shown on ceramic, 12-inch tileUnited States

the state-operated ferry route running from Bellingham, Washington, through the Inside Passage to the Aleutians

Alaska Marine Highway

Name: Alaska Marine Highway — on ceramic tile, by WenderVista
Brand: WenderVista

— — a state highway that happens to float.

— Where it lives

Not only on a wall.

A small tile on the nightstand catching the morning. A larger one above the fire. Yours, wherever you spend the slow hours.

— On the nightstand, a 6-inch on a walnut stand

— Among the books, a 6-inch leaning into the spines

— Down a quiet hall, an 18-inch floating off the wall

— Above the fire, the 24-inch in a walnut surround

— a note from the studio

“A working ferry system that doubles as one of the great slow journeys in North America. Mainline ships out of Bellingham thread the Inside Passage to Haines and Skagway. Smaller boats serve the Kodiak run, Prince William Sound, and the long Aleutian leg out to Unalaska. Designated an All-American Road in 2002, the only marine route to carry the title. from the studio

from the studio

— bring it home

Alaska Marine Highway, on ceramic.

Each tile is finished by hand in our Knoxville studio. Artwork is slowly infused into the ceramic surface under high heat and pressure, and rests beneath a thin glossy finish. The colour lives in the surface, not on top of it.

What kind of piece?

One tile — square or rectangle.

How big?

the popular one — counter, shelf, nightstand

6 × 6 in · 15 cm · 1.6 lb

Surface finish

A clear glossy finish — the artwork reads as if under resin. Ideal for show-pieces and framed wall art.

How it sits

A hidden cleat — sits ¼″ proud of the wall.

$58

Hand-finished and shipped from our studio at the foot of the Smokies. On your wall in about ten days.

— size

6 × 6 in

15 cm

— weighs

1.6 lb

solid in the hand

— surface

ceramic, hand-finished

art rests beneath a thin glossy finish

— from

Knoxville, TN

our family studio, at the foot of the Smokies

— start a Coaster Set

Pick any four 4-inch tiles — National Parks you've been to, a Smokies set, the four seasons of one place. $ for a set of , cork-backed, ready to live on the table.

— about Alaska Marine Highway

The place, in three passes.

A little of what's known, in case you fall down the rabbit hole — or want to go see it yourself.

— the place

The Alaska Marine Highway System is the state-operated ferry network serving communities along the Alaska coast and connecting them to Bellingham, Washington, and Prince Rupert, British Columbia. Operations began in 1963 under the Department of Transportation and Public Facilities. The system runs to roughly 35 ports across more than 3,500 miles of coastline, from the southern terminus at Bellingham through the Inside Passage and out along the Aleutian Chain to Unalaska. Headquarters are in Ketchikan.

— informed by Wikipedia, Alaska DOT&PF

— the water

The Inside Passage section threads a sheltered corridor between mainland British Columbia and Alaska and the outer islands of the Alexander Archipelago, including Prince of Wales, Baranof, and Chichagof. Humpback whales, orcas, Steller sea lions, and bald eagles are routine sightings from the open solarium decks. The mainline vessel M/V Columbia, built in 1974, runs the Bellingham leg; the smaller M/V Tustumena, in service since 1964, makes the heavy-weather Aleutian crossing twice a month in summer.

— informed by AMHS fleet

— the visit

The system was designated an All-American Road in 2002, the only marine route to carry the National Scenic Byways title. Bookings for cabins on the Bellingham-Haines run open the prior fall and fill quickly for the summer season. Walk-on foot-passenger fares run a fraction of cabin pricing, and many travellers sleep in the heated solarium under the stars. Vehicles, including campers, are carried on most routes, with advance reservation required for autumn through spring.

— informed by FHWA Byways

— where

United States · State of Alaska, Department of Transportation

— elevation

0 m · 0 ft

— position

58.3019° N · 134.4197° W

— the neighborhood

What's nearby.

A handful of named places within an hour's walk or short drive. Some we've already painted; some we will.

at the lake

Juneau

state capital port

380 km SE

Ketchikan

first-port-of-call

150 km W

Sitka

outer-coast port

110 km NW

Haines

northern terminus area

Alaska Marine Highway

Juneau

Ketchikan

Sitka

Haines

— common questions

What people ask.

A few questions we get about Alaska Marine Highway — and about bringing the piece home.

— about the place

It is the state-operated ferry system serving the Alaska coast, run by the Department of Transportation since 1963. It connects roughly 35 ports across more than 3,500 miles, from Bellingham, Washington, north through the Inside Passage and out the Aleutian Chain.

Routes serve Southeast Alaska through the Inside Passage, Prince William Sound, Kodiak Island, the Kenai Peninsula, and the Aleutian Chain west to Unalaska. The southern terminus is Bellingham, Washington, with a stop at Prince Rupert, British Columbia.

The full mainline run from Bellingham to Haines typically takes about three and a half days aboard the M/V Columbia, with calls at Ketchikan, Wrangell, Petersburg, Juneau, and Haines along the Inside Passage.

Yes. Most ferries carry vehicles, including cars, trucks, RVs, motorcycles, and bicycles. Vehicle reservations are required and fill early for summer sailings. Walk-on foot passengers do not need vehicle reservations.

Both. Mainline vessels carry private cabins of varying sizes and a heated solarium deck where foot passengers commonly sleep in tents or sleeping bags. Cabins on the Bellingham run book up months in advance for summer.

Humpback whales, orcas, Steller sea lions, harbour seals, Dall's porpoises, bald eagles, and seabirds are routine through the Inside Passage. Brown bears are sometimes visible along the shoreline near port calls in summer.

— about the piece in your home

It carries well. The Marine Highway is a part of life for Southeast Alaskans and a remembered trip for travellers who took the long way north. A Medium or Large with a studio note has been a meaningful gift.

The cool blues and forested-green palette read well in coastal-modern, Pacific Northwest, and lodge-style rooms. It also sits in nautical libraries with brass instruments, leather chairs, and walnut shelving.

Yes. The current coastal-modern direction favours deep working-coast blues over beach pastels, and this piece sits in that range. Pairs well with raw linen, weathered cedar, and oxidised brass.

Above a standard sofa, the Large at roughly 24 inches reads correctly across the room. For a wider wall, a 4-tile Mural carries the passage horizon. Above a console, the Medium holds the composition.

Yes, ordered in the Dura Satin or Matte finish. Both are scratch-resistant and tolerate humidity and steam. The Glossy finish is best kept to dry framed-wall installations away from splash zones.

A soft microfibre cloth with plain water handles routine dust. For anything stickier, a damp cloth with a drop of mild dish soap. Avoid abrasives, ammonia-based glass sprays, and bleach-based cleaners.

Yes. Every WenderVista tile is original to the studio, curated by Reid Wender, hand-finished in Knoxville. The piece is not licensed or sold through any other channel.

— if this one stayed with you

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