PRATT MUSEUM

established in 1968

Museum Macabre: The Pratt Files

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October 7 – 29, 2016

img_7014Like many historic institutions that emerged in the latter half of the 21st century, the Pratt has a lurid, less well-known founding mission: to document the undocumented and unexplained, specifically the extraterrestrial alien unknown. Due to filing issues, the shuffle of organizational merges and departmental shifts, the original founding documents and primary collections of the Pratt Museum were lost over time. However, a recent inventory and re-housing project uncovered several objects that shifted the entire paradigm of our understanding for the museum’s collections. This exhibit shares a few of the stories associated with Kachemak Bay’s extraterrestrial history over the last century. . . . Or does it? Join us for October 7-29, and see if you can distinguish between fact or fiction!

Ritz Auction Preview 2016

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Opening Reception: Friday, October 7, 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.2016-ritz-flyer

Visit the Pratt Museum Special Exhibits Gallery during October to preview artwork to be included in the 31st Annual Ritz Art & Experience Auction. The dinner and auction event, which will be held on Saturday, November 5 at Wasabi’s, will include a live and silent auction, featuring artwork and other items donated by artists, businesses and individuals throughout Alaska. All funds raised at the Ritz will help the Pratt Museum continue to increase the diversity and quality of its exhibits and programs. Plan your bidding early!

 

Capital Update – August 2016

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Because of the current economic situation in Alaska, the Board thinks it is in the best interest of the Museum to extend the project timeline until the economic climate improves. Work on the project will continue with existing funds. The design and construction documents will be completed this summer, and updated drawings will be posted when they are available. To take advantage of the competitive construction environment, we plan to complete the site work as soon as possible. We expect to prepare the building site, move the shop, add parking, and create a connection to Spruceview Avenue. We will keep you informed of the progress on the project as we move forward.

If you have any questions, please contact the board of directors via office@prattmuseum.org. We thank all of our donors and supporters for your generous gifts to the Museum, and we hope that you will continue to support our important work in the future.

Inspired by Diaries – Call for Art

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Have you ever kept a diary or journal? Had the opportunity to peruse the personal writing of your ancestors? Several diaries and journals are held in the collections of the Pratt Museum: their stories range from weather reports and moose sightings to extended narrative and personal reflection. Often the written word leaves much to be imagined, and could serve as a jumping-off point for something more.

The Pratt Museum is extending a call for works of art in any medium, inspired by personal diaries or journals. The source could be your own writings, a family member’s, a willing friend, or diaries held by the Pratt. Join us for a discussion of the project, peruse Pratt diaries by Kachemak area pioneers, and get your creative juices flowing, on September 7, from 5-6pm. Art work for the exhibit is due at the Pratt on November 1, 2016, exhibit opens November 11 and runs through December 31.

For additional guidelines and submission details, please visit the project page.

Forest Trails Now Connect to Pioneer Avenue

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trail workA big “Thank You” to all who turned out on August 13 for the Pratt’s Trail Party – the newest section of Pratt Museum trails looks fantastic! If you haven’t already, come check out the Woodard Creek additions, including a relaxing creekside path and access to Pioneer Avenue. Look for the forthcoming signs at the Pioneer entrance.

If you missed last trail day, don’t fret! Art has a lot of volunteer projects that need to be completed before winter. If you are interested in helping out, or would like a bit more information about Museum grounds work and improvements, please contact Art Koeninger (907) 435-3323.

Museum Director Search

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The Pratt Museum seeks an energetic, creative, and compassionate professional to lead our award-winning museum of culture, science, and art.  In addition to administrative responsibilities, the Director is responsible for outreach, operations, and program oversight, including strategic planning, development, and completion of a major capital campaign. Applicants should have minimum three years administrative experience in museum or comparable nonprofit setting and possess strong financial management, marketing and fundraising skills, with the ability to engage a wide range of stakeholders. See full job description here. Salary: DOE. Send CV with letter of interest to: Search Committee, Pratt Museum, 3779 Bartlett St.  Homer, AK  99603 or searchcommittee@prattmuseum.org. Deadline to apply: August 31, 2016 (open until filled).

