Christine Beirne: 99 Days to the Arctic: Painting, Postcards, and a Pit Stop

As I write this, we’re “camped” at an RV repair shop in Sedro-Woolley, Washington. Not the most scenic stop on this 99-day Arctic journey—but possibly one of the most fortunate. Our converter/charger decided to give out, which doesn’t sound dramatic until you realize how much an RV depends on power. The fridge went out. The slider wouldn’t come in. We had to fire up the generator just to get moving again.

Gratefully, JR’s RV Repair took us in on an emergency basis. And even more gratefully, this didn’t happen in the remote wilderness north of Denali. We’re back in business, and tomorrow we cross into British Columbia.

The road has been wild in all the best ways. The weather’s been beautiful—though not always cooperative for plein air painting. (Wind is quickly becoming the nemesis of this trip.) But I did get one piece finished that I’m especially pleased with: a 10x8 painted on location at King Solomon Beach. That one is now available to supporters of my GoFundMe.

Now, I know supporting an artist’s GoFundMe might feel... unconventional. But here’s the thing: I’m not just asking for donations. For $25, you’ll receive a one-of-a-kind laminated grayscale postcard, mailed to you from the road. Think of it as a little piece of the Arctic—sketched at dawn, maybe in the Yukon, maybe somewhere along the Alaskan Highway. These aren’t prints. These are originals. They’re part of this journey. Yours, if you want them to be.

We’re only just beginning. By the time we return, I’ll have dozens of new plein air pieces, studies, and probably a few epic repair stories to share. Next stop: the land I still think of as my “adopted” country—Canada, where I spent my part of my childhood and summers through my teenage years. If you’d like to receive a postcard from the road, here’s the GoFundMe link.

With gratitude,

Chris