10"x12.75" | canvas giclee
Village Island lies around 20 miles east of Ketchikan, Alaska. Although a very small island, it once supported a Native Village. In the year 1899, wealthy railroad magnate, Edward Harriman, launched a hunting and discovery expedition from Seattle to Alaska. When they discovered what appeared to be an abandoned village on Village Island, they took everything they could including almost all the totems. Since then many of those totems have been repatriated and can be seen in Ketchikan, Alaska, at the Totem Heritage Center.
Nearly 100 years after Harriman's expedition, I visited the island on a whim, while guiding a photographer from National Geographic. The totem in my painting was the only one left standing. Sad to say, since then it has been cut down by vandals.
When you purchase this print, you will also receive a story I wrote about the day I was inspired to paint it. It's called "The Shaman's Grave: A Tale of Pilfered Artifacts, Pesky Ravens … and Practical Jokes."
Village Island Sentinel
Canvas giclees closely mimic the original paintings; it's difficult to detect any difference. Canvas giclees come ready to frame, are printed to order and personally processed by the artist—from printing to hand-applied U/V finish. Allowing for drying time, the process takes 2-3 days before they can be shipped.
Village Island Sentinel is also available in paper giclee, $50. Contact us at cheripyles@gmail.com to purchase.