By Soren Wuerth

TNews Editor

Artist: Kevin “Kc” Crowley

Parked on the end of a row of vendors selling glitter and hoodies, cannibus merch and fair food Kc Crowley's booth gives pause to the revelor. 

Prints display images in cut from woodblock, art made by carving away "negative space" with ink applied to the raised surface.

Crowley's work is deeply personal and potent:  a salmon appears to twist to the surface of the print. Black lines swirl and ripple with a sense of depth, as if looking at the surface of a river, stripped of its negative space by dappling sunlight, revealed by shades of leaves.

We begin a monthly artist feature with Kc's print and words. Each month, Kc will help curate an artist feature while sharing his own prints and poetry. TNews hopes the feature sparks a deeper dive into local, Alaska art. We will continue to feature full articles and photos of our local artists doing their thing (yo, Tommy!), and want to open this section to anyone with creative ideas and imaginings.

By Kc Crowley

Artist Statement

As a kid I guess the whole art thing really started with comic books, I grew up loving comics (especially the black and white indie comics of the 80's ) and this love naturally sort of grew into tattooing and then eventually into the carving and designing woodblocks. Most of my inspiration comes from my time in the mountains or on the water. I never went to art school or took any classes so my process for printmaking is very circuitous and self taught, I have relied heavily on the local library for instructional guides but mostly just learned from my mistakes. 

DOG WALK, PART 1

She’s a sled dog

A full bred dog

A sleek and round well-fed dog

A leader, not a led dog

Go roll in something dead dog

Track mud up on the bed dog

Fall asleep on top my head dog

Cover sofas with fur shed dog

In spite of all I’ve said dog

There’s none I’d have instead dog

Read and view the entire series of poems and art

https://www.turnagainnews.org/articles/crowley-kicks-off-tnews-artist-feature

By Soren Wuerth

TNews Editor

Once you hear the flavors of cookies arranged neatly on three trays, you're tempted to pluck a free sample.

"Rolled Oats Pumpkin Tahini", "Wild Blueberry", and "Savory Sesame with Seaweed."

Ah. But wait.

These are treats for the four-legged grazers at Girdwood's Sunday Market. And though the snacks sound delicious, Mountain Mutts owner Gus Brewer has local dogs in mind.

"Dogs are addicted to my ingredients," says Brewer, who started making his dog treats four years ago and is a regular vendor at the market.

The lucky guinea pigs for Brewer's recipes are Betty and Marley, his boxers. 

"They are addicted to the treats," he says. 

A booth or two down, a poodle sniffs at a table, a two-legged leashed to her. 

Before the eager future Mountain Mutt junkie approaches, Brewer is saying that though the business takes up much of his time, it's a side hustle. He has a winter gig at the Resort. ("I learned I'm a natural teacher," he says.)

"Mountain Mutts is more than a dog business," Brewer says, lifting a brochure. Proceeds help the Food Pantry and Friends of Pets.

"We like giving back to the community," he says.

Along comes the poodle. Look out! One Mountain Mutt treat disappears. She's addicted.

Mountain Mitt treats can be found locally at The Grind, Alyeska Resort and Mother Hubbard's. 

By Soren Wuerth

TNews Editor

Kelly Bender sat on a table outside her cafe, the Frisky Mermaid, on an overcast day last month and worried about the future of her business. 

Finley, her German shepherd, chased a ball on the deck while patrons ducked inside the narrow shop for coffee, pastries or the cafe's signature homemade fudge. A few travelers nestled in chairs at the back of the shop gazing out at Whittier's boat harbor below. 

A fixture on the community's oceanfront, the coffeehouse is in danger of losing a coveted city lease during a moment when the tiny coastal town is undergoing profound change.

A new port that opened last year at the head of Passage Canal has more than doubled the number of cruise ships and Whittier's harbor has seen a 50 percent increase in boats moored temporarily at its docks.

In March, when Bender sought to expand her business to include an Avis car rental, she learned her lease was expiring. Phillips Alaska Cruises, which leases the adjacent lot, also held an expiring lease, she said.

Read the entire story at the link below:

https://www.turnagainnews.org/articles/whittier-weighs-future-of-waterfront-leases-amid-growthnbspnbsp