ArcticRefuge.art is saddened to learn of the passing of Averill “Ave” Thayer in Fairbanks, Alaska on 26 May 2023.

In 1969, Ave became the first manager of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Since then, and even in retirement, he was a dedicated and formidable supporter of the Refuge.

This website, in fact, was Ave’s brainchild.

In late 2000, Ave saw a television news item about fundamentalist Christians who, somewhat surprisingly, were lobbying for protection of the environment; their position, apparently, was that God’s earth was not to be despoiled by the greed of humans. This inspired Ave to wonder what other groups might have reason to vocally support environmental protection, and he lit on the idea of artists.

Ave got in touch with his daughter’s friend Dixon Jones, who had connections in the Fairbanks arts community. Ave and Dixon came up with the idea of a website to display the work of those artists who had traveled to and worked in the Refuge. This site, launched in 2001 as Artists of the Arctic Refuge, is the result.

We’re grateful for Ave’s tireless work for and dedication to the Arctic Refuge.

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A full obituary can be seen at legacy.com.

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Updated 24 May 2025