Silver Salmon Cycle - From Egg Until Spawn
Christine M Kleinhenz

From the artist:

"My name is Christine Kleinhenz.  I am an artist, illustrator and brand new gallery owner living in Juneau, Alaska.  I enjoy painting using bold colors and design.  I have also started writing children’s books.  In this show, I hope to share some behind the scenes views into my process as I write, paint, re-write and re-paint over a year’s worth of ever changing materials.

My peaceful place is waist deep in ocean water with a rod in my hand. I am also fascinated with the Salmon Cycle and how salmon impact their natural environment.  The cycle, the travel, the mystery of where they go and the parallels that can be drawn to our own lives in growth, travel and return have been fun for me to explore and learn about.  I hope you find them and this show as fascinating as I do.

Each large three foot by three foot painting represents a moment in the salmon’s life.  The salmon are painted within their environment at each life phase with fauna and predators that may surround them.  Each painting is “quilted” together in linear patterns to evoke the passage of time and the flow of water.  All the large paintings have prisms that only reflects the colors within and a light source that is followed throughout each “pieced” section.

The water color paintings reflect my possible new direction in both story and materials used for my new children’s book.  Maybe this shift will stick.  Maybe the new path is only the beginning of transformation.  Either way, thank you for joining me as I share the creative process behind my latest search for the perfect story."

The exhibit will be displayed through September 27, 2025.