This engaging landscape embodies the spirit of Alaskan fall, and was one of the pieces featured in the recent MFA gallery exhibit.

The colors range from the warm foreground to the cold and looming Mt. Denali in the distance, and are applied to the canvas in a vaguely impressionistic manner. The greens, yellows, browns and blues appear blotchy when examined up close, but the painting comes together as the viewer's distance from the canvas increases.

From 15 feet away, the painting could be mistaken for a particularly lovely photograph, one attractive enough to adorn postcards and guidebooks.

The scene is the inimitable peak as viewed from the Wonder Lake Campground in September. The painter was lucky enough to get a lottery pass and got to drive the full length of the park road in the fall, after the busses stop and before the park fully closes for winter.

The artist, Philip Carrico, 59, originally from Green Bay, Wisconsin, is a full-time art teacher at Ryan Middle School.

After years of instructing he decided to pursue his long time goal of a master's degree in art.

"Everybody should give it their all if they're getting into [art]," Carrico said. "I put everything I can into it."

His goals are to get his degree, eventually retire, and then to go traveling around the country making a living off selling his pieces.

"Alaska Monument" was the product of sketches made and photographs taken September of '05.

"It's a truly beautiful place," Carrico said. "I was trying to capture the beauty of the landscape."

As teacher and student Carrico has had the unique experience of being able to instruct students in middle school, see their high school art work in student fairs, and then discover that they are still pursuing art when he has classes with them on campus.

This painting, and many others featured previously, is for sale. Carrico can be contacted through the art department. The price for the framed landscape is $800.