I was born and raised in Kotzebue, and currently live above the Arctic Circle in Northwest Alaska. I am self taught as an artist. I started painting in my last few years in college in my 20’s, and focused mainly on portraiture of Indigenous people. Painting was a way for me to heal from the loss of my most loved elders that passed.
I recently turned 50. In these last several years I’ve focused more on creating contemporary caribou skin masks than painting. I love the idea of combining aspects of the animal world within the human form.
I also love making earrings utilizing traditional materials such as seal skin, walrus stomach, seal gut, polar bear gut and fur, and de-haired caribou skin.
Through my art, I express my deep connection to my Native culture. Each piece carries a part of me, and it is through my love for Native people and my culture that I share the beauty within.
Although I began as a portrait painter, my focus is mainly on sculptural Caribou skin masks. These are uniquely of my own design, and unreplicated by any other artist. Many utilize the hair of various animals such as: musk ox, wolf, fox, lynx and polar bear. I’ve recently incorporated, handmade animal ears to complement the diversity of the masks. In addition to the skin masks, I also make earrings using a variety of traditional materials. These materials include: seal intestine, walrus stomach, seal skin, polar bear fur, dehaired caribou skin as well as fish skin.