intriguing earthquake research, including the fascinating scientific detective story that proved that major earthquakes – “The Big One” – really do happen here.The Big One also features a 3-D model of the Northwest that pulls apart and lights up to show the location of past (and possible future) earthquakes, take-home information, and hands-on examples of earthquake safety techniques.

November 13 - December 30
NEW HARMONIES: Celebrating American Roots Music
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Whether called blues, country western, folk, or gospel, the sounds are as sweet as mountain air and as sultry as a summer night in the Mississippi delta. American music, both sacred and secular, reveals distinct cultural identities and records the histories of peoples reshaping themselves in a new and changing world. New Harmonies: Celebrating American Roots Music explores the growth of American music, as rich and eclectic as the country itself. The instruments vary from fiddles to banjos, from accordions to drums, and the origins of the sounds are just as diverse, from Africa to Europe to Native America. Still, all of these rhythms merge, as do the melodies and harmonies, creating completely new sounds—new music.
Educators: Click here for New Harmonies Lesson Plans to supplement your museum visit.
New Harmonies: Celebrating American Roots Music is a Museum on Main Street project organized by the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service and brought to you by the Alaska Humanities Forum. Funded by the U.S. Congress. Alaska programming sponsored by Rasmuson Foundation Harper Arts Touring Fund and Lynden Transport.
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Ritz Art: October 2 - November 6, 2009
ritz2009 Join us on Friday, October 2 for a First Friday celebration and get a look at the artwork donated for the Pratt Museum's annual Ritz Art & Adventure Auction fundraiser that will takes place November 7th. This year’s popular annual event will feature a live and silent auction that will showcase artwork and other items donated by artists, businesses and individuals throughout Alaska. All funds raised during the Ritz will help the Pratt Museum continue to increase the diversity and quality of its exhibits and programs, helping individuals explore the science, art and cultures of the Kachemak Bay region, and fostering their lifelong curiosity. The 2009 Ritz is themed The Fabulous 50’s: So think Cary Grant. Think Audrey Hepburn. Think Cabaret! And by the way – the expression “cool” came from the 50s! So be cool, this year’s bash will be a blast! Thanks for your support!

August 21 - September 27 Nest Nest_Crop
Kat Tomka "In and Through"
Kat Tomka's abstract and metaphorical works explore the space where life collides between/in/through the water, air, and land. Kat’s work uses Scotch Tape as the predominant carrier for expression. Often abstracting the natural world, abstraction is also the metaphor for the lived experience in her work. Physically tactile, Kat Tomka’s work is predominantly monochromatic and is a hybrid between sculpture, painting and drawing. As such, it investigates the collision between the realities of one’s physical place (often Alaska) vs. one’s inner reality.

Thursday, August 6th - 5 PM
Ben Huff "Last Road North" (Juror's Choice)
Homer Photo Fest is a collaboration of the Bunnell Street Arts Center, Homer Council on the Arts, Pratt Museum, Homer Photographic Center and the Kachemak Bay Campus-Kenai Peninsula College/UAA. Additional support generously provided by the Alaska State Council on the Arts and Gage Photo Graphic.

July 3 - August 16
marscard
REMEMBER MARS marscove
Mars Cove Volunteers & Exxon Crude
Photographs by Linda Smogor
There's a little place called Mars Cove nestled among the mountains on the outer coast of the Kenai Peninsula, some two hundred miles south of where the Exxon Valdez ran aground in prince William Sound. It was a small, heavily-oiled beach written off by Exxon as insignificant, but it captured the imagination of people all around the world.

March 24 - June 28 Waters Memory
Reflections of a Spill: 20 Years Later
Twenty years ago, on March 24, 1989, the Exxon Valdez oil tanker ran aground off the shores of Alaska, darkening our pristine waters. This historic event, the largest spill in the history of North America, left a lasting mark on our coastal communities. Reflections of a Spill is an art and science collaborative exhibit that encourages Alaskan artists and scientists to reflect on the impact of the spill. This exhibit opensWater's Memory, Douglas Yates March 24th and runs through June 28, 2009 at the Pratt Museum. Also on display in the Marine Gallery are the wooden sea bird carvings of Alan Bennett. This exhibit features a unique representation of the tribe Mergini (sea ducks). Heavily impacted by the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill, some have not yet fully recovered.

March 24 - May 30
Jubilee 2009 – Reflections of a Spill Student Art Show: Pratt staff worked with Homer teachers to help area students—born after the spill—learn about the spill and create art that emerges from their studies.

