Beast of Our Own Making
The inspiration for this painting is two-part. First, the central sea monster is called a palraiyuk. It shows up in Yup’ik artwork frequently, often painted on hunters’ paddles and qayaq bottoms. It’s said that these designs were an acknowledgment to the palraiyuk, to let it know the hunter meant no harm and to request safe passage. Frequently portrayed with body parts in each of its three stomachs, these were dangerous creatures that were known to devour people who weren’t careful.
Second, the swirling red is based on a false-color image of Typhoon Merbok as it approached the west coast of Alaska, ultimately heavily damaging and in some cases destroying communities along the coast. Typhoons and hurricanes are increasingly worse each year, a direct effect of climate change.
It is only a matter of time until we are devoured by our own creation.
$600
Acrylic on gallery-wrapped canvas.
12”h x 12”w
How the Sun and Moon Came To Be
A husband and wife lived together, along with another woman. The wife hated the other woman because her husband sometimes went to her at night. One day, the wife decided it was time for her to leave, so she put on her warm clothes and left. The husband, realizing she had gone, went after her. The wife kept running and the husband kept chasing her. Everntually, the wife saw some lights in the sky and went to them, and she found a village there and she spent some time with the residents. Her husband eventually caught up so she left again, and this continued until the wife created so much heat she became the sun, and her husband became the moon, forever chasing her through the sky.
$700 - Available at Raven Makes Gallery
Oil pencil on 1836 celestial map. 14”h x 16”w
Our Elders’ Stories
The elder figure is based on a photo I took of my grandma a few years ago, and surrounding her are just a few of the many characters you’d find in Yup’ik stories. I included some historic-style line drawings as a visual connection to our ancestry.
SOLD
Oil pencil on antique map of Norton Sound in Alaska. Approx. 8”h x 10”w
Salmon Song
Salmon show up in a lot of my pieces because they have been and continue to be vital to the survival of Yup’ik people and many other Native groups from Alaska all the way down to California. However, the ecosystems salmon live in, from their natal streams to the deep oceans where they spend around 7 years before returning to spawn, are being significantly impacted by climate change. In Alaska, the king (chinook) salmon fishery on the Yukon River has been near collapse for a decade, and even stronger runs of other salmon species are becoming more unpredictable. Everything from water temperature to spring rains to summer droughts affect the number of salmon that are able to survive, thereby affecting the people and cultures that rely on them. We all must continue to assess and improve upon the ways in which we live alongside this planet, myself included.
SOLD
24”w x 18”h. Acrylic on paper.
Yup’ik Headdress
This is my first linocut print, which is of a traditional woman’s headdress, which would be used during Yup’ik dancing.
$45 - limited availability
Linocut. Image is 4”w x 6”h.
Fractured
This image is intended as an optical illusion, with the face in the middle difficult to differentiate from the outer portion, which is reminiscent of a parka ruff. It speaks to the difficulties of being Indigenous in the modern world, and the feeling of being pulled in many directions but not being sure which way to go. It is also an image of hope, though, as oftentimes we have to be broken before we can put ourselves back together in a truer form.
$90 - Limited edition. Also available in graphite.
Linocut. Image is 8”w x 10”h. Limited edition, $90.
Emergent
This image represents the difficult emergence out of darkness and chaos.
$90 - Limited edition.
Linocut. Image is 10” x 8”
Storyteller
The dark colors of this painting are meant to invoke the dim light of a Yup’ik qasgiq, or men’s house.
I am unable to speak the Yup’ik language but I love to listen to it, and I remember listening to my Ap’a’s voice as he told stories. I didn’t know what he was saying, but I spent a lot of time trying to imagine going along on the journey with him. I still love stories and they drive all of my artwork.
$1000
Acrylic on gallery-wrapped canvas.
12”w x 36”h
Just Below the Surface
This painting is an effort to capture that fleeting glimpse of movement as a sea creature darts by. I’m always amazed that there is so much we can’t readily see, both in nature and in life.
$1200 - Available at Sacred Circle Gallery, Ballard
Acrylic on paper. 24”w x 18”h
Goodnews Bay Bird Yua
This drawing is based on an historic mask of a bird and it’s yua, or human spirit, showing on its back.