Studying Seabirds on Gull Island

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IMG_8267The Pratt Museum was recently approached by researchers at the US Geologic Survey regarding planned research on seabirds in the Gulf of Alaska. Thanks to the capabilities of the digital camera now installed, and the hard work of museum volunteer Jason Sodergren, the Pratt Museum’s Gull Island camera will regularly record a series of nesting locations on the island. These programmed recordings will take place outside of museum hours, so will not impact gallery control of the camera. The Pratt is proud to partner with USGS and the Seldovia Native Association to better understand our fragile seabird populations. Following is a project abstract from the researchers:

In response to an unprecedented and widespread seabird die off in the Northern Gulf of Alaska in 2015-2016, as well as the need to monitor seabird populations and forage fish in potential oil and gas lease areas of interest to the Department of the Interior, the USGS is undertaking research on seabirds and forage fish in summer 2016. This collaborative effort to quantify seabirds and forage fish in the Northern Gulf of Alaska will include support from USGS Alaska Science Center, BOEM, and USFWS. One objective of the work is to monitor Black-legged Kittiwake and Common Murre breeding habits (population trend, timing, nest success, food) at their colonies and compare them to similar work done in the 1990’s. With help from the Pratt Museum’s Gull Island camera, we have a unique opportunity to monitor the nesting behavior of seabirds at fixed plots each day. This data will be used to better understand the timing of nesting (incubation and hatching dates, chick rearing, fledging) and prey deliveries (quantity, quality) by seabirds at each plot.

Ritz Art Preview 2016

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October 7 – November 2, 2016

2016-ritz-flyerOpening Reception: Friday, October 7, 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Visit the Pratt Museum Special Exhibits Gallery during October to preview artwork to be included in the 31st Annual Ritz Art & Experience Auction. The dinner and auction event, which will be held on Saturday, November 5, will include a live and silent auction, featuring artwork and other items donated by artists, businesses and individuals throughout Alaska. All funds raised at the Ritz will help the Pratt Museum continue to increase the diversity and quality of its exhibits and programs. Plan your bidding early!

 

Heartfelt and Handmade

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The soaring framework for the workshop porch roof looks a bit like a breaching humpback whale.

The soaring framework for the workshop porch roof looks a bit like a breaching humpback whale.

August 5 – October 1, 2016

The Dean farmstead reflects “Life as Art” – from functional artworks including handmade tools and implements, aesthetically designed and crafted structures, furniture, and housewares, to representational and more abstract artworks inspired by nature and farm life. “Heartfelt and Handmade” shows not only Jeff and Ranja’s skillful artistry, but also a glimpse inside their thoughtfully crafted and unique home.

Jeff Dean was born and raised in Fairbanks and exposed to art and innovation from an early age. He’s been a working sculptor since the late 70’s, making fine art and functional pieces in clay, wood, bronze, stone, steel and other materials. “I’m also a bit of an inventor and tinkerer. I bring my creativity and artistic background to each project at hand, be it artwork, a new tool, a curved rafter, computer programming, or even a solar thermal heating system.”

Girl with Rooster

Girl with Rooster

Ranja Dean grew up in the Tennessee hills among a menagerie of art, animals and gardens. Her father was an artist and a professor of horticulture and landscape design.He painted, wrote poetry and made the most amazing gardens. She is self taught with no formal education but has been developing her creative character since childhood. She loves the magic of life and it shows in her work, giving it a fairytale appeal whether it be an apple tree dollhouse, a garden, a sculpture or a chicken house.

See more exhibit images at the Creative Fires Studio website.

Cliff-Nesting Seabirds of Gull Island — LIVE

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Each year, cliff-nesting seabirds signal a change of season when they return to Gull Island. Pelagic birds live at sea for most of the year. They return to remote islands during their summer nesting cycle. Gull Island, a series of jagged rocks twelve miles from Seldovia Museum and nine miles from the Pratt Museum, is situated in the middle of Kachemak Bay. This unique rookery hosts a nesting colony of over 15,000 birds, including 12,000 Black-legged Kittiwakes and 5,000 Common Murres.

For thousands of years people have utilized the valued resources at Gull Island. Like their ancestors before them, the Sugpiaq Alutiiq and Dena’ina Athabascan of this region continue to gather eggs in the springtime.

Gull Island is protected and off-limits to visitors except for approved Native harvest. This remote-controlled camera is currently operated from the public galleries of the Pratt Museum in Homer, Alaska. Visit the museum to control the camera and explore Gull Island for yourself!