Born in Anchorage, Alaska and raised in the Bristol Bay village of Pilot Point, Andrew Abyo (uh-BY-oh) is a Sugpiaq carver who seeks to learn and pass on his cultural traditions. He wants his three children and others to have a greater understanding of the Sugpiaq culture and its rich history. “My goal is to bring out different things that you normally don’t get to see, other than in a museum.” Now based in Anchorage, Andrew is known for his in-depth historical research, which helps […]
Monthly Archives: December 2021
4 posts
June (Simeonoff) Pardue is an Alutiiq/Sugpiaq and Inupiaq artist originally from Old Harbor Village on Kodiak Island. Currently a resident of Sutton, Alaska, she works in a variety of mediums, and is especially known for her Alutiiq grass weaving, fish skin tanning, fish leather and sea mammal skin sewing, jewelry, and beading. Examples of June’s work, such as beaded headdresses and grass socks, are in permanent collections of several museums nationwide. She has taught and demonstrated weaving, fur sewing, and beading in university, museum, and […]
Interviewer: Alright, so I am here with Ms. Raven Cunningham, an Eyak artist. I was wondering if you wanted to just go ahead and introduce yourself a little bit and tell us what you do and what your art is about. Raven: Yeah, I’ll introduce myself in Eyak first. Iishuh, Raven Adu’xdA’eh, dAXunh q’Al xuu Thank you for letting me be here today and being interested in asking me about my art work and what I do. We’re here in my shop right now, I […]
Q: It seems like your heritage, culture, and subsistence life in rural Alaska are your primary inspirations for your work; can you share more about that and what specifically inspires you? Apayuq: There is a wellness in the mindless actions of work. A sense of peace, meditation, and general sense of “being”. When we can remove the verbalized and literary thoughts of living, there is wonderment and wordless purpose in life. Often we ask ourselves, what is the meaning of life, or, what is the […]