A
t Rocky Mountain National Park
I stayed in a small, remote, off-grid
cabin which Theodore Roosevelt visited
and I sat in the same furniture he did.
I spent my time in solitude, with long,
exhausting solo hikes.
My stay at Joshua Tree was a mix of
alone time and opportunities to be
out with rangers, and I explored the
desert extensively, locating numerous
homesteads and mining sites, many of
which are not on maps.
Alaska was perhaps the most unique. I
had the experience of being dropped off
by a float plane in a national preserve
the size of Massachusetts, with one
ranger. The two of us were the only
people out there for eight days, in which
time we saw nine grizzlies. I also had
a second excursion, working with fish
researchers along the Arctic Ocean, and
we witnessed hours of some of the most
spectacular auroras any of them had
ever seen.
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ART CHOWDER MAGAZINE
M.J.: Were you always an avid outdoors person?
Jessica: *LOL* No! My introduction to the national parks was through my pipe
band during college. We went to an invitational competition in Estes Park, Colorado
— which was amazing. Estes Park is at 8,000 feet and you’re surrounded by the
Rocky Mountains.
The first day we were there some of the guys asked if I’d like to go drive Trail Ridge
Road with them. I didn’t know what that was but I said, “Okay.” As it turns out,
Trail Ridge Road goes up to the top of the ridgeline parallel to the Continental
Divide. It is well above the tree line in alpine tundra with massive valleys on each
side. The roadside just drops off to nothing and you can see forever! It’s intense, and
a totally different experience from any I’d ever had growing up in Minnesota.
This experience opened my eyes and motivated me to visit more parks, years later,
with my family. While at the Grand Canyon, we stumbled upon the gallery space
that houses the work of former Artists-in-Residence. I was intrigued, did some
research, and determined that this was something I had to do.