Gail Priday: Up Close and Underfoot

About the Artist

Gail Priday is an artist living in Fairbanks, Alaska who finds inspiration from the natural world, specifically the boreal forest.

Image credit: Amazements (detail), Acrylic on canvas, 23 x 30 inches

Priday is one of six artists selected for the Alaska State Museum 2020-2023 Solo Artist Exhibition Series. The other artists are: Alison Bremner Naxshageit, Ben Huff, Sonya Kelliher-Combs, Jannah Sexton-Atkins, and Mitch Watley.

Artist's Statement

I came to Alaska from the East Coast more than a decade ago and was immediately struck by the summer vegetation. I knew I would love the mountains and expansive sky, but I did not expect to be so taken with the underbrush and fungus. I continue to find inspiration in the small and quiet elements of the northern forest, particularly the details that exist up close and underfoot. The easily overlooked features of the landscape hold great significance to me. They suggest an extraordinary and active world that exists quietly beside my own. My work provides a space to explore such topics while bringing attention to the wonder, beauty, consistency, and variety of my surroundings.