Stories Fading Fast: Capturing the Remnants of the Alaska Gold Rush (2010-2015)

Hidden within the thick boreal forests of Alaska lie the overgrown remnants of the abandoned mines, dredges and Gold Rush communities that define our rich and fabled mining past. These neglected relics may seem like empty husks of their former selves, idle for the last 60 years, but to the careful visitor, their walls vibrate, their machines hum and the air is alive with the latent life force of those that once called these places home. The stories of the Klondike Gold Rush are immortalized in the fictional tales of London and Service, yet the plight of the common man forging a home out of the unexplored tundra has been left untold. However, with each passing year, yet another miner’s story is lost to the pages of time, and with them, so do fade the stories that define these hallmarks of Alaska’s pioneer past. Without a connection to the past, these derelict buildings and discarded artifacts lose their importance even though they represent all that remains: a poor substitution for a once rich and storied life.

Treasure and preserve the stories before they’re lost. Respect and honor these places for what they represent as part of our collective past as Alaskans.

Process: These prints combine both digital and film technologies to produce images using a 100 year old printing process, called Van Dyke Brown. Each print is handmade, has unique brushstrokes and is one of a kind. They range in size from 8×10 to 6×17.