DAVE WEBSTER

David started on his musical journey in the 4^th grade in a small 4 room school house that happened to own a saxophone. Taking lessons from an Austrian immigrant who played in dance bands in the tourist town of North Conway, New Hampshire he gained some facility on the instrument that would become his primary musical outlet a couple of decades later.  When he was in his early 20s, he found himself in a small town in Wyoming where he began his career as a bar musician singing Merle Haggard songs in the Cowboy Bar. It’s hard to describe the life of a bar musician as “art,” but it’s a way to make a few bucks playing some dance music for a bunch of drunks trying to get lucky on a Saturday night. After moving to Alaska, David continued making noise in a series of bars with a series of fine Homer musicians.

Dave writes, “One of the requirements for an award of this sort is to stay alive for multiple decades, so if you are, like me, approaching four score years, here are some folks you may remember. These fine folk who let me stand on a stage with them in front of Homeroids like you.  Bill Robertson, Sherwood Phillips, Slim Reuter, Saul Rayo, Dave Schneider, Johnny B., Hal  Spence, Jim Buncak, Craig Stempniak, Mike Patch, Howard Hedges, John Luzadder, Frank DeLapp, Jennifer King, and many more.   Most of them were at least as talented as I and most of them were even better musicians. If I possessed anything they lacked, it was my ability to humiliate myself in front of a crowd without embarrassment.”

Dave’s wife Annie Whitney introduced him to the theater. When Pier One opened its summer season at the warehouse on the spit, Annie and Susannah were cast in the first show, a melodrama called “The Drunkard.” Eventually Lance Peterson asked him to direct a few shows. After directing a few of the “jukebox musicals,” or Cabarets, Dave pointed out that they were not technically paying for the music rights, so offered to write an original score for the following year’s show. “On the Road” followed by 3 more original musicals. The most recent was “Pier 1.0: Staging Reality” an homage to community theater that closed Pier One’s 50^th Anniversary season.

Dave also writes, “Somewhere along the way, while I was employed at KBBI, I was convinced to serve on the Board of Directors here at the Homer Council on the Arts. I was working in public radio, so I must know something about art, Right? But I don’t consider myself an artist. At best, I’m a journeyman entertainer. But I’ve lived much of my life adjacent to art, which is good enough for me.”

Congratulations to Dave Webster

CARLA KLINKER

Carla Klinker has been a creative force in Homer for many years, but her creative output, pushing of boundaries, teaching, and recognition of those qualities have ramped up in recent years. Carla grew up in Homer, and earned a BFA in painting and fiber at Oregon College of Art and Craft.

Carla received a Rasmuson Individual Artist Award in December 2025 for Project Nettle: weaving connections with nettles for textiles.

She introduced the film, The Nettle Dress for the Pratt Museum at the Porcupine with an artist talk about her work with nettles.

Carla was also a featured artist on Nexus Moda’s instagram, a sustainable fashion convention based in LA.

She exhibited “The Secret Ingredient” at The Palace Gallery in Ellensburg, Washington in May 2026. It featured textile art and sculpture using reclaimed materials- for example- old paintings cut up and woven, a growth chart made from jeans (baby jeans up to an old pair of her own) and vintage net curtains overdyed and repaired with stitching, crochet and embroidery.

She was the collaborating artist with Slovenian artist Tina Konec during her two month residency in Homer at Bunnell. They are part of the European Union’s Transatlantic Rising Stars program, and flew to Washington DC for a week in early June. There, Carla and Tina met with five other visual artist duos from across the States and the EU and participated in a group exhibition at the EU’s State of the Arts night highlighting the collaborative artwork made during the residency experience.

Carla is running her second year of private painting and drawing lessons for young artists, and taught a two day nettle fiber workshop at the Pratt earlier this month, and will host a nettle workshop in Seldovia this fall.

She is currently working towards a September exhibition at Bunnell Street Arts Center, which will feature nettle textiles, fiber art and paintings. The work is centered around ideas of branches, networks, light and circles.

Carla is also the mother of a theatre kid and a textile artist. She writes, “I’m grateful to be a part of our vibrant and supportive arts community.”

OLIVIA PHILPOT

Olivia Philpot is the art and ceramics teacher at Homer High. Art became an integral part of her life while experiencing culture shock after relocating from Seldovia to the Midwest and working through mental health struggles. The impact art had on her life morphed into a love and respect for the discipline for a variety of personal, cultural, observed, and experiential reasons. Olivia believes that the cyclical process and resiliency that practicing art requires of people is foundational to fostering critical thinking and the mental fortitude to contribute in a globalized and complex world.

When Olivia was preparing to move back close to home after teaching elementary art in Iowa for two years she was astonished to find her ideal job posted online. After interviewing, receiving the job, and teaching for 4 years in Homer, she continues to be incredibly grateful for her students, studios, and time spent exploring the creative process with Homer’s teenagers. It is fulfilling, and a continual learning experience that is remarkably valuable. Consequently, the past two years’ art class reductions, budget cut proposals, and fear of losing the art department were particularly emotional. As much as Olivia prefers to stay focused on the process of making art, last year proved too difficult to stay solely in that lane.

Olivia began following the KPBSD board and budget meetings more closely. The community deserved to have easily accessible knowledge of what was being proposed for schools due to painful budget scenarios. Olivia publicly informed the community, attended and spoke at town halls with local representatives, talked with the borough mayor, provided information about the budget to students, and spoke at a school board budget meeting. Olivia is grateful to be planning to be able to return to Homer High this year with more art in her schedule than the past two years. She knows this work is continually needed. The state’s education funding is far from resolved which means advocating for art education will not be going away any time soon. She encourages others to reflect on the impact art making has on their life and consider how important it is that opportunities in art are given to growing minds.