SOLD
Oil pencil on 1825 antique map of the Bering Sea region. 18”h x 20”w
Release From Salvation
I painted this piece while thinking about the Indigenous children’s bodies being found in mass graves at residential and boarding schools across Canada and the United States. There aren’t enough words to convey the feelings, thoughts and emotions that Indigenous people are experiencing now and have experienced since the beginnings of these so-called schools. It is important for all people to learn about these places and what happened at them, read about the experiences of survivors and know that there are many more who are not willing to share what they went through, and stay informed as more graves are uncovered. This painting attempts to capture the moment when the children’s spirits are released from the horrors they experienced in life.
SOLD
24”w x 18”h. Acrylic on paper.
Through The Storm
This image is based on my reflecting on the strength the women in my family have shown, through the loss of loved ones, health struggles, financial difficulties, and everything in between. I tried to capture the struggle and determination to get through it all.
$90 - Limited Edition
Linocut. Image is 8”w x 10”w
Childhood Memories
This image is based on my memories of spending summers in Tununak, AK, my family’s home village. The boy is based on how I imagine my dad was when he was young, and Cape Vancouver is in the background.
$90 - Limited edition
Linocut. Image is 10”w x 8”w.
Ancestral Dreams
It’s up to the viewer to decide if our ancestors are dreaming about us or we are dreaming about them. The animals are done in the Yup’ik “x-ray” style to show their internal structures. I purposely broke the bounds of the print with the background colors, to emphasize the fuzzy edges of dreams.
$90 - Limited edition.
Linocut. Image is 8” x 10”.
Treasures/Sirens
The seals are gold and copper. From one direction, this is to show the value of seals (and all of our animal/fish/plant relatives) in traditional Yup’ik culture. They are our true treasures, from the sustenance they provide to the teachings they bring us.
From the other direction, the gold and copper are a connection to the active and proposed mines found throughout Alaska Native regions in Alaska. These mines, which extract gold, copper, and platinum, are the very source of pollution that is damaging, potentially irreversibly, marine and fresh water ecosystems. These precious metals call to us and lead us astray, confusing us as to what is really valuable to our peoples.
$1800
Acrylic triptych on salvaged pine boards.
34”w x 36”h
Spawning Salmon
The intent of this piece is to capture the spirit of salmon as they work to get back to their birth stream to spawn. The faces on their backs are their individual yua, or inner human spirit. It is important to acknowledge and treat all creatures with respect, otherwise they will not return to sustain us.
$1200 - Framed
Acrylic on plexiglass, image is approx. 24”w x 30”h.
Paired Dance Fans
This drawing is representative of an historic pair of Yup’ik dance fans. The feathers are damaged in the photo I referenced, so I chose to portray them as I imagined they looked when they were newly made.
SOLD
Oil pencil on 1885 antique map showing Alaska Native groups. 4.5”h x 4.5”w
Raven Has Always Been A Trickster
This painting is based on a story about how Raven used to be pure white and had a beautiful singing voice. He was vain and was always bragging about his feathers and voice and showing off to the other animals. One day, Raven decided he would challenge Owl to a food-collecting competition. Owl rolled his eyes but agreed, and set about to collecting food. Raven, however, wasted time and collected nothing, so he decided he would simply steal Owl’s food under the cover of darkness. On the chosen night he snuck to where Owl’s house was and, finding an old fire pit, rolled in the ashes to disguise himself, but he kicked up too much ash and started coughing. Owl, being nocturnal, saw everything that Raven was doing, and he complained to Creator that Raven was cheating in the competition he himself had declared! As punishment, Creator made it so Raven’s feathers remained as black as night, and his voice stayed scratchy.
I’ve done a mask based on this story, but I love how it captures Raven and how, no matter what, he can’t help who he is. It’s also a testament to the power of knowing who you’re dealing with. Owl agreed to the competition, but knew to still keep an eye on Raven.
SOLD
24”w x 18”h. Acrylic paint on paper
Diving Seal
This image is of a seal, which coastal Natives have relied on for thousands of years.
$90 - Limited edition. Also available in graphite and green.
Linocut. Image is 8”w x 10”w.
The First Sign of Light
The image is intentionally very subtle, with black and red ink on black paper, and shows someone who has been in darkness seeing the first hint of light. I’ve spent a lot time reflecting on these difficult times, as we all have, and this print is a prayer of hope that everyone finds their light, and that those who are struggling deeply can hold on long enough for their light to find them.
$75 - Limited edition
Linocut. Image is 6” x 5.5”