Octopus ink. while being an “inky curtain” to hungry sharks, provides an expressive medium for Ka
chemak Bay painter Diana Tillion. Mrs. Tillion. wife of Representative Clem V. Tillion-R. Halibut
’ h dfem0n8t!ftl0" °f her unusual art durin* the Annual Alaskan Arts and Crafts, Inc.,
show held an Juneau March 15-17. Her drawings of Homer and vicinity are well-known throughout the
S ate and warrant additional attention since she uses the preserved ink of small oetopi near her home
TJhTL « ^ °a P** In,et- She is Sh°wn here with a Pair|t‘iug (not of ocotpus ink) of
Rachemak Bay which she is doing for display at the Alaska Travel Division office.
Peninsula Artist Uses Octopus Ink
As Unusual Medium for Paintings
The Japanese eat them; the
young children in an underwater
adventure movie cringe with hor
ror when they see them; and
people generally associate them
with some had dream; but Mrs.
Diana Tillion of Halibut Cove,
hunts them. She tramps the
beaches of Kaehomak Bay in
search of octopus, all she can
find.
And when he uncovers one of
the infamous characters—and it
has to be at a minus tide—the
pert fisherman's wife grasps the
squirmy squid by a cape on the
head and takes it home to slaugh
ter and harvest the rare ink,
emitted by the angry squid as a
protective camouflage, but used
by Mrs. TilliOn for drawing scenes
of the Kaehemak Bay.
Mrs. Tillion, who resides in
Therapist Plans
Visit to Soldotna
Miss Margaret Hamilton,
speech therapist for the Alaska
Crippled Children’s Assoc., will
be in the Soldotna area on March
20. Parents whose children have
a speech or hearing problem may
bring them to see her at that
time. The clinic will be held in
Christ Lutheran Church, begin
ning at 9:30 a.m. and continuing
until 4:30 p.m.
Further information concerning
the speech-hearing program or
Miss Hamilton’s visit may be ob
tained by writing Mrs. Harry
Casson, Box 23, Soldotna.
I—
Juneau while her husband—Clem
Tillion—is in legislative session
as a representative from District
10, was one of the many art
ists who gave a technique
demonstration during the 19th
Annual Alaskan Arts and Crafts,
Inc., show held in the Cap
ital City March 15-17.
But what seems to be more ex
citing than the current legisla
tive session, Mrs. Tillion uses this
unusual medium—octopus ink—
for her unusual painting medi
um. And the results are apparent
ly successful since she is unable
to supply the paintings to meet
the demand.
Mrs. Tillion said that to gather
octopi ink for your home inkwell
you need hip boots, oil skin pants
and a tide that registers minus.
And a minus tide, she said, “is as
exciting as a curtain drawn back
on a world that has been covered
—and deep—it’s inviting.”
Of course, she added, her hus
band and other fishermen usual
ly do the octopus harvesting-,
while she is busy in her home stu
dio executing sketohes of the
area that literally reek of the bay.
“We could eat the squid,” she
said, “but I can’t cook it.” The
slimy appearance is quite repul
sive—although the ink is a “de
licious” brown”—and the eight
armed denizen of the deep is not
particularly appetizing to cook,
she added with a grimace.
Mrs. Tillion has been painting
with octopus ir.k for nearly five
years, and is a surprise addition
to the demonstrators for the Arts
and Crafts show-.
LEADERS MEETING SET
A Girl Scout leaders’ meeting
for the Kenai, Wildwood and Sol
dotna areas has been announced
for 1:,‘50 p.m. Monday, March 25,
in the home of Mrs. Tom Hurd,
Soldotna. Anyone interested in
Girl Scout work is invited to meet
with the leaders at this time.
i
Classifieds are news.
Ninilchik Fair
Plans Underway
The theme 'fur the 196-3 Ninil
chik Fair will be chosen and oth
er details concerning the Fair
will be discussed at a member
ship meeting called for 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, March 27, at the Ni
nilchik School.
Tentative plans for the Fair
were presented at the Keh. 27
board meeting. The 1963 Fair is
scheduled for Sept. 7-8.
All individuals and organiza
tions are invited to exhibit their
talents, hobbies, bake goods (with
separate divisions for men and
women), livestock, crafts, needle
work and organizational pro
jects.
Persons wishing to participate
or to become a member of the
Ninilchik Fair Association are
asked to contact Mary Hawkins,
president, P. O. Box 206, Ninil
chik, and are urged to attend the
coming membership meeting.
Officers Named
Officers of the congregation of
Christ Lutheran Church in Sol
dotna were elected recently. They
are:
Charles Hines, Soldotna, presi
dent; Harris Jackson of Kenai,
vice president; Marvel Hanson of
Sterling, treasurer, and Robert
Holt, Kenai, secretary. Dr. Paul
Isaak, Soldotna, was elected di
rector of stewardship.
Read the News classifieds for
nrofit—use them for results.
CORDOVA AIRLINES
Announces
New Summer Schedule
3 FLIGHTS DAILY
(EXCEPT SUNDAY)
Effective February 25, 1963
Arrive Soldo*na FROM
Anchorage
8:40 a.m.
9:30 a.m.
5:00 p.m.
Leave Soldotna FOR
Anchorage
9:55 a.m.
11:30 a.m.
5:15 p.m.
FOR INFORMATION AND RESERVATIONS
IN ALASKA, TO SOUTH 48 OR OVERSEAS
Call 262-4433 or 262-4537
CLIP and Save
SPRING SHIPMENT-ARRIVING NEXT WEEK
BEFORE YOU BUY-SEE SOLDOTNA SUPPLY
Confer with REA
Larry c. Farnen and A. R.
Cronin, both of Homer, and Rich
ard T. Ha!!, Soldotna, were visi
tors in Washington, D. C. last
week for meetings with Rural
Electrification Administration of
ficials.
Farnen is manager of Homer
Electric Assoc., Inc. Hall, manag
er of the Soldotna branch of the
National Bank of Alaska, is vice
president of the HE A boarcf of
directors, t ronin also is a mem
ber of the HEA board.
Model WD-63,
4 colors or white
• New 12-!b. capacity!
• Cleans clothes inside
and out!
• Rinses extra-clean and
bright!
• Suds saver Model WDR-63
saves gallons of water!
easy
terms
THE STURDY
FRIG I DAI Ft E
WASHER
I • •
Also in Stock
Ready to Deliver
A FRIGIDAIRE 1963
GAS FIREI)
DRYER |
THAT MATCHES THE
ABOVE WASHER
OPERATES ON NATI RAT.
OR BOTTLED G VS
Buy the
Matchi •« I
At a
Special I ice
DAN HAMLER'S
Peninsula
Refrigeration
Co.
KENAI — SOLDOTNA
PHONE 262-1171