ABOUT ANYA
Anya Wien Toelle was born, raised, and is based in Fairbanks. She started her journey with painting in high school art classes. She attended two years at the University of Alaska Fairbanks where she took a few painting classes. Anya transferred to University of Alaska Anchorage and studied painting + history. She graduated in 2019 with a Bachelor of Arts in Painting and a minor in History.
Anya comes from a family of bush pilots.One of her favorite places to visit, and main inspiration for paintings, is her grandparent’s cabin in the Brooks Range which can only be accessed by boat, snow machine, or plane. This special place has had a major influence on her perception of what it means to live in Alaska and the importance of preserving the land. She often finds herself getting lost in paintings and loves to focus in on the rocks and tiny trees, to the complex shapes and shadows created on a bluebird day in the Arctic.
Anya’s dad and step mom, Doug and Jane, own Running Reindeer Ranch. This has inspired many paintings of reindeer and other wildlife that can be found in Alaska.
Anya is the 2023 Fairbanks Chamber of Commerce Artist of the Year, 2024 Hoodoo Maibock artist, and owns Lichen which is located in Downtown Fairbanks.
(Photo by Mary Webb.)
PAST EVENTS + AWARDS
HOODOO MAIBOCK ARTIST OF 2024
art can be viewed at Hoodoo Brewing Co. in Fairbanks, Alaska
FAIRBANKS ALASKA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 2023 ARTIST OF THE YEAR
ROAMING ROOT MARCH FIRST FRIDAY
March 2023
LAT65 JANUARY FIRST FRIDAY
January 2023
NORTHERN ALASKA ENVIRONMENTAL CENTER’S FEATURED ARTIST OF 2022
NIGHT FOR THE NORTH
November 2022
THE BEAR GALLERY GIFT SHOP ARTIST OF THE MONTH
October 2022
TANANA VALLEY FARMERS MARKET
May 2022 - September 2022
FAIRBANKS ARTS FIRST FRIDAY FESTS
July + September 2022
Pioneer Park
MIDSUMMER MAKERS MARKET
July 2022
Arctic Harvest Distillery
JUST THE TIPS FIRST FRIDAY
March 2022
‘COMMUNITY’
Trax Outdoor Center
December 2021
(group exhibition)
‘NORDIC’
Trax Outdoor Center
December 2019
(group exhibition)
‘ADAPT:____’
University of Alaska Anchorage
April 2019
(group exhibition)
‘THOUGHTS ON NATURE’
Trax Outdoor Center
February 2019
(group exhibition)
UAA PAINTING AND SCULPTURE SHOW
International Gallery of Contemporary Art
March 2018
(group exhibition)