ART OUTSIDE

A weekend of creativity And connection in the Wrangells

august 22 & 23, 2026

Spend a weekend immersed in creative practice in the Wrangells, where towering mountains, massive glaciers, and rushing rivers give way to inquiry, exploration, and contemplation in more ways than one. This multidisciplinary workshop brings together science illustrator and field sketching artist Kristin Link, writer and artist Sarah Gilman, and printmaker Cal Waichler.

Throughout the weekend, each artist will teach their own workshop, while collaborating and cross-pollinating between disciplines, encouraging close observation and hands-on, multimedia artmaking in the field. Participants will explore the environment surrounding McCarthy, Alaska, within Wrangell-St. Elias National Park through field sketching, watercolor painting, printmaking, writing and mixed-media work. 

Please reach out to audrey@wrangells.org with any questions.

MEET The artists

Kristin Link

Kristin Link is a science illustrator, artist, and educator based in McCarthy, Alaska. Her work combines careful observation, scientific accuracy, and drawing from life to communicate the complexity and beauty of the natural world. Kristin’s illustration can be found on interpretive signage and educational materials for the National Park Service, Prince William Sound Science Center, Copper River Watershed Project, and many other clients. Her weekly nature journal column, illustrated in pen and watercolor, runs in the Copper River Record. Kristin's fine art practice explores northern landscapes shaped by ice, light, and seasonal change. Her first book, Discover the Art of Field Sketching, draws on over a decade of teaching field sketching in Alaska and beyond.

Sarah Gilman

Sarah is a writer and artist based in Winthrop, Washington, who focuses on the environment, natural history, science, and place. In her journalism, essays, and poetry, she seeks to illuminate the ways people relate to landscapes, their bodies, and other species. In her visual art, she’s most interested in cultivating wonder, with the hope that it helps more of us come to value and make space for wildness, and for each other. Much of Sarah’s current work is at the nexus of writing and art, where she builds immersive pieces that aim to inspire empathy, respect for nuance over polarization, and a sense of awe for and accountability towards the world as it is—still huge and full of mystery and beauty, however threatened or diminished.

Cal Waichler

Cal is a printmaker from Winthrop, Washington. Her creative works channel experiences ranging from glacier research to wildlife tracking and skiing amidst wolverines. Through woodcut and other media, she explores relationships between climate change, mountain ecosystems and human experiences of environmental change. In addition to her printmaking practice, she is a commercial fisher, an art and environmental educator, a field biologist, and an avid explorer of the world on her feet and skis.

Workshop participants will:

  • Develop skills for close observation and creative response to the natural environment through field sketching, writing, and printmaking.

  • Experiment with multidisciplinary art forms and expand creative repertoires.

  • Be immersed in a community of artists at the Wrangell Mountains Center, where creative diversity is valued, supported, and encouraged.

  • Have opportunities for learning, sharing, and feedback with Sarah Gilman, Cal Waichler, and Kristin Link.

  • Share work in a supportive, nonjudgmental environment at a closing gathering, open to the community.

Register

Cost: $450

Discounts available for McCarthy locals.

The workshop is limited to 15 participants.

All meals included in cost, provided by Wrangell Mountains Center.

Accommodations not included.

Cancellations/Refunds: Registrants may cancel for a full refund up to 90 days prior to the date of the workshop; Up to 60 days prior to workshop a 50% refund will be issued; No refund will be issued within 60 days of the workshop.

Sign Up Here

Additional Details

  • Three hearty, primarily vegetarian meals, will be provided each day and shared communally. Hot water will be available for coffee and tea. Every effort will be made to accommodate dietary needs and restrictions with advance notice.

  • On each day, depending on weather and group, we may walk between 1 and 4 miles over uneven terrain around McCarthy (trails, rocks, etc). We are committed to making this program as accessible as possible for people of all ages and mobility levels, and may be able to arrange alternative transportation with advance notice.

  • The workshop will begin each morning at 9:00 a.m. with breakfast, followed by morning and afternoon sessions. There will be a lunch break around noon, and the formal program will conclude with dinner at approximately 6:00 p.m.

    • In the evenings, optional activities will be available, including independent work time, collaborative sessions with instructors and participants, and a community event/showcase on Sunday evening.

  • Stay tuned for more details coming soon, including supply lists and the daily schedule.

  • Overnight accommodations are not included. We recommend participants arrive by Friday evening at the latest and depart Monday morning at the earliest in order to fully immerse themselves in the weekend workshop.

  • Finding accommodations in the McCarthy area:

What To Bring / Frequently Asked Questions:

o   Warm layers to be outside in changeable weather all day (in the case of extreme weather, we will base indoors)

o   Comfortable boots to be moving around on foot all day (generally level or gently rolling terrain, with many areas of uneven footing, within a reasonable radius of McCarthy)

o   Drinking water and snacks

o   Backpack for hands-free walking

o   Optional sitting pad or lightweight portable chair if you prefer something to perching directly on the rocks/stumps

 
 

Art Images by Kristin Link

 

Sketching in the outdoor classroom, looking towards Mount Blackburn on McCarthy Creek