Not having a lot of artistic abilities myself, in fact I find it quite difficult to paint a building, even with a paint sprayer. However, when you lack this type of talent, you make an attempt to associate with others that have these god given talents. I am fortunate, that I have an abundance of members within my family that display artistic talents in a variety of mediums.

I know most of you have driven the Seward Highway as it winds itself along the beaches of Turnagain Arm. It is a pristine area, with the sheer rock cliffs paralleling the highway on one side and the marine water of the arm on the other side. Even in the winter, it is beautiful as massive amounts of ice icicles start forming on the rock bluffs.

I recently come across a photograph, it was taken on the eastern seaboard, even though it looks like Turnagain Arm. The artist used common dye mixed with water to create his masterpiece. He carried the plastic gallon jugs of water to the top of cliff that supported the icicles and then poured the water over the existing ice. The water instantly froze to the ice to form his canvas.

The Turnagain Arm icicles cry out for this type of artistic impression. What a great Girl Scout or family project. I am sure, with the proper format in the form of a grant request, numerous art foundations, city governments, and Chambers of Commerce would provide the financial supporet. However, keep in mind that most likely the Alaska State Parks would require a Park Use Permit, an environmental assessment, and traffic impact statement. A lot of these lands in this area are also federal, so a duplicate of these permits would be required. The colorful ice formations would also create traffic jams worse than the Dall Sheep displays during the spring and summer, so no doubt Department of Transportation and the Alaska State Troopers would also be required to be in the permit process. Who said being an artist was easy - even the government makes it difficult. Of course, if it was carried out under the darkness of night, who would ever know - but it would make the front page of the La Gazette.