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My cousin, Marsh Chamberlain, has ventured on a journey, which he has put his heart and soul into. He is on a journey to film a documentary about suicide in Alaska. A very touching documentary which most Alaskans, unfortunately, have been affected by. I am proud of his journey, and his willingness and heart to help our people heal. Thank you Marsh for your dedication, hard work and persistence to finish this project. I am proud of our people for opening up to you as well. Please consider a donation today, by clicking on the ‘Kickstarter’ link at the bottom of this post.

“In a landscape as dramatic as its stories, Alaska Native people face staggering suicide rates, yet remain determined to heal & thrive!

Historically Alaska Native peoples lived solely from the lands and waters of the far north; it is that relationship between land, water and people that has culturally defined the first peoples of Alaska. Today Alaska Natives face many challenges in a world dominated by differing values. Rapid lifestyle changes, forced assimilation, and historical traumas have led to severed connections to the land and waters; these struggles threaten the loss of traditional values that have sustained Alaska Native Peoples for millennium.”

via Kickstarter.com

Please pardon my dust while I update my blog. Things probably won’t look quite right for about a week or so, until I can figure this technology stuff out! Thanks for being patient.

I took the kiddies out one last time before the snow fell. I didn’t get a whole lot as alls they wanted to do was run around the golden grass on this beautiful hillside close to town. But still its nice to look back on these and remember how beautiful the golden sunlight was and how cute my kids were at this point in time. They are growing way too fast, and they won’t listen to me when I tell them to stop growing either. Hmm….

The circus came to Nome and it was great. Here’s just one from the show. These aerial ballerinas were amazing.

There is a lot of talent floating around this small town of Nome. The middle of nowhere, in Alaska, a town of 4,000 residents. Most people probably haven’t even heard of it. But for me it is special. Our town has a lot of character. We are a little rough and worn around the edges. But in the midst of all that, there are a lot of people who create beautiful and unique things. A lot of things. Paintings, quilts, metal sculptures, ivory carvings, jewelry, kuspuks, hats. The list goes on. It is quite unbelievable really. A lot of those people are my friends, and one in particular I’m highlighting today. Her name is Moriah and she makes the most beautiful earrings out of baleen and beads. They are simple and classic, yet modern and hip. I love them. They go with practically every outfit and when I wear them they make me happy. So thank you Moriah for putting a lot of love and care into this pair! Here they are, in their very first photo shoot!

Four women, one voice. Raising funds to support cancer patients in need. It was an incredible evening, and one that left people saying, “when’s the next one”. It was out of the ordinary. It was fancy and exquisite. But most of all, it was beautiful to see so many people thinking not of themselves, but of others that go through so much pain from such an ugly disease, cancer. My family has had first hand experience battling the disease, so it was especially touching for me to see the community coming together to support this cause. After a live auction of some awesome donations, the concert started. I smiled almost the entire time and constantly kept my eyes on the stage, and even at times wanted to cry. Not because I was sad, but because of the pride I felt for these ladies and the power they had behind them. It was amazing. The voices, the feelings that were expressed were so real. It left me in awe to think that God has blessed these four ladies with so much talent! I walked away that night with my head held high and my heart happy with song. Here are some images from this wonderful evening. Thanks to Carol Gales and the Nome Arts Council for making this all possible and also for allowing me to take some memorable shots.