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INUPIAQ ART
Many Native Village
of Kotzebue members are artists
practicing skills that have been
handed down through the generations
from Qiqiqtagruq's Tribe, the Malemute,
and developing new techniques to
expand on traditional Inupiaq methods
of working with locally obtained
materials, such as ivory, baleen,
furs, caribou antlers, sheep horns,
other animal by-products, willow,
and birch. In some pieces contemporary
materials are used as well. A variety
of items are fashioned out of these
materials, they range from masks
and baskets to carvings and dolls.
Some of our members
have become well known in the art
community with their pieces being
sought out by museums, collectors,
galleries and other institutions/organizations.
Others are content dealing with
local customers and through local
outlets. The Tribe is providing
members that are interested with
an opportunity to reach out to
potential customers through our
website. Below you will find a
short description of the artists
and the kind of items they create
along with contact information,
if you are interested in obtaining
some of their work, or if you would
like to find out more about their
art, please feel free to contact
the artists directly.
ARTIST KATHY WARD |
To
Contact the Artist:
Kathy Ward
P.O.Box 1015
Kotzebue, Alaska 99752
(907) 442-2430
E-Mail: eward@otz.net
(Click to enlarge photos)) |
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I was born in Nome and grew
up in the Arctic in the
Villages of Nome, Barrow,
Atqasuk, Point Hope, a
nd
Kotzebue. My father is
Inupiaq and my mother
is English, Irish, Blackfoot
and French Canadian.
Coming from such a rich cultural
background I was inspired
by the cultural arts
I saw practiced as I grew
up. The dolls of Ethel
Washington have especially
been an inspiration to
me in my work. The
natural world inspires
my work. I was sitting
on the beach when I began
to carving my first doll
head. I continue to walk
the beach and gather objects
to use in my work. A small
bone or piece of driftwood
triggers my imagination
to use this artifact to
create a scene with my
dolls that depicts life
in simpler and harder times.
When
I make and sell my dolls
I hope that I am a model
for other young people
in my culture. I want
them to know that they
can do traditional crafts
and it will help them
to define their cultural
identity.
- Winner
of Miss Arctic Circle
- First
Runner Up Miss World
Eskimo Olympics
- All
Alaska Art Contest
- Printmaking
- Cover
Art for "We Speak
Eskimo" Book
- Doll
in Personal Collection
of the Governor of
Alaska
- Doll
Displayed in the
White House
- Doll
and Mask on Exhibit
at the Alaska Native
Heritage Center
- Resident
Artist at the Alaska
Native Heritage Center
- Supervisor
at the NANA Museum
of the Arctic - Kotzebue
- Supervisor
of the Culture Camp
- Kotzebue
- Supervisor
of the Fish Camp
- Sadie Creek
- First
Place - Washington
Talent Show- Vocals
- Performed
at a Variety of Gatherings
- Vocals
NATIVE
ARTS AND CRAFTS:
- Eskimo
Dolls
- Caribou
Skin Masks
- Eskimo
Yo-Yo's
- Fur
Parkas, Mukluks, Trim,
Ruffs
-
All
Variety of Skin Sewing
WORKSHOPS:
- Instruction
in a Variety of Native
Crafts and Skin Sewing
- Marketing
Native Arts and Crafts
PERFORMING:
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Roderick
Henry
P.O. Box 1228
Kotzebue, AK 99752
(907) 442-3421 |
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Roderick
made this cribbage board from
a walrus tusk. The Narwhal, Killer
Whale, and Bowhead Whale are
inlaid baleen.
If you are interested
in this piece, please contact
Rodrick.
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Inupiaq
Eskimo artist Aakatchaq (Ak-ah-chak)
is Kikiktagrukmiut, born
and raised above the Arctic
Circle in Kotzebue, Alaska.
Aakatchaq began creating
art professionally in 1999,
and continues to experiment
with new materials such as
moving from canvas portraits
to those on stretched caribou
and deerskins, or creating
visual effects with caribou
hair in paintings. More recently
she began working with aluminum
and wood whose sensual creations
swim down the walls of the
newly remodeled high school
in the Northwest Arctic Borough
in Northwest Alaska. Her
art began with acrylic paintings
and has evolved from canvas
to caribou & sealskin,
to aluminum and wood pieces.
Most recently she began carving
walrus ivory tusks with exotic
hardwood.
Below is
a small sampling of her
extraordinary work.
All art
inquiries can be directed
to: aakatchaq@gmail.com To
view more of this talented
artists work you can visit http://eskimoart.blogspot.com |
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Kiana
School Percent for Art Commission
This 9' x 12' acrylic painting
was done in nine panels,
a colorful view of the unbridled
beauty of the Kiana landscape
entitled: Kaatyakmiut Qinigaat
: The people of Kiana are
looking, it is visible to
them and they can see it. |
Ahna & Child
Acrylic pastel on paper |
Tutu Woman
III
Caribou skin mask w/ brass tacks,
color achieved by soaking in tea
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Tutu
Rebirth 4
Caribou skin mask w/ musk ox hair,
tuft of caribou hair & wolverine hair
composition
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Inupiat
artist Roswell L. "Ross" Schaeffer
Sr., also known as Qalayauq,
was born and raised in the
Inupiat community of Kotzebue,
Alaska, located 39 miles
north of the Arctic Circle.
As an Inupiaq hunter, Qalayauq is able to capture
the true meaning of the hunting culture using
his own observations and ancient teachings
handed down by generations. Even today, some
of the spiritual aspects of the hunting culture
are beleived and followed. The expression
of this reverence for the animals and culture
are apparent in his work, which are unique
in materials and execution.
All art
inquiries for available
pieces should be directed
to Vica Owens, Northwest
Arctic Borough at: (907)
442-2500 or vowens@nwabor.org Questions
about commissions or to
contact the artist, email: qalayauq@gmail.com To
view more of this talented
artists work you can visit http://qalayauq.blogspot.com
Below is
just a small sampling of
this artists amazing work.
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Mammoth Tooth
Musk Ox
Mammoth tooth sculpture w/ sheep horn
used for horns, dust & epoxy used for
eyes & mouth. Ivory legs, mounted on
Mammoth bone.
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Tulugaq Man
Red
Cedar carving w/ bleached skin headband & baleen
raven & brass tack headdress. Natural
knot hole for mouth & ivory labrets.
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The Hunter
This large scale piece was made w/ 3" thick
laminated yellow cedar from southeast
Alaska. Waterbased stains were used to
achieve coloring as well as tongue oil
and saudering on the seal and his seal
skin pants.
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More
coming soon!
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