JAMES & BRENDA DOLMA

James and Brenda Dolma have been volunteering for organizations around Homer for the past 35 and 45 years. They can often be seen selflessly giving their time to Homer Council on the Arts, Pier One Theater, SPAR, USFW Friends, Kachemak Bay Water Trail , Friends of Kachemak Bay State Parks, and many more. They are retired, with one thriving adult daughter who appreciates The Arts from being raised in Homer. When not volunteering Brenda and James can be seen tide-pooling, hiking, biking, cross country skiing, traveling and attending arts events.

James and Brenda send their gratitude for the honor of “volunteers of the year .”

They wrote, “although we will not be there in person we believe HCOA is a critical component of making Homer what it is …thank you Mary Epperson and all who followed.

ROBERT OSTMAN

Robert Ostman is an artist that is deeply passionate about the arts and specifically the medium of clay and ceramics. He has taught students of all ages for over 20 years. He joined HCOA as a teaching artist in 2023 and quickly became the face of HCOA’s ceramic programs. Mr. O is well loved by youth an adult student alike.

Through Transformation Ceramics, he creates a wide variety of clay objects both functional and sculptural that reflect his belief that ceramics enrich daily life and foster meaningful connections between people and the objects they use and interact with each day.

Robert’s talent as an educator are often on display at craft fairs where he often brings a throwing wheel to demonstrate and engage with visitors.

Robert will be leaving Alaska this Fall, and on behalf of HCOA and all of his students, we thank you for your time and skills spent with us.

MO WILKINSON

Mo Wilkinson recently retired from Fireweed Academy, and is currently traveling back from Denver, Colorado for a visit back to Homer.

Mo first came to Homer in 1991 and writes that she fell in love with the people, community and beauty of this place. Homer was a wonderful place to raise kids and great friendships were built here.  I’ve had the privilege of teaching many cool kids in this community and watched them grow and graduate.

While teaching, Mo write that she’s had the opportunity to work with some amazing artists and educators.

“I’ve learned ways of organizing art spaces and how to make art interesting and fun for even the most reluctant artists.  I’ve included art in some way or another every day while teaching. The kids all know me as the teacher who loves art.

(With 3 fireweed graduates I can attest to Mo’s integration of art as often as possible! -Scott)

Mo was fortunate to help with murals outside Little Fireweed and this year worked with an artist to make tiles for planter boxes the older kids built.  Mo planned an artist in the schools residency each year and always looked forward to learning new things herself.

Mo writes, “In the last few years, I’ve had knee issues that kept me at home a lot, so I started painting. After posting some fun pieces, I was asked to have a show at The Bagel shop this winter. Creating and painting with vibrant colors brings me joy and watching kids discover the artist in themselves is the perfect way to spend your day. “

ALEX BROCK

Alex Brock has been getting involved in many ways throughout the community for many years. You may recognize him from his (almost 10!) years in Nutcracker, or his starring roles including William Barfee from 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Big Jule from Guys & Dolls or Hamlet. Jennifer Norton notes that he has been in the high school musicals for the last three years, performed last summer in Thieves’ Carnival, and this year he has gone all in, performing in Spelling Bee and Our Town, and taking a role in the upcoming Young Frankenstein.

Alex also plays piano and percussion in the High School concert and jazz bands, placed 3rd in All-State for percussion last winter, and has been playing with the Inlet Winds Community Band. He is part of the Homer Concert Choir, and this past spring accompanied the choir on piano. Recently, he was seen playing side drum for The Homer United Methodist Church Civic Engagement Group in the 4th of July parade. Alex currently is planning on pursuing his acting career with a major in acting after his upcoming senior year.

SIERRA MULLIKIN

Sierra Mullikin is a recently graduate of Homer High School, deeply involved in visual and performing arts. Sierra won 1st for all-state in printmaking with this jackalope, which was made through mokulito and then touched up with watercolor.

Sierra also designed and painted senior ceiling tiles and was a recipient of a Ptarmigan Arts scholarship. Prominent member of choir and visual arts programs throughout high school. Choir performances include the musicals Singin’ in the Rain and Newsies. Her teacher Olivia Philpot recognizes her independent artistic exploration, evident in her highly process driven works, and also that she enhances her community and the success of arts in school. Sierra intends to pursue a visual arts degree.

Sierra wrote in her Artist’s statement:

I feel most creative and productive with my artwork when it is something I enjoy making or think will bring joy and/or inspiration to others. Anyone who I’ve shown more than a few pieces to knows that I especially love drawing dragons, and more recently, birds. Mythical creatures of any kind are some of my favorite things to draw, but dragons will always hold my greatest attention. I have primarily stuck to drawing, but I’d like that to change to include a wider array of mediums. Someday, I hope I can show my community how the continued support I’ve received throughout my life has allowed my abilities and confidence to flourish.

THE PORCUPINE

Since opening its doors on February 1, 2025, The Porcupine Theater has become a vibrant hub for arts, entertainment, and community. In the last year and a half, the theater has paid out just over $53,000 to performers and $23,000 to lighting and sound technicians, directly supporting artists and production professionals. Beyond the stage, beer and wine sales have generated over $79,000 for local nonprofit organizations. The venue has hosted an impressive 47 live music performances, 19 nonprofit events, 7 live comedy shows, 7 staged theatrical productions, and 5 lectures.  A strong and vibrant membership makes it all possible.

Thank you to the Porcupine Theater for supporting and fostering the arts in Homer.