About the Artist

Dramatic lighting is the driving force behind my paintings, transforming familiar subjects into ones with emotional impact. I am drawn to ordinary forms—windswept trees, tangled branches, or a simple glass jar of flowers—and use light to elevate them beyond the everyday. Working primarily in acrylic, I simplify shapes to create strong compositions built with bold, brushwork. I like to explore the medium’s full range of textures, layering thin washes, possibly using patterned elements or thick impasto passages to create surfaces that offer both immediate impact and prolonged viewing. Light and texture work together to give each painting a sense of physical and visual depth.

My work has been exhibited nationally and published in several books and magazines, including AcrylicWorks 3: Celebrating Texture. In 2017, I was selected for an art residency in Juneau sponsored by the State of Alaska. My paintings are held in private and public collections, including the Art Museum of Eastern Idaho and the Anchorage Museum.

Artist Biography

 My lifelong love of art began in childhood, inspired by time spent in nature and early visits to the Smithsonian museums in Washington, DC. I studied Fine Art at Arizona State University before settling in Alaska, where I built my career while raising my family. During those years, I sold my work through Artique Ltd. and taught painting classes for over twenty years.

While living in Alaska, I remained deeply committed to continual learning and artistic growth. I participated in more than thirty workshops taught by nationally recognized artists, many of them sponsored by the Alaska Watercolor Society. These opportunities played an important role in shaping my artistic voice and strengthening my technique.

In the late 1990s, I started working for Arctic Slope Telephone Association, helping provide telephone service and introduce dial‑up internet to remote northern Alaska communities. Throughout this time, I continued to teach and create art, including teaching at the Anchorage Museum and conducting painting workshops through out the state. Later, I also taught at The Art Museum of Eastern Idaho.

Today, I live and work in the Pacific Northwest, where the vegetation, light, and landscape continue to inspire my painting.

Please visit my Instagram page at @fortnerstudio .

Extreme plein air painting trip to Mt. Denali.  

In the summer of 2005, several friends and I were flown onto the Ruth Glacier on Mount Denali for an unforgettable experience. The Sheldon Mountain House—built by the legendary air taxi owner Don Sheldon—is the only structure on the mountain. It consists of a single room and sits atop a five‑acre rock and ice outcrop on the glacier. During our stay, we created many wonderful paintings and shared an inspiring creative environment.

On the day we were scheduled to leave, the weather made it impossible to know whether planes would be able to fly, so our pickup time was uncertain. With no phone service or electricity, we were completely cut off from the outside world. We had been instructed to bring seven extra days’ worth of food beyond our planned departure date in case the planes couldn’t reach us. Fortunately, the weather cooperated, and the plane arrived on time.

I felt very fortunate to be in the company of such talented artists. The participants included Betty Atkinson, Marianne Wieland, Terri Jo Hedman, Bob Hansen, and Thor and Nancy Brandt‑Ericksen.