This 1952 DeHavilland Beaver is the only way to fly at Katmai National Park. Here it has landed at Brooks Camp on Naknek Lake with Mount Katolinat in the background. Created with oils.

Mother brown bears are fierce protectors of their little cubs. Spring cubs, pictured here, often have a light natal ring around their necks, a tell tale sign that they were born that year. Done with oils.

Aniakchak is the least visited National Park Service unit. Therefore I needed to go there of course. With a crater six miles wide, this 3000 year old volcano is as impressive as it is remote. I got the chance to fly over this a few times while visiting villages on the Alaska Peninsula. Done with oil.

The Valley of the Ten thousand Smokes is probably one of my favorite places in Alaska. Back in 1912, the largest eruption of the 20th century occurred here, spreading an impressive pyroclastic ash flow over 14 square miles. The result is a barren but colorful landscape filled with slot canyons created by rivers and ash, right smack in the middle of an otherwise lush landscape.  Done with oils.

Trident Volcano lives in the car end of the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes. With multiple glaciated peaks, it is an easy one to recognize in the valley. It is one of my favorite mountains to wave to as I hike by, mainly due its pumice covered glaciers.  I had the lucky opportunity to watch as a bear attempted to climb a glacier at its base headed on an adventure of its own. Created with oils.

Aniakchak is filed with vents, the largest pictured here.  This is Vent Mountain, and is one of the distinguishing features of the massive caldera. Created with oils.

These are some of my favorite birds.  While out patrolling for bears on the lower part of the Brooks River, these little guys would swoop down to grab some fish and constantly chatter at each other.  Also I just like animals with mohawks. Pen and ink with watercolor.

If you ask me what my favorite birds are I will reply anything in the corvid family, including this magpie. While I was working as a Park Ranger at Katmai, I made friends with these boisterous birds as I stood on patrol for bears.  They would talk to me and peck at my shoes, generally curious as to what I was doing there. Done with pen and ink and watercolor.

At Katmai National Park there are more brown bears, or in this case blue bears, than there are people; roughly 3,000 in 4 million acres to be exact. People come from all over the world to witness these 1200 pound predators in close proximity while they feed on the thousands of salmon that make their way up the river. Created with pen and ink and watercolor.

Wolves are some of my favorite animals. To me they are a symbol of wilderness. I have been very lucky to have seen quite a few wolves on the Alaska Peninsula, some within just a few yards. They are usually very timid around humans, quite unlike how they are portrayed in popular culture. Created with pen and ink and watercolor.

Salmon are the lifeblood of the Alaska Peninsula. Bristol Bay has the largest sustainable sockeye run in the entire world. Any time you eat an Alaskan salmon, nine times out o ten it will be from the waters of Bristol Bay. I love drawing these beautiful fish, especially when they start to get their red spawning colors. Pen and ink and watercolor.

Anglers from all over the world flock to the Alaska Peninsula for its trophy Rainbow Trout. Rainbow trout are often found in salmon habitat, as they love to munch on their eggs. I personally love the colors of these beautiful fish, and feel they are very aptly named. Created with oils.

Mt. Martin is one o the volcanoes at Katmai National park that is always steaming on the horizon. Pen and ink and watercolor.

Mount Mageik, or magic mountain as I like to call it, is an impressive glaciated volcano way out in the Valley of the Ten Thousand Smokes in Katmai. I love hiking to this unique mountain; it has four peaks and two beautiful glacier lakes at its base.  I have attempted to climb this beauty a few times now, getting thwarted by the one thing that dictates life on the Peninsula: WEATHER. Done with pen an dink and watercolor.

These next two images are a series of fat bear graphics I designed inspired by Katmai’s annual Fat Bear Week.