There is something special about art made in Skagway.

It's so unique that a designation of "Made in Skagway" has been bestowed on the items produced by 10 or more creators living in "The Gateway to the Klondike," the nickname for the city of about 1,100 residents in Southeast Alaska.

And it's just one of the many reasons to visit the gorgeous burg.

"It's a small community with a lot of great creators," said Jonathan Hillis, executive director of the program. "We want to highlight the local creators and artists here. They create everything from tremendous gold jewelry, pottery, photography, mixed media, and all sorts of art. This is becoming the hub of art in Southeast Alaska."

Hillis, who moved to Skagway from Phoenix, a place where it's not the humidity, it's the heat, to the decidedly chillier environs of Alaska.

But he has never looked back. 

"I've lived all over the country, but I've never lived in a place like this," said Hillis, who has lived all around the Lower 48. "It's the kind of place you can love even when at winter solstice there are five hours of sunlight. Skagway is especially beautiful, sitting between the mountains, with a river running through it and access to the ocean. Plus, I don't have to drive 100 miles to get somewhere. It's just the beauty of the place."

Indeed, Skagway may only be 22 blocks long, but the city is packed with great art from creators who live there year-round.

That is why the "Made in Skagway" label is crucial to the small town's artists. It is a distinction that shows the unique talents of its creative community.

"Made in Skagway is an effort to highlight the local creators and artists that make Skagway an art hub," Hillis said. "We want to show that, 'this is what you'll find when you come to Skagway.' It's really taken off in the last five years. Maybe it's a reaction to the cut-and-paste jewelry you find in big cities. 

Indeed, the  "Made in Skagway" website displays some of the unique and spectacular items that might not be found in much larger venues than Skagway.

"We have tremendous gold pieces, mixed media, photography that captures the beauty of the place. We also have stained glass that is very unique," Hillis said.

When you come to Skagway, you're bound to find something you'll take home and admire for years after. The city is so proud of its creators that the  Skagway Development Corporation carries a limited supply of various marketing materials to help distinguish local businesses and items.

Space does not allow us to write about every creator, but let's take Debbie Ackerman, who specializes in stained glass. Ackerman began creating her stained-glass masterpieces after attending classes for beginners in 1987. She became an instructor in the early '90's.

Ackerman's studio, Translucent Treasures, creates colorful yet dignified autonomous panels, lampshades, sun-catchers, and unique commissioned work. Her works grace homes as far from Skagway as sunny Florida, not to mention her neighbor's sunroom. She sells her masterpieces at the local shop,  Taiya River Arts .

Ackerman reminds us that "all that glitters is not gold.; sometimes it's glass."

Speaking of gold, the program also features pieces made by Murat Ozuzun, an Armenian who grew up in Turkey and learned to make his rings and necklaces by hand. He created one-of-a-kind pieces that will become treasured keepsakes. He and his wife, Jenn, showcase these pieces at Skagway's  The Local Jeweler  

The program features a wide variety of items, from bath and body products to ceramics and pottery to fibers and textiles and sculptures and carvings, to name just a few. Even the  Skagway Brewing Company  , a must-stop for visitors, is a member, showing the program's level of community support.

There are over 100 artists in Skagway, and many of them are beginning to see the advantages of being part of the program. Artists pay a one-time fee of $25 and $10 a year to be part of "Made in Skagway."

"I would say every one of our artists and creators in our program are unique," Hillis said. "They all make something that you wouldn't find elsewhere. We want to encourage people to support their local creators. There are plenty of diamond shops in the world, but the 'Made in Skagway' art means a lot more than something you can purchase on Amazon or anywhere else."