In 1942, William Draper was sent to the Aleutians as part of the Naval Art Program.  His job was to capture events of WWII  on canvas using oil paints.  There were only four other artists in the entire Naval Art program.  While he was painting outside in Dutch Harbor, the williwaws (Aleut word for the strong winds that blow through the Aleutians), started blowing and swept his canvas away.  When Mr. Draper retrieved the painting, it was covered with snow and sand. William felt this captured the essence of the Aleutian winds and he left some of these natural elements on the canvas.  With his mission completed in the late fall of 1943, Mr. Draper continued to appreciate the unique beauty of the Aleutian Islands.  One thing that amazed him about Dutch Harbor was when he saw violets blooming in the November snow.