Juneau painter explores local color and reflection

Published 12:30 pm Monday, November 10, 2025

To see Juneau in full color, you need not wait six months until the cloud cover lifts. “Landscapes of Southeast Alaska,” an exhibit by Johanna Griggs and presented by the Juneau Arts and Humanities Council, is at once vibrant and subtle. The show opened at the Juneau Arts and Culture Center on First Friday.

“I tried to remind people of the good weather here, especially in November,” Griggs said.

Born and raised in Juneau, Griggs has experienced all of the region’s colors and seasons. She has been practicing art in some form for most of her life, and is in her sixth year of painting. This is her largest exhibit to date, including six original pieces on the theme.

In preparing for the show, Griggs said she found herself drawn to the challenge of painting light — how it bends and changes depending on what it touches. Just about every piece shows a reflection, whether it is sunlight off a snowfield or moonlight off a stream.

“There’s so many little transitional colors and things that can get lost,” Griggs said. “But I feel like that really clicked for this show.”

Neon colors pop up throughout her work. There are bits of vibrant orange tossed up from ocean ripples in “The Ocean Mirror.” “Tide Pools” displays a whole sky of neon, taking a colorfully surprising twist on a beach scene.

“I just want people to feel how I feel in person, which is awe, I guess,” Griggs said. “Juneau is such a beautiful place, and I want to illustrate that on canvas.”

“Landscapes of Southeast Alaska” will be on display at the JACC through the end of the month, and Griggs and her work will be at Public Market over Thanksgiving weekend.