Fishe artist feature
Gigi Droop: Alaska Color, Halibut, and a Young Artist’s Next Cast
Anchorage artist Gigi Droop brought an unmistakably Alaskan point of view to Fishe with a digital halibut illustration shaped by deep winter blues, rich purples, and the wildlife of her home state.
Originally published in April 2022, this profile captures Gigi at a defining moment: finishing high school, preparing for art school, and seeing her artwork become part of a Fishe featured-artist release.
Her limited-edition halibut sticker is now archived, but the original artwork and the story behind it remain a vivid celebration of emerging Alaska talent.
Gigi Droop’s featured artist story began with a colorful digital halibut design created in Anchorage, Alaska.
The 2022 collaboration
A Halibut Design Arrives at the Right Time
If you’ve been keeping up with Fishe Wear, you may have noticed we have a new artist in our midst! We recently launched our Featured Artist Halibut Sticker. The design on this sticker was the brainchild of Gigi Droop, an up and coming artist based here in Anchorage, Alaska. Gigi could not have had more perfect timing for her Halibut masterpiece… It just so happened that when Gigi came to us with her sticker design we were just about to release our latest line of Halibut products which launched in the beginning of April. While Gigi's design offers a different color way than our Haliborealis print, we think that both prints do an incredible job of celebrating this iconic Alaskan fish.
From the archive
Gigi’s Featured Artist Halibut Sticker
The sticker shown here was the original product created from Gigi’s illustration. It is preserved in Shopify as an archived product and is no longer presented as currently available.
Readers who love bold halibut-inspired color can explore the active HaliBorealis collection, where Fishe continues celebrating this iconic Alaska fish across apparel and gear.
Explore HaliBorealisCreative roots
How Alaska Shaped Gigi’s Art
Gigi Droop, a high school senior in Anchorage, Alaska, has been interested in art from a young age. She started out with acrylic paint, then quickly expanded into alternative mediums including watercolor, oil pastel, colored pencil, mixed medium, and of course; digital, like the sticker she designed for Fishe Wear. She is grateful for the artistic advice and inspiration from her mentors Megan Henry and Rachel Wall, two Alaskan based artists. The beauty of her home state is also a big inspiration for Gigi. Drawing on the hues of the dark yet divine winter months in Alaska, her art often features deep blues and purples. Gigi also praises the immense beauty and diversity of plants and animals in her home state and often incorporates iconic Alaskan species into her work.
A growing practice
From Traditional Media to Digital Illustration
Paint and color
Gigi began with acrylic paint before expanding into watercolor and oil pastel, building a practice grounded in expressive color.
Drawing and mixed media
Colored pencil and mixed media gave her additional ways to translate Alaska plants, animals, and seasonal atmosphere into art.
Digital design
Her digital work made the featured halibut sticker possible, carrying the energy of a handmade illustration into a finished Fishe collaboration.
The next cast
Art School and the Adventure Ahead
As for what’s next, the world is Gigi’s oyster (or can we say… halibut?). She was accepted into the prestigious Chicago Institute of Arts which is the second ranked art school in the country. After getting a bachelor’s degree in fine arts, Gigi intends to seek out some sort of career where she can utilize her artistic talents. Gigi’s friends at Fishe Wear wish her the best of luck on whatever adventure she embarks on upon graduation and ask that she brings the wild spirit of Alaska wherever she goes!
This paragraph is preserved from the original 2022 feature and reflects Gigi’s plans at the time it was published.
Why this story belongs at Fishe
Alaska Artists Help Give Fishe Its Wild Point of View
Fishe began in Alaska and continues to draw creative energy from fish, water, weather, and the women who build their lives around the outdoors. Artist collaborations add another layer to that story by translating a personal connection to place into something the wider Fishe community can wear, carry, or share.
Gigi’s feature matters because it captures more than a finished sticker. It shows an emerging artist testing new media, finding inspiration close to home, and bringing an iconic Alaska species into her own visual language.
Keep the halibut energy going
Explore the Current HaliBorealis Collection
Gigi’s sticker and Fishe’s HaliBorealis print are different designs, but both celebrate halibut through saturated blues, greens, and purples. These current products offer a live way to continue the story.
More artist stories
Meet More Artists Behind Fishe
Conclusion
A Small Sticker With a Big Alaska Story
Gigi Droop’s featured halibut design arrived during a season when Fishe was already celebrating one of Alaska’s most recognizable fish. Her interpretation brought its own palette, personality, and sense of place.
Years later, the collaboration still offers a meaningful snapshot of an Anchorage artist finding her voice and carrying the wild spirit of Alaska toward her next adventure.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Gigi Droop?
Gigi Droop is an Anchorage, Alaska artist featured by Fishe in 2022 after creating a colorful digital halibut illustration for a limited-edition sticker.
What did Gigi design for Fishe?
Gigi designed the artwork used on Fishe’s Featured Artist Halibut Sticker, an archived product from the original 2022 collaboration.
Is Gigi’s halibut sticker still available?
The original Featured Artist Halibut Sticker is archived. The active HaliBorealis collection offers other halibut-inspired Fishe products.
Is Gigi’s sticker design the same as HaliBorealis?
No. Gigi’s artwork is a separate design with a different colorway from Fishe’s HaliBorealis print.
What inspired Gigi’s artwork?
Her Alaska home, winter colors, plants, animals, and the diversity of local wildlife all influenced her creative work.
What art media did Gigi use?
The original profile lists acrylic paint, watercolor, oil pastel, colored pencil, mixed media, and digital illustration.
Where can I shop the HaliBorealis collection?
Browse current apparel, accessories, and gear on the HaliBorealis collection page.
Color inspired by Alaska waters
Carry the HaliBorealis Story Into Your Next Adventure
Explore current apparel and gear built around Fishe’s vivid halibut-inspired print.
Shop the HaliBorealis Collection