For three decades, Jean Aspen and Tom Irons made a home in Alaska's remote Brooks Range. Choosing to live lightly with the land, they built a log cabin (which they called Kernwood), and explored the mountains on foot. Gradually, they began sharing our solitary lives through books and documentaries. It took 20 years to produce their first documentary, Arctic Son: Fulfilling the Dream, the story of gaining a foothold in the wilderness with their young son, Lucas, and friend, Laurie. In Arctic Daughter: A Lifetime of Wilderness Jeanie shares her life, beginning with her childhood in the Arctic wilds. Both movies have shown nationally on PBS-TV. When Lucas died unexpectedly in 2012, they needed to reconsider the fate of Kernwood. In 2015, they made the difficult decision to honor the land by erasing their footprints and returning it to intact wilderness. It took three years to dismantle all that they'd built and carefully replant the site. ReWilding Kernwood is their layered conversation on release, completion, and finding purpose in the shifting mystery of life. It is Tom & Jeanie's hope that it inspire others to live their authentic dreams and honor our living Earth.
