Lisa Barrett

The new mural created by Barrett and students can be seen at the end of the hallway leading to the music room and rest rooms. - DL
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Muralist and art instructor Lisa Barrett recently came to Skagway from Newington, Conn., as an Artist in Residence at the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park.
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She presented her work to the public and talked about her art March 25 at the parks visitor center.Her presentation, "Touched by Art," told about her life with art and how she came to Alaska, and showed several of her pieces and described the different techniques she used.Barrett has worked for over a decade with communities, schools, and institutional audiences though her art.Skagway's rich history captured her attention, and her final artwork for the park was a painting about Dead Horse Gulch with three horses hovering over a mountain scene.This program is funded by the National Park Service with support from the Skagway Fine Arts Council."My favorite subjects are animals and scenic images, and to work with children to bring these images alive though artistic awareness to make their lives is truly meaningful," said Barrett.She collaborated with the children at Skagway School and painted two totem poles by the music room, titling it "Time to Bind the Generations."The subject of the totems is represented by historical Native Tlingit symbols as well as modern symbols of the "newer" generation.The larger totem pole represents the older generation of Tlingit members, using mainly Tlingit symbols, with the Raven on top of this totem pole, stealing the sun.Below the sun is a traditional Elder wearing a chief's hat with three bands, representing how many potlatches he has attended.On the bottom of the totem pole is the modern symbol of a clock, to "bind together the generations."The smaller pole is the newer generation.The main symbol is a panther holding a basketball.At the bottom is a musical note, with panther paws going across the base.Barrett lived here for a month to "get the feel of the place" and to come up with a theme for the painting she donated to the Park.While reading up on Skagway's history, she saw the tale of Dead Horse Gulch: "It hit me hard," she said."When I read that 6,000 horses died on that trail, I knew that's what my painting had to be about," she told her audience.She wrote a poem about the tragic tale and how they are now commemorated through her painting, which is now on display at the Park's visitor center.And Barrett loved Skagway."I would love to come back again to enjoy everything all over again," she said.