Writing and images by Caitlin Blaisdell.
Through art, we leave legacies…
For commercial fisherwoman and artist, Pat Kehoe, the atmosphere of Southeast Alaska speaks in terms of water and watercolors. It’s the thrill of the catch and the beauty that
surrounds her Alaskan adventures that has shaped Pat’s artistic journey. Her work features scenes of the Tongass and many of the creatures that met their fate aboard her boat. Pat has
even been known to stop her guests from eating dinner until she’s done painting the crab entree. With a wish to share the beauty of Southeast Alaska and a desire to foster stewardship
of the Tongass, Pat turns to the Living Wilderness Fund to cast her legacy…
Through art, we leave legacies – legacies of the world that has inspired us…
“Being able to walk outside and just breathe, to see glimpses of the world unaltered by humans is so incredibly valuable to me. I have been so fortunate in my life to live that experience and it
has formed my artwork.” Pat believes in the power of art to change the world and is driven to share this place that has so richly inspired her. “My goal is to organize intimate watercolor
painting groups and groups of other artists to go to Phonograph Creek Property and let the wilderness shape the work they do.” By bringing artists to experience the Tongass, they can
create and share their unique perspectives of this beautiful place – preserving visions and telling stories that will travel across space and time echoing the beauty of the Tongass. Pat then hopes
to organize exhibitions to share this artwork publicly with sales benefiting the Living Wilderness Fund.
Through art, we leave legacies – legacies of the world that has inspired us and a hope that we preserve this world, the Tongass, as a legacy to inspire our future generations.
Pat is always working to interpret life on the edge and the creatures she finds there. “The rugged wilderness of the West Chichagof is one of the most beautiful and private places in the
world. Even though generations of people have lived there and made a living from the resources there, still the human population is dwarfed by the wilderness. It makes me feel humble that I
am only a small part of this amazing place.”
Pat is in her second year as a Board member at Sitka Conservation Society. “I feel so grateful for the opportunity to live in this amazing place and want to see a strong, thriving ecosystem
here. SCS has worked for decades to preserve a healthy Tongass for all species including humans. I want to work to fight climate change on a local basis and I’m encouraged by the
young active people who are working with SCS to promote energy conservation and protect our forests that play a vital role in sequestering carbon.”
“Living in the Tongass has meant so much to me and to the art I do. I want to share that opportunities with others and I want that for future generations.”
