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Hi Friends,

Welcome to the June edition of Work in Progress! As the vibrant colors of summer envelop Alaska, it's the perfect time to share the latest updates, inspirations, and insights from my studio. This month, we'll delve into the beauty of the Alaskan summer landscape, explore new artistic endeavors, and reflect on the creative journey ahead. 

Last summer, Brown Jug hired me to create some custom can art for their Mountain Blueberry cocktail. The team reached out again for another creation, label artwork for their new item from Denali Spirits, a Smoked Salmon Vodka.

For the art itself, they requested a similar style to the Mountain Blueberry, with an Alaskan-themed juxtaposition of skull or bones and pretty elements.

We're still finalizing some last few details, but I’m too excited not to share! And the Smoked Salmon Vodka is sure to be a unique and savory spirit — try it in a Bloody Mary, or infuse into a cream cheese spread when it hits the shelves!

I’m thrilled to announce the completion of our stunning new mural in downtown!

This vibrant piece, featuring a majestic brown bear with a stylized landscape within its silhouette, was a labor of love and community spirit. And I gotta shoutout to the two incredible high school boys who earned the grant to “beautify downtown” through Our2Cents, Shawn Dunham and William Fett.

Their hard work, creativity, and dedication truly brought this project to life. It was an absolute joy guiding them both and watching their skills and confidence grow as they applied each brushstroke.

With an iridescent gold river representing our rich gold rush history, and the iconic Alaska pipeline symbolizing our oil heritage, this mural is a tribute to our town's unique past and promising future.

Special thanks to David Vandenberg with the Downtown Association for helping us locate a wall; and thanks to Matt Wilken and Jonathan with Golden Heart Utilities for allowing us to apply paint to your building. Thank you to everyone who supported and encouraged us along the way.

Come down to see the mural and feel the pride of our town reflected in every detail! Located on 5th avenue, adjacent to the Sadler's building.

New items have dropped, and newer items are coming soon!

Last month I shared that I had the delightful opportunity to host a painting lesson for my daughter’s 5th-grade class during the class camping trip.

For the lesson, we embarked on a short hike down to the river where we set up on the scenic riverbank. I guided the students through the process of painting the landscape; sketching out the scene, working from the “back to the front” with the landscape, and emphasizing the importance of capturing "what we see, not what we know."

 It was inspiring to see over half the kids enthusiastically participate in the lesson, each creating their own unique interpretation of the beautiful surroundings.

While I thought I didn’t have a teaching bone in my body, it was a wonderful and truly fulfilling experience. And who knows, maybe this turns into more lessons in the future!

Recently, we had an exciting home improvement project of installing a wood stove, and I wanted to create a striking statement wall behind it. We choose a beautiful natural tile in gorgeous blue tones, and initially, I planned to create an ombre effect in an offset brick layout. Not only that, but I told *everyone* about it.

So when I sorted all the colors and laid out the ombre design in the garage, I totally cried. I was utterly disappointed. I had built such a different picture of it in my head, and the actual layout did not match what I had envisioned.

TLDR; Sometimes we overthink our ideas, and then they don't pan out as expected. In those moments, inspiration comes from seeking another perspective, which can lead to even better results.

Summer has arrived in Alaska! It’s glorious and bright and everything Alaskans live for.

The new season also brings about a change in routine with the kids being home all day. (It feels like a huge adjustment this year, because I just had 9 months of working home alone with my littlest in kindergarten.)

If you didn’t know this about me already, I live by a routine. I thrive with a to-do list. But I also want to soak up every minute of summer adventures with the kids. I mean, that’s the whole point of being my own boss, right?

So, my routine has been rearranging. I’ve lessened the amount of hours I work each day, and have been migrating my schedule to mimic my husband’s so that we are all “off” together to chase our glorious midnight sunshine.

To make the most of my limited work hours, I define the 2-3 things that must get done in order to keep moving my business and my projects forward. I get up early to begin my day by 7am, and work through 10am.

To encourage the kiddos to allow me to work, I created a daily routine for them to follow together, which includes a few chores, free play, and only 30 minutes of screen time from when they wake up until 10am. If all goes well, they’ve allowed me time to work, gotten chores done, and played well together, they earn a “FUN FACTOR” for the afternoon — these are things like have a picnic at the park, ride bikes to Hot Licks for ice cream, play mini golf, go gold panning, etc.

We’re still working on fewer interruptions during my morning work block, but I’ve been really impressed with them both respecting this boundary. This new routine allows me to maintain a sense of productivity while cherishing precious summer moments with my kids.

TLDR; Accepting that there are “seasons” to productivity, I’ve learned to adjust my work schedule for the summer to spend more time with my family, setting key tasks for early mornings and creating a daily routine for the kids to encourage cooperation. This new balance allows me to stay productive while enjoying summer adventures with the family.

Find me and my art at these upcoming events:

Thank you for giving me space in your inbox. Stay creative!

Your friend,

Brianna Reagan

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