OCT. 5, 2018 -- SEWARD MUSIC AND ARTS FESTIVAL

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Today is Friday, Oct. 5, 2018.

A hundred years ago it was a dry but overcast Saturday on Fox Island with, as Kent noted, “a clean, refreshing atmosphere.” Today, after two days of pouring rain, morning began with the sun and some blue sky but soon clouded up. On Fox Island Rockie was being punished for not doing his reading homework. His penance? – Not being allowed to help his father saw up a tree, a task he greatly enjoyed. Later Kent calked the east side of his cabin and did some baking. “Rockie took his punishment so to heart that in the afternoon he read ten pages in his book,” Kent wrote. This day the artist also rigged up a device to help him paint outside while sitting and holding his palette. And he painted. Kent mentions reading a book of George Anson’s voyage around Cape Horn and how Anson notes that fair weather rarely lasts long in those southern latitudes. Kent thinks it probably true for northern latitudes. He may have been pondering a future trip around the Horn like Anson’s. He did, in fact, make two attempts on another adventure in 1922. In between the two ventures, while anxious because it was the wrong season and his time was running out, Kent even considered making the trip in an Indian canoe. Did he really learn his lesson in Alaska, was this desperation, or did he just accept the risk of death in exchange for experience? Fortunately, he found a boat and an proficient seaman for the second try, which also failed. This adventure became his second finely illustrated book, Voyaging: Southward from the Strait of Magellan (1924).


Today in Seward, the Seward Arts Council (SAC) is sponsoring the Seward Arts & Music Festival – its theme inspired by the art of Rockwell Kent. The SAC has taken a lead in recognizing the importance of Rockwell Kent to Seward and Alaska. In 2014 the SAC produced through our local theater group, the Port City Players, a full workshop, reader’s theater production of my play about Kent and Fox Island that I directed. The play is titled, And Now the World Again. I’m working to get a full production ready for 2020, the 100th anniversary of the publication of Wilderness. Over the years the Seward Mural Society, which comes under SAC, has created two murals dedicated to Rockwell Kent. And this year, another of the SAC’s groups, the Seward Music & Arts Festival has dedicated this year’s weekend event to the art of Rockwell Kent. I want to thank SAC for recognizing the importance and helping to promote Rockwell Kent. I’ll be delivering a brief introduction this evening as the festival opens. Over the weekend I’ll take several photos of decorations inspired by Kent’s art and post them on this website.

THIS WEEKEND! Drink beer, eat tasty food, shop local, and dance your heart out at the Seward Music & Arts Festival! This is an affordable, family-friendly, indoor event featuring 20 live musical acts and dance performances. Our cruise ship terminal has been completely transformed for the weekend, inspired by the iconic work of Rockwell Kent. This event is a local favorite—join us for the most fun you'll have this fall!
Anchorage folks: Take the Seward Music & Arts Festival Train down on Saturday (returns Sunday) and enjoy onboard performances by Emma Hill and Syran! $125 per person round-trip, plus free shuttles and hotel discounts.
Full details here. 



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