William Crosby on Painting and Photography in Alaska Notes on my three trips to Alaska: The first two trips, in 1988 and 1994 were part of sabbatical leaves from the State University of New York, Plattsburgh campus where I had taught for over 35 years. By myself on the first trip, I stayed with a former colleague who had access to a 4 x 5 view camera and we went to many locations in and around Anchorage. This trip also included a flight over Denali and a side trip to Juneau, on my own, to experience and photograph the Mendenhall Glacier. I also used on all my trips a 35mm Nikon and a Rolleicord twin lens reflex. My wife Pat joined me on the second trip in 1994. This was a camping trip and we rented vehicles and kayaks at various locations.. An Alaska Railroad trip to Denali was one of several major locations. We also took a tour boat to Fox Island off Steward Alaska where the artist Rockwell Kent spent a year with his young son. We were able to kayak around Fox Island. We also returned to Mendenhall Glacier where we kayaked. A several day boat tour into Glacier Bay was also a special experience. My third trip to Alaska was in 1998. My wife and I visited and camp travelled with one of our sons who was stationed in the Air Force in Anchorage. This trip took us to an island stay in Prince William Sound as well as ferry travel across the sound to Whittier and included views of many glaciers. On our return, Pat and I made arrangements for isolated camping near LeConte Glacier where we kayaked and experienced changing ice berg fields every tide. Our final leg of the journey was by State Ferry to Port Rupert and then our return by train and car through the Canadian Rockies. I photographed extensively on all the trips including both black and white film and color transparencies. (before the days of digital cameras and cell phones) All paintings were accomplished over the following months and years back in the studio. This allowed me to be more abstract and interpretative. The photographs were both artistic and documents. *See other William Crosby listing for more about Bill's background.