Inupiaq artist, Joanne Swanson, is from Unalakleet, Alaska. Born in Shaktoolik on village of 100, at that time, she and her husband Chip, now winter in NINILCHIK. After studying books and magazines she officially began her painting career in 1997 when she truly realized she had a gift to share.
Joanne began painting in watercolor which she found challenging and then became interested in acrylics. Her subjects came from her numerous memories of living in rural Alaska. Her favorite images are of Inuit women wearing ookithaqs or kuspeqs picking berries. Other favorite images are of village houses on the side of a hill.
She now paints in acrylic mixed media of Inuit men, women and children doing favorite activities.
Joanne recently traveled to Indianapolis, Indiana to present her story of how she became an artist and what she paints.