January 2009
Chaqenq’a Dena’ina Fish Camp Fish_1
Chaqenq’a Dena’ina Fish Camp is a new temporary exhibit at the Pratt Museum that gives museum visitors a sense of what it really means to go to “fish camp.” This exhibit was developed in partnership with Lake Clark National Park and Preserve and the Pratt Museum, created in collaboration with the Ninilchik Village Tribe, the Kenaitze Indian Tribe, and the Village of Nondalton. This multimedia exhibit includes historic and contemporary photographs, video, songs, artifacts, and well-worn objects typically found at fish camp. From a gill net to a grayed wood fish cleaning table, from jars of salmon to a glowingfire pit ringed by folding camp chairs—visitors are immersed in a sensory experience of fish camp.

Down to Earth
Sculptures and paintings by Annette Bellamy and Kathy Smith.

Native Ways in Changing Times - Lisa Williams
A photographic exhibit that explores fishing and marine harvesting practices and beliefs of the Sugpiaq/Alutiiq people of Nanwalek and Port Graham in the midst of political, cultural and environmental change.

June 2008
All Alaska Juried Art Exhibition
The Pratt Museum invited artists from around the state to respond to our All Alaska Juried Art Exhibition 2008 call for entries. As a thank you to the very supportive artist community we feature this exhibit in the prime visitor season between June and August for maximum exposure.

Bowl of Roe (Juror’s Choice)
Gary Mealor
Watercolor

Axeheads (Honorable Mention)
Annette Bellamy
Wood fired stoneware

Ikpikpuk River Headwaters (Honorable Mention)
DeLand Anderson
Egg Tempera on Wood

“White Noise” (Honorable Mention)
Shawn McDonald
Cast bronze, steel & wood

Griz in Green and Gold (Honorable Mention)
Erica Miller
Pastel and Gold Leaf

Spring Frieze (Honorable Mention)
Douglas Yates
Giclee

April 2008
Concerning Climate Change - An Art & Science Collaboration

Scott Dickerson

Environmental change is tranforming the biological, economic and cultural fabric of our lives. Considered "Ground Zero" for global warming, Alaska is already seeing profound effects: average temperatures have risen here more than anywhere else in the country; spruce bark beetles, fueled by higher temperatures, have leveled forests; coastal villages are plunging into the sea; salmon streams are warming beyond state standards designed to protect fish; and melting sea ice and retreating glaciers are impacting landscapes and daily life.

Fifty Ways To Save Our Mother Michael Murray
Photo © 2008 Michael Armstrong

At the Pratt Museum, we believe the intersection of art and science is fertile territory to explore and respond to change. The Pratt's community-based exhibits seek to foster dialogue and self-reflection to help people challenge their own beliefs. Works in this exhibit vary in media and approach. But each asks us to look closer; to consider: What does change mean to our own lives? What role does each of us play? By helping people engage in our community's-and our world's most pressing issues. The Pratt seeks to catalyze widespread cultural change.

This community-based exhibit is part of the Pratt Museum's year-long initiative-Concerning Climate Change-that aims to help our community and visitors understand and repsond to environmental change. As part of this initiative, the exhibit was preceded by a series of workshops and events offered by the Pratt, Cook Inletkeeper, Alaska Marine Conservation Council, National Part Service, Sustainable Homer and Carmen Field.

How Big Is Your Carbon Foot Print?
Photo © 2008 Michael Armstrong

Legacy
Alan Parks
Photo © 2008 Michael Armstrong

February 2008
Close Encounters by Jo Going
is a solo exhibit of large scale mixed media 3-dimensional painting/sculptures exploring her personal and immediate multidimensional encounters with the wild animals of the Kachemak Bay area.

December 2007
Celebrating Quilts
The Pratt Museum’s entire quilt collection was on display through December 30, 2007. This exhibit honors the people within our community who have created a unique collection of stunning quilts. The Museum is documenting the stories of these quilts and their creators.

Lena Amason
Photo © 2007 Scott Dickerson

August 2007
Tradition, Inspiration, Innovation - New Work from Alutiiq Artists
This exhibit features contemporary Native influenced mixed-media art by Alvin Amason, Lena Amason, Jerry Laktonen, Perry Eaton and Rebecca Lyon.

June 2007
Kachemak Perspectives
Kachemak Perspectives is a dynamic exhibit of art from Homer area artists that depicts various aspects of life around Kachemak Bay. It offers visitors a sense of place through colorfully painted images, intricately decorated ceramics and relief sculpture of land and sea settings. The blend of media provides a glimpse of the depth and diversity of the art scene in Homer. Painter Marian Beck, sculptor Lynn Naden, and potter Ahna Iredale present exciting, innovative and beautifully crafted works.
Ahna Iredale Photo © 2007 Scott Dickerson

May 2007
Beauty and the Bug
A collaboration with the Kachemak Bay Research Reserve, Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies and Cook Inlet Keeper focusing on insects and other invertebrates that are hard to see. Works addrressing this theme by artists from all disciplines were on exhibit and programs, including poetry written in a Kachemak Bay Campus (KPC-UAA) college class, were presented.

