KASEY KOSKI

CALUMET — Former Upper Peninsula resident Kasey Koski has been selected by various park associations to assist in the preservation of national parks in the area.

This summer, the Keweenaw National Historical Park, Keweenaw NHP Advisory Commission and the Isle Royale and Keweenaw Parks Association have selected Koski as their first artist to participate in the park’s new Commissioned Artist Program.

According to a statement from the National Park Service, artists help national parks with their root mission: conservation and enjoyment.

“Historic records and technical drawings help preserve the nuts and bolts of a national park, while the hand of an artist will preserve the park’s soul,” an NPS statement said. “The artist’s work draws the public closer to the park’s resources so that they enjoy it on a deeper level and help to preserve it.”

Art has been part of the history of the National Park System since the 1870s when Hudson River School painters captured Western landscapes.

This summer, Koski’s work will capture and honor the gone — but not forgotten — workers and families who once crowded the Copper Country.

When finished, Koski’s works will be featured at an installation near the Quincy Dry House Ruins along U.S. 41 in Hancock.

Koski is currently an educator and curator in Wenatchee, Washington. From 2015-23, she served as exhibit curator for the Wenatchee Valley Museum & Cultural Center, and is currently serving as the curator for the Chelan County Museum.

However, Koski studied art at Finlandia University in Hancock and the Kuopio Academy for Craft and Design in Finland. She is an interdisciplinary artist who works frequently with paint and fiber but has also worked with metal and wood.

Koski has engaged with art on a public level before in the state of Washington by collaborating with the City of Wenatchee, Mission Ridge Ski & Board Resort, and the Trust for Public Land on several large-scale art projects.

Her portfolio is accessible at kaseykoski.com/.

Throughout the summer, visitors will have the opportunity to interact with Koski and her work on social media and in person during special public programs and events.