Matsu Valley Rebuild 567 S Denali St. FREE Admission, Auction
Matsu Valley Rebuild in Wasilla is holding a fundraiser with the help of local Valley artists. Divided Art 2021 is a two-week art show and silent auction hosted by MVR, February 17th – 27th.
Local artists have been recruited to share their talents and creativity in a repurposed art project that turns used bi-fold closet doors into room dividers and pieces of art. The generous participating artists took used doors from Matsu Valley Rebuild and have unleashed their artistic abilities to give these outcasts of the closet door world new life and a new identity.
Those who attend Divided Art can see the wonderful talent that we have here in the Mat-Su Valley and even have an opportunity to own one of these cool statement pieces. These one-of-a-kind room dividers are great for creating a private space such as reading nook or changing area, blocking out unsightly equipment or appliances, perhaps even for providing privacy at a window without having to close the blinds or black out all the natural light. It could even be a mobile art piece that moves around the house! You may have a need for one of these awesome pieces already or just fall in love with one when you see it then find a need. The finished pieces will be on display
at Matsu Valley Rebuild for two weeks during, which a silent auction will be held for each one. Attendees will have an opportunity to learn more about all of the creators involves and even bid on their favorite… Winning bidders get to take theirs home! The auction will close February 27th at 5pm. All proceeds benefit Matsu Valley Rebuild.
Matsu Valley Rebuild is a 501 (c) 3 nonprofit used and surplus building materials store with the mission of keeping useful building materials and related items out of the landfill. MVR aims to save people money by reducing dumping costs and offering great prices for shoppers. Through wiser building practices we will preserve green space and spread sustainability.
Divided Art 2021 gives local artists an opportunity at a unique challenge and promotes their work, skills and businesses while repurposing and making cool stuff. Matsu Valley Rebuild is pleased to involve and promote members of our community in its fundraising effort and thankful for all the artists’ time and effort. Before, during and after the event information on each artist and their work will be circulated online and available at MVR so we can spread art too.
Come support building sustainability and support local art at Divided Art 2021!
Matsu Valley Rebuild
Materials Center
567 S. Denali Street
Wasilla, Alaska
Events
SALSA DANCING AT EVERETT’S
Every Thursday – 7PM Conga Rock Everett’s
1850 E Bogard Rd. Wasilla
Cost: $20 Minimum www.mat-suresort.com
BIKERS FIGHTING HUNGER 2021
1/1/2021 – 2/28/2021
Midnight Son Riders Chapter 801 of CMA Various Locations Food Donations
HOUSE FIRE FUNDRAISER FOR BEKAH HILTON & FAMILY
1/23/2020 – 11AM
Palmer Train Depot
610 S Valley Way, Palmer Cost: $10
ROSES FOR TACOS
2/13/2021 – 12PM
Midnight Son Riders Chapter 801 of CMA
Denali Harley-Davidson 1497 S Hyer Rd. Palmer Cost: 12 Cans of Food or $12
DIVIDED ART 2021
February 17-27, 2021
Matsu Valley Rebuild
567 S Denali St. FREE Admission, Auction
SPAGHETTI FEED
2/21/2021 – 2PM
Midnight Son Riders Chapter 801 of CMA
The Alano Club
901 Snowhomish Dr. Wasilla
Cost: 12 Cans of Food or $12
1ST ANNUAL MATANUSKA-SUSITNA VALLEY BUDTENDER AWARDS
1-16-21- 6pm
Palmer Train Depot / Community Center FREE
THE LOVE GALA
5-15-21 – 7pm – 11pm Location TBD FREE
3RD ANNUAL WOMEN , WINE & WELLNESS
1-29-21 – 6pm
6013 N Crested Butte Dr, Wasilla, FREE
PLANNING YOUR NEW GREENHOUSE
1-26-21 – 12pm – 1pm Online Facebook Event FREE
Contributed by Michelle Cornelius
Michelle Cornelius wishes to announce her opening show at Bigfoot Art Gallery in Palmer Alaska. Art lovers can come by and see Michelle’s most recent work up at this cute, little gallery. Available are small original works, as well as metal prints. All priced to sell 2021. Bigfoot Art Gallery also offers many services to artists including photography of work and framing. Thanks for stopping in. Show goes at least until February 2021. Visit www. michellecorneliusart.com to see all works available.