February 2007
Southwest Alaska: A World of Parks and Wildlife Refuges at the Crossroads
Stunning large format photographs by Robert Glenn Ketchum and text detailing southwest Alaska and its issues around fish, oil, and mining. This traveling exhibition was created by Aperture.

December 2006
For the Love of the Land
An exhibit to honor their conservation easement donors through stories and photographs of donors and their land. Dramatic large format photographs and interviews with the donors describe the impact of the Land Trust's Kenai Peninsula-wide conservation efforts. Curated by the Kachemak Heritage Land Trust and photographers Tom Collopy and Mary Frische, Wild North Photography.

October 2007
Ritz Art
This exhibit featured work from southcentral Alaska area artists who have donated their art for the Pratt Museum's Ritz fundraiser. Typically, the exhibit includes photographs, sculptures, watercolors, monoprints, fine jewelry, fibre arts, oil paintings, encaustics, ceramic pieces and much, much more!
This year the Pratt Museum celebrated 22 years of The RITZ, its annual Art & Adventure Auction fundraiser. The year's theme was Chez Ritz: An Evening in Provence and was held on Saturday, November 3rd.

August 2006
Sami: Reindeer Herders of Alaska
This exhibit featured the story of how reindeer came to inhabit laska, and how herders came to Alaska from Scandinavia to share their skills and their knowledge of reindeer as a resource with the Native people of north western Alaska.

September 2006
Creating Alaska
The story of statehood revealed by historic photographs, documents and artifacts surrounding the efforts that brought the territory of Alaska into the role of the forty-ninth state.

June 2006
Juried Art Exhibition: Going to Extremes
The twenty-fourth Pratt Juried Art Exhibition were created from 116 entries by artists from 13 cities around the state. This exhibit invited artists to respond to our Alaskan extremes of altitude, latitude, attitude, weather, seasons, and/or perspectives.

May 2006
The Proposed Pebble Mine: A Journey Through It's Watersheds
Graduate student Emily Chenel's images of Southwest Alaska's rivers, lands, and people and interviews with people about the proposed Pebble Mine. Emily spent the summer of 2005 traveling the rivers by skiff and raft collecting these images and visiting with the people.

April 2006
Body Works: A Science/Art Collaborative
An exhibit and programming about the architecture and design of the human body the marvel of the human body revealed through cultural objects, photography, videography, and science. Related community wide programs will be presented by numerous health care providers and thespians in diverse venues in March, April, and May.

April 2006
Jubilee 2006
Student Art from Homer schools.

November 2005
In Celebration of Owls
Remarkable encounters with owls have left an indelible impression. We have become connected in time and place with those elegant, striking, and uniquely gorgeous creatures, compelling us to express our thoughts through our art forms. The process becomes an alliance between art and science, and ultimately, that of inspired discovery. This show is a strangely incongruous migration through the wilds of Alaska's community of art and owl supporters.

Aquatic Influences
An exhibition of new work by fish skin vessel maker Fran Reed of Anchorage, jeweler Susan Kingsley of Carmel, CA, and painter Asia Freeman of Homer. These artists will bring their diverse media and perspectives, inviting the viewer to reconsider and contextualize his/her own ideas of the marine world and its significance as a delicate source of life, inspiration and imagery.

Alex and Friends
This exhibit honors the contributions of Alex Combs to Alaska and his fellow artists. It Includes a body of new work by Alex, and representative new works in a wide variety of media by many of his friends from around the country, including many local Kachemak Bay artists.

Ocean Art & Nature: An Art/Science Collaboration & Jubilee! 2005 Student Art Exhibit
The Pratt Museum, Kachemak Bay Research Reserve, Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies, Kachemak Bay Campus, KPC presented this Art/Science Collaboration. The exhibit was inspired by a year of workshops organized by the Kachemak Bay Research with an ocean theme focusing on plankton. Plankton provides at least half of the oxygen we breathe through processing marine carbon dioxide and is the base of the food chain. Artists responded in all media with wonderfully executed and imaginative quilts, sculpture, drawings, paintings, baskets, and ceramics. A college class writing plankton poetry bloomed into a weekly poetry group.

Always Getting Ready
Stunning black and white photographs by James Barker and a show recently reviewed in the Anchorage Daily News feturing the work of L. Saunders McNeil. Through her color images of the Siberian Yup'ik family divided by the cold war, Saunders tells a moving story in a unique and interactive format. Both artists agreed to do presentations about their work and their rich cultural experiences.

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