Chulitna Lodge Artist Residency: The Willow Master (Project) - Alaska

Marissa Ayala spent three weeks at an artist residency in Alaska. There, she conducted art-based fieldwork, documenting the environment and its soundscapes, ecosystems, habitats, wildlife, and her personal experiences living off-grid.

Her art-based fieldwork included digital photography, video, contact and hydraulic sound recordings, as well as watercolors, charcoal, pencil, and found materials for mixed-media collage.

Marissa emphasizes eco-conscious materials and informs a work-in-progress literary arts manuscript that aims to raise awareness of the beauty, fragility, and erosion of Alaska's natural resources, people, and land.

Funding for this project was made possible by the Puffin Foundation, 2025 Environmental Advocacy Artist Grant.