Photography
Contributed by Richard Estelle, Palmer Museum of History & Art
This month, we consider some photos in the Museum collection that illustrate the importance of “horsepower” in the Valley prior to common availability of trucks, tractors and other machinery we take for granted today.
Most of the early homesteaders in the area did not own a team, or even a single horse to aid in clearing land of trees and planting crops. John Bugge, homesteading in what today is the city of Palmer, was one of the first to have horses in the area, and was known to be generous in loaning them to fellow homesteaders in the vicinity.
Though horses made it possible to accomplish tasks not easily done by hand, and complete more work quickly, these advantages didn’t come without cost. Aside from the initial expense of the animals, and equipment needed to use them to advantage, a great deal of time, effort and resource was invested in just caring for them and keeping them healthy throughout the year. While a team made it possible to place more land under cultivation, a significant amount of that land was required to be dedicated to production of grass, hay and grain just to feed the horses.
Horses are generally intelligent animals; but, like humans, they come with personalities, good days and bad days, preferences and limitations. A team that works well together can be a boon to the farmer. A pair that doesn’t get along can be a disaster. Unlike a tractor, a horse that doesn’t like doing a certain kind of work can be troublesome. And, as illustrated in one of our photos, a horse needs to rest from time to time.
The mid 1930s represent an interesting time of transition in the Valley, as more work horses became available while trucks, tractors and other vehicles were also being introduced. With the Matanuska Colony Project, the government provided horses to the colonists for use on their farms. At the same time, it introduced trucks, busses and caterpillar tractors to the area to enhance construction, transport, land clearing and farming activities. In spite of these introductions, horses continued to play an important part in the lives of some homesteaders, settlers and colonists of the area as late as the early 1950s.
Photo #1 is fom Colonists Neil & Margaret Miller’s collection, shows the couple using their horse to grade their new house site and move timbers into place for the foundation. From the photo, it appears that Margaret may have been the horse wrangler while Neil focused on construction.
Photo #2 is from Colonists Ferber & Ruth Bailey’s collection. We see the team sledding a load of firewood to the farmstead for use in heating their new home. The image also shows part of their new barn prior to its being uniquely clad in horizontal siding, and prior to its being moved to make way for the Glenn Highway to be straightened by cutting through “Bailey Hill”.
Photo #3, from our Irwin collection, shows a fine-looking team belonging to the Matanuska Experiment Farm. While other photos in that collection show an early-wheeled tractor in use at the farm, horses continued to be used there for some time. The unidentified woman on the mowing machine appears to indicate that harvest time on the farm called all hands to participate, allowing some to demonstrate their
wide range of skills.
Photo #4, from the Bailey collection, offers a view of a team in the Palmer Community Center about 1936. Without information regarding the actual situation, one might provide their own caption: “Done for the day”, “Time for a break”, or “I quit!”.
Arts
Contributed by Brittney Kauffman
I would like to introduce myself, the owner/artist behind Inked Fox and the coloring pages that have been featured in the Make-A-Scene Magazine. My name is Brittney, and I live in Wasilla with my significant other, our beautiful daughter (a natural artist), 2 cats and a dog. I am a lifelong artist/maker and animal lover, and now a stay at home mom as well. I have lived in Alaska for going on 15 years, and I have no plans to leave. I am a proud Army brat, and that being said I have lived in many places. Alaska has been my favorite place to live and is also my biggest source of inspiration.
8 years ago I began my business, Inked Fox and have more recently been working on the extension of my business that will involve my crafty side - Inked Fox Crafts. I think of myself as a serial hobbyist and binge crafter. I love to create, and can never seem to stop, even when transitioning to whatever craft it is that fills that need to create. I’m happy to be able to have an outlet for that side with Inked Fox Crafts.
I currently have stickers, prints, coloring books and earrings at 3 Rivers Fly and Tackle in Wasilla, and also have an online shop with t-shirts, hoodies,
stickers, and more (artbybrittneyk. com). I can be followed on Instagram by the handles @artbybrittneyk and @ inkedfoxcrafts.
I will be officially launching Inked Fox Crafts later this winter/early spring, when I’ll be adding the extension to my online shop. I am very excited for this next step and I hope to expand my offerings to other local shops this year.
