Alaska Native Artist Directory

Alaska Native artist Lance Lane is of Yup’ik descent.  Mr. Lane creates a huge array of gorgeous one-of-a-kind ivory carvings, sculptures and jewelry.  He also creates original and rare bent ivory items.

Alaska Native artist Cheryl Lacy is of Aleut, Sugpiaq and Scottish descent.  Ms. Lacy primarily works with beads, watercolors, acrylics, metal smelting and glass mosaics.  She began drawing and sewing at an early age and her art is steeped in Native tradition and her own contemporary style. Ms. Lacy was selected for 1% for the Arts Project and developed a 3D Siberian tiger statue set against the mountains which is displayed at the Mat-Su Career and Technical High School in Wasilla.

Alaska Native artist Christine Covey sews traditional and modern kuspuks, takes orders for custom kuspuks and also does beadwork.

Alaska Native artist Cynthia Darosett is of Athabascan descent. Ms. Darosett works with beads and has more than a decade of experience creating beautiful rosaries, jewelry and keychains.

Alaska Native artist and original CIRI shareholder David Lee Shassetz was born in Anchorage. He is a retired military veteran and Department of Defense contractor now living in Bluffton, S.C. Mr. Shassetz produces original woodwork items and is a member of the Sun City Hilton Head Woodworkers and Model Makers Guild.

Discount provided to CIRI shareholders, descendants and employees.

Ms. Dawn Chase is of Athabascan descent and creates contemporary jewelry designs. She began jewelry making over a decade ago but only recently started selling them. Military personnel receive 10 percent discount.

Alaska Native artist Emil Vinberg was born in Seldovia, Alaska, and currently resides in the Pacific Northwest. He started painting as a child and counts among his influences Elders, family, and the aquatic environment of Alaska and the Pacific Northwest. His favorite mediums are water color and acrylics; custom marine art of your boat by request. Discount provided to CIRI shareholders.

Alaska Native artist Genevieve A. Opheim is a lifelong Alaskan currently residing in Kodiak. Oil paint is her medium of choice. She had a creative desire to paint for her entire life, and now that her sons are older, she has picked up the brush once again.

Alaska Native artist Glenda McKay (Ingalik-Athabascan) creates one-of-a-kind artworks that depict stories and ways of life, history and culture. She is an alumnus of the Institute of American Indian Arts and School for Advanced Research, both in Santa Fe, N.M. She has received numerous grants and participated in artist-in-residence programs through the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture in Seattle; the Museum of Us in San Diego; and the Autry Museum of the American West in Los Angeles, among others.

Alaska Native artist Glenn Irby is of Iñupiaq descent. Mr. Irby works with ivory and skin sewing. He is self taught and learned skin sewing from his aunt. He hopes to pass his skills along to his children someday.

Alaska Native artist Argent Kvasnikoff was raised in Ninilchik, Alaska and is of Athabascan descent.  Mr. Kvasnikoff works with ink and paper, typographic print and digital media to create one-of-a-kind contemporary art.  His work reflects his studies of phonetic linguistics and he creates artwork that includes the written alphabet of the Dena’ina language. His art also includes several themes within the overall arc of contemporary symbolism and cultural synthesis.

Alaska Native artist Jeanette Marie Rowley creates beaded, shell and metal jewelry, as well as hand-crafted soaps using organic, locally-grown flowers and vegetables. CIRI shareholders, descendants and employees received 25% off all soaps.

Ms. Kalkins creates unique and gorgeous beadwork jewelry and a variety of kuspuks.  Ms. Kalkins is of Athabascan descent.

CIRI descendant Karen R. Eben-Garcia specializes in Alaska watercolor art with Indigenous flair celebrating Alaska Native culture and traditions.

Alaska Native artist Lance Lane is of Yup’ik descent.  Mr. Lane creates custom ivory pieces in an array of gorgeous one of a kind carvings, sculptures and jewelry.  He also creates original jewelry and small crafts.

Alaska Native artist Melody Daniell was raised on the Kenai Peninsula and is of Aleut, Alutiiq, Sami and Finnish descent.  Ms. Daniell primarily works with beads, leather and fiber arts.  She creates ivory and beaded jewelry, mukluks,  hats, pouches, bone jewelry and some knitted and crocheted items.

Peter Egelak is of Iñupiat descent. Peter utilizes cottonwood trees and ivory to create a variety of unique carvings of walruses, whales and seals. Mr. Egelak also does commission artwork.

Alaska Native artist Phyllis Oliveri is of Iñupiaq descent. Ms. Oliveri works with seal and beaver skins as well as knit and crocheted items. She has more than 40 years of experience hand stitching baby mukluks and Eskimo yo-yos. She also creates puppets.

Alaska Native artist Rachel Nielsen was raised in White Mountain.  Ms. Nielsen works with leather, fur, felt, cloth and beads.  She creates gorgeous sealskin purses and headbands, as well as baby mukluks and fur gloves.

Alaska Native artist Richard Marks creates gorgeous one-of-a-kind beadwork and handmade kuspuks.  His jewelry style reflects both traditional and modern.

Original CIRI enrollee Ricky G. Maxwell carves ivory and specializes in earrings of various styles and shapes. Ricky’s grandfather is Samuel Okbaok of Wales, Alaska, and his grandmother is Clara (Okleasik) Topkok of Mary’s Igloo, Alaska.

Alaskan Native artist Robin Murphy is originally from Nome and is of Iñupiaq descent.  Ms. Murphy works with watercolors and oil based paints, beads and glass to create gorgeous and unique paintings and glass art jewelry.  For the past 30 years, Ms. Murphy worked as an art educator with the Anchorage School District, now retired.   Robin has been featured in art shows such as University of Alaska Anchorage, Kaladi Brothers Coffee and Jitters.  Ms. Murphy was also the recipient of the State of Alaska Art Grant where she traveled abroad in Italy and broadened her artwork and style.

Ms. Thompson, who grew up in Anchorage started crafting at age five.  Her works encompass an array of mixed mediums to create gorgeous and delicate art and beadwork designs.  Ms. Thompson studied at the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe and also at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

Alaska Native artist Shawn Seetomona was raised in Anchorage and is of Iñupiaq descent. Mr. Seetomona works with ivory, whalebone and caribou antlers and creates gorgeous and unique carvings.He is self taught and enjoys carrying on Native traditions and values.

Alaska Native artist Virginia Rowley is of Iñupiaq descent. Ms. Rowley works with fabric and wool. She learned to sew traditional Iñupiaq style atikluks and knit wool hats from her mother and aunt.