A drawing done with traditional and wild harvested charcoal, called “Rot Pile.” By Nina Elder, one of the four artists on the 2017 Tidelines Ferry Tour.

Downloadable audio.

The Island Institute is hosting its second “Tidelines” ferry tour through Ketchikan, Juneau, Gustavus, Hoonah, Sitka, and points between. This nomadic residency program is designed to allow artists to explore a topic in-depth and engage the communities they visit. Peter Bradley, Executive Director of the Island Institute, and artist Nina Elder talk about the tour and this year’s theme, “Signal to Noise,” a ratio that compares the level of a desired signal to the level of background noise interfering with it.

Elder creates landscape paintings and representational drawings. To see more of her work, visit her website. Other artists on the tour include Billy Joe Miller, Wendy Given, and Jimmy Riordan.