Brittney Kauffman, Owner/Artist at Inked Fox, and Inked Fox Crafts
Contributed by Kat Cavanaugh LaMantia
There is a choir of ravens on the wire above my sidewalk
Black beaked and spaced like notes on a staff hunger conducts a concert They squawk and knock and trill proudly like anything but beggars
They know there is bread in my kitchen and sometimes some old chicken
They will not go away gently nor be quiet, not the old ones anyway
They have already observed my interest, calculated my resistance and plucked me like a fat vole at the feeder
They play poker of sorts and lay down bets on how long it will take me to throw something out once they set up shop
Winner goes first to the food
There is a dance they do, like a sort of grace, before they begin
The young wait for the old more out of caution than respect
Today I baked two loaves of bread and they got one of them I was pretty sure I heard them laughing as I closed the door
Clear blue 20 degrees I inhale deep and smile Happy New Year!
Contributed by Nan Potts
I’m dreaming of some hot coffee, Just like the ones Mom used to brew. Where the bubbles glisten
And I would listen
To hear when the perk was through.
I’m dreaming of some nice coffee, Poured in a rustic, hand thrown mug. Where the steam it rises, And it surprises
The nose with a friendly hug.
I dreaming of some hot coffee, With every Christmas card I read. May your cups be cheery and warm. May they all help weather every storm.
Contributed by William Schmidtkunz
everyone sighs with relief the new year can’t be worse than the old well, i share their enthusiasm because i am a man of hope that the cream will rise to the top and the mystery of the solutions will unlock and bring a calm joy into our days long after this time is forgotten
Contributed by Charlie Rossiter
Contributed
by
Nancy Angelini Crawford
If you saw my article in the Mid-June 2020 publication of Make A Scene AK, then you know this is a follow up article.
For the last year, I’ve been painting portraits of some of those whose lives have been impacted by MY House Mat-Su. A once convicted felon, now believes and has dreams of becoming an actor. A young girl, who due to medical reasons, had the right hemisphere of her brain removed. She spent some time facing homelessness but is now a worldwide advocate for others in her health position, has been an administrative assistant at MY House, and is an editor for Make A Scene!
There is nothing short in her abilities to say the least. She is beginning a new chapter in life soon by heading off to another country to marry her love. Speaking of love, she makes everyone feel loved and is loved equally in the Valley by everyone who meets her.
The stories of lives that have run into the “stop sign” of unconditional love is gratefully abundant. Michelle Carney Overstreet founded and leads the staff and volunteers at MY House Mat-Su. They offer a free hot supper from 3pm-4pm every Monday – Friday, available to clients and non-clients with no strings attached. More than a free meal, they offer an opportunity to choose the right path at the fork in the road. MY House offers counsel, jobs, education and even a roof over their head.
Loosely quoting the words of Michelle, “We can and we must do better. This is how we change the world and overcome poverty. They come having no capacity to believe in themselves. Love conquers that. What if the whole community did
that instead of judging and perpetrating the stigma. A lot of this is probably based on trauma but let’s use the things they love in their lives to move forward, be it music, books or something else.”
I’ve recently heard about a few heroes…
One was a famous surfer who while in Hawaii rescued a drowning woman in high surf. There was also a woman in Arizona that saved an entire family from a burning house, and a police officer in Somerset, Massachusetts (the town I was born in) who had mercy on two women stealing only food to feed their family during COVID pandemic.
It is easy for you to be on this list of heroes too. Simply by bidding on a “Portrait of Hope” as much as you are able, you too can save a life. If you’re not able to bid at this time, maybe you know someone you can share this with.
The auction to raise funds for MY House MatSu will be ready to bid on from February 14th - February 28th. To participate in the auction, type in the link or follow the QR code: www.32auctions.com/PortraitsofHope
Some things to note:
If you are the winning bidder on a portrait you will have the option to choose an alternate painting from a pre-determined collection at www.AngeliniStudio.com
The highest bid on the entire auction will have first choice and so on. Choosing an alternate painting will also gift the portrait to the model, so they are forever reminded that they are worthy.
Back to “WIN THIS PAINTING”! Be the first to place a bid on any item in the auction and be entered to win “Point of View” original 8x10 oil.
