Alaska Stories

His love for the mountain, known as Denali, moved him to create wonderful paintings.

Mountains treat Anchorage, Alaska to the glories of summer with a splash of fireweed, a reddish flower that graces many mountains in the Great Land.

But as winter approaches, “Termination Dust”, otherwise known as snow, covers the mountain tops. In early fall, when residence see Termination Dust, they know that winter is on its way. And the mountains, and Anchorage, will soon be covered with a blanket of fluffy white.

The Mountain

On a clear day in Anchorage, if you look to the north, nature reveals an incredible gift.

A glimpse of Denali, “The Great One”. The tallest mountain in North America.

The Artist

One photographer and painter named, Sydney Laurence found the majestic beauty of Denali, captivating.

His love for the mountain moved his brush to create wonderful paintings of the Great One.

From Valdez, Alaska

Laurence was living in Valdez, Alaska when he decided to make a move that would change his life.

In 1915, the Alaska Railroad was hiring workers in a ragged tent city that would become the town of Anchorage, Alaska.

Laurence traveled to the tent city to work as a laborer on the railroad.

Gold Panning - a Side Hustle

Looking to make a little more money, and have some adventure, Sydney tried his hand at panning for gold along Cache Creek near Talkeetna, Alaska.

His Photographic Portrait Days

Later, Laurence began taking photographic portraits.

His studio was in the Carol Building at 4th and E Streets in Anchorage.

Where Sydney Laurence Lived in Anchorage

As his residence, Laurence lived in the Anchorage Hotel, which was operated at that time, by Mr. and Mrs. Frank J. Reed.

Yes, You can Share this Edition

Your friends and family will be impressed when you share this edition about world-famous artist, Sydney Laurence. And when you do, they will send you one of Laurence’s painting of what was then called Mount McKinley, as a gift… well, it could happen.

Thanks for reading and listening to Alaska Stories. This post is public, so feel free to share it.

Then in 1919

Laurence began selling some of his paintings in Juneau, Alaska at a well-known gift shop ran by Belle Simpson, called the Nugget Shop.

In 1920, Sydney Laurence opened a portrait studio in the Anchorage Hotel.

A Full-Time Painter

By 1922, Laurence saw that his paintings were becoming more popular, so he closed his photographic portrait studio to paint full-time… But just in case – he continued to look for gold and oil near Talkeetna.

By 1923, he was recognized as Alaska’s most prominent painter. President Warren G. Harding, the first U.S. President to visit Alaska, bought a Sydney Laurence painting.

He Painted for a Movie

When Cap Lathrop made the silent movie “The Chechahcos” in 1923, Laurence painted the decorative subtitle borders for the movie. He also painted 6 large landscapes that were seen in the movie.

When the movie was shown outside of Alaska, it introduced the artist, Sydney Laurence, to a wider audience.

Laurence Becomes a “Snow Bird”

In 1924, Sydney Laurence also opened a studio in Los Angeles, California. And with that, and for the rest of his life, he spent the winter in California and summers in Anchorage.

In Los Angeles, he married Jeanne K. Holerman in 1928.

Sydney Laurence passed away in Anchorage on September 11, 1940, and was laid to rest in the Anchorage Memorial Park Cemetery.

His wife Jeanne Laurence passed away in Anchorage in August 1980.

BONUS

Would you like to know more about Alaska’s most renowned painter?

Read more about Sydney Laurence and discover.

From our North Stars (that’s you)

From our podcast about the Matanuska Maid dairy

Jim had this comment:

“Dorothy Ann Shelly, the winner of the contest, was very clever in name changing "made" to "maid".

Joe noticed something:

“The 1935 farm picture has a 1970s Chevrolet pickup parked to one side.”

Tom shared this memory:

“My family camped with some friends at Moose River on the Kenai Peninsula, near where it joins the Kenai River. There was a little fast food and ice cream stand on the west side of the bridge over the Moose River that sold soft serve ice cream that used a mix made by Matanuska Maid. The best soft serve ice cream I ever had.”

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A Fond Memory

Do you remember going to the bank on 4th Avenue, just up the street from the 4th Avenue Theater? They had that wonderful fish tank inset into the side of the building facing the sidewalk, and it was filled with rainbow trout.

But inside the bank, they had huge Sydney Laurence paintings displayed on the walls. They were a beautiful reminder of a man, his art and a majestic place called Denali.

Do you have a comment or just want to say “hey, the view is great up here on Denali!”

You can either reply to this email, or you can Contact Us right now.

Until Next Time

Mike and Mary

Alaska Stories