Works by Bolles alumnus Dave Wetzel ’84 were featured in a show at the Juneau Arts and Humanities Council during the entire month of February this year. The show contained 25 original oil paintings, most of them depicting Alaska, where Wetzel resides.

Wetzel, who mainly paints landscapes in impressionist and tonalist styles, said he started painting at a very young age thanks to the influence of his father, Fred Wetzel, who was a professional wildlife artist and biology teacher at Bolles from 1970-1983. Former Bolles art teacher Jim Smith is also one of Wetzel’s prime mentors and inspirations, and the two remain in close contact.

“I painted through high school and college but largely dropped it for many years before doing some painting again with my father in 2019,” Wetzel said. He added that he was able to devote a large amount of time to painting during the COVID-19 pandemic.  

Outside of his creative endeavors, Wetzel is the CTO of Admiralty Environmental, a company specializing in water quality consulting and laboratory analysis, with a special emphasis on cruise ship environmental compliance.

He plans to work with a local gallery in Juneau to have his art represented. To learn more about Wetzel and his paintings, visit DaveWetzel.com. #BulldogProud