Jon Van Zyle

Name: Jon Van Zyle
Age: 76
Residence: Eagle River, Alaska
Occupation: Artist
Years lived in Alaska: Almost 50
Current Location: Eagle River, Alaska
Date of Photo: April 23, 2019
Temperature: 65F / Indoors
Current Weather: Sunny

Image Description: At his home/studio in Eagle River, Alaska.

What first brought you to live in Alaska:

1. How has Alaska captured your heart or turned you off?

PROBABLY ALL OF ALASKA. EVERY BIT OF IT IS SO DIFFERENT FROM THE LAST PLACE YOU WERE IN IN ALASKA. UH, OUR CLIMATE IS SO DIVERSE. OUR COUNTRY IS SO DIVERSE. THE TUNDRA, THE MOUNTAINS, THE TREES – EVERYTHING IS SO DIVERSE THAT IT ISN’T JUST COVERED IN, YOU KNOW, ONE PHOTOGRAPH OR ONE PAINTING OR ONE ANYTHING. YOU CAN ALWAYS TELL WHERE YOU ARE. LET’S SAY THERE’S A PHOTOGRAPH OF AN AREA. YOU CAN ALWAYS TELL WHERE THAT PHOTOGRAPH WAS TAKEN OR DARN NEAR WHERE THAT PHOTO WAS TAKEN SIMPLY BY THE TERRAIN.

2. Describe just one of your most favorite “Best Day” or “Most memorable experiences” in Alaska.

SO MANY. I REALLY DON’T — I CAN’T THINK OF A FAVORITE ONE. THEY ALL KIND OF MELD TOGETHER. I THINK THE FAVORITE ONE IS JUST SIMPLY LIVING HERE AND DOING WHAT WE DO HERE ON A DAILY BASIS, OR TRIPS THAT WE’VE TAKEN, OR DOG TEAMS THAT WE’VE HAD, OR FISHING OR HUNTING, OR ANY OF THE THINGS THAT WE’VE DONE FOR THE LAST, YOU KNOW, NEARLY 50 YEARS. THOSE ARE MY FAVORITE THINGS.

3. What in Life do you know for sure?

I THINK WHAT I KNOW FOR SURE IS THAT I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS PLACE. LIKE I HAD SAID EARLIER, IT’S SO DIVERSE AND SO, SO DIFFERENT FROM ACTUALLY ANY PLACE IN AMERICA OR ANY PLACE IN THE WORLD, BUT CERTAINLY ANY PLACE IN ALASKA IS VERY, VERY, VERY DIVERSE AS FAR AS TERRAIN, PEOPLE, CUSTOMS, YOU NAME IT. IT’S – YOU TURN THE CORNER AND YOU ARE SOMEPLACE ELSE, PHYSICALLY, MAYBE EVEN MENTALLY.