Fine-Art Prints

Medicine Series

#1 in the Series

One of a series of 14 monotypes printed on Rives BFK white, various hand-made papers and acid-free transfer film. Paper size 30 1/4" x 22 1/4". Collaborating printer, Frank Janzen, TMP

This series of monoprints represent what traditional "medicine" means to different Native peoples.

• I blended common cultural themes of different tribes.
• Each image features one of my masks worn by the Angalkuq (Shaman) during a healing ceremony.
• The main body represents the healer during a healing ceremony, giving blood to heal the people and
• An image of drummers (printed with toner on handmade paper) sits around a large 48" ceremonial buffalo drum.
• The Kuskokwim mountains are in the background.
• The mask image was taken from one of my original three-dimensional large masks and was printed on acid free mylar with quality inks and modified.
• The symbol on the left hand side is the mark used by my grandfather's village in Alaska to indicate harpoon heads.

Medicine Series

#5 in the Series

One of a series of 14 monotypes printed on Rives BFK white, various hand-made papers and acid-free transfer film. Paper size 30 1/4" x 22 1/4". Collaborating printer, Frank Janzen, TMP

This series of monoprints represent what traditional "medicine" means to different Native peoples.

• I blended common cultural themes of different tribes.
• Each image features one of my masks worn by the Angalkuq (Shaman) during a healing ceremony.
• The main body represents the healer during a healing ceremony, giving blood to heal the people and the land.
• An image of drummers (printed with toner on handmade paper) sits around a large 48" ceremonial buffalo drum.
• The Kuskokwim mountains are in the background.
• The mask image was taken from one of my original three-dimensional large masks and was printed on acid free mylar with quality inks and modified.
• The symbol on the left hand side is the mark used by my grandfather's village in Alaska to indicate harpoon heads.

Medicine Series

#7 in the Series

One of a series of 14 monotypes printed on Rives BFK white, various hand-made papers and acid-free transfer film. Paper size 30 1/4" x 22 1/4". Collaborating printer, Frank Janzen, TMP

This series of monoprints represent what traditional "medicine" means to different Native peoples.

• I blended common cultural themes of different tribes.
• Each image features one of my masks worn by the Angalkuq (Shaman) during a healing ceremony.
• The main body represents the healer during a healing ceremony, giving blood to heal the people and the land.
• An image of drummers (printed with toner on handmade paper) sits around a large 48" ceremonial buffalo drum.
• The Kuskokwim mountains are in the background.
• The mask image was taken from one of my original three-dimensional large masks and was printed on acid free mylar with quality inks and modified.
• The symbol on the left hand side is the mark used by my grandfather's village in Alaska to indicate harpoon heads.

Medicine Series

#9 in the Series

One of a series of 14 monotypes printed on Rives BFK white, various hand-made papers and acid-free transfer film. Paper size 30 1/4" x 22 1/4". Collaborating printer, Frank Janzen, TMP

This series of monoprints represent what traditional "medicine" means to different Native peoples.

• I blended common cultural themes of different tribes.
• Each image features one of my masks worn by the Angalkuq (Shaman) during a healing ceremony.
• The main body represents the healer during a healing ceremony, giving blood to heal the people and the land.
• An image of drummers (printed with toner on handmade paper) sits around a large 48" ceremonial buffalo drum.
• The Kuskokwim mountains are in the background.
• The mask image was taken from one of my original three-dimensional large masks and was printed on acid free mylar with quality inks and modified.
• The symbol on the left hand side is the mark used by my grandfather's village in Alaska to indicate harpoon heads.

Medicine Series

#14 in the Series

One of a series of 14 monotypes printed on Rives BFK white, various hand-made papers and acid-free transfer film. Paper size 30 1/4" x 22 1/4". Collaborating printer, Frank Janzen, TMP

This series of monoprints represent what traditional "medicine" means to different Native peoples.

• I blended common cultural themes of different tribes.
• Each image features one of my masks worn by the Angalkuq (Shaman) during a healing ceremony.
• The main body represents the healer during a healing ceremony, giving blood to heal the people and the land.
• An image of drummers (printed with toner on handmade paper) sits around a large 48" ceremonial buffalo drum.
• The Kuskokwim mountains are in the background.
• The mask image was taken from one of my original three-dimensional large masks and was printed on acid free mylar with quality inks and modified.
• The symbol on the left hand side is the mark used by my grandfather's village in Alaska to indicate harpoon heads.

Medicine Series

#10 in the Series

One of a series of 14 monotypes printed on Rives BFK white, various hand-made papers and acid-free transfer film. Paper size 30 1/4" x 22 1/4". Collaborating printer, Frank Janzen, TMP

This series of monoprints represent what traditional "medicine" means to different Native peoples.

• I blended common cultural themes of different tribes.
• Each image features one of my masks worn by the Angalkuq (Shaman) during a healing ceremony.
• The main body represents the healer during a healing ceremony, giving blood to heal the people and the land.
• An image of drummers (printed with toner on handmade paper) sits around a large 48" ceremonial buffalo drum.
• The Kuskokwim mountains are in the background.
• The mask image was taken from one of my original three-dimensional large masks and was printed on acid free mylar with quality inks and modified.
• The symbol on the left hand side is the mark used by my grandfather's village in Alaska to indicate harpoon heads.

Medicine Series

#12 in the Series

One of a series of 14 monotypes printed on Rives BFK white, various hand-made papers and acid-free transfer film. Paper size 30 1/4" x 22 1/4". Collaborating printer, Frank Janzen, TMP

This series of monoprints represent what traditional "medicine" means to different Native peoples.

• I blended common cultural themes of different tribes.
• Each image features one of my masks worn by the Angalkuq (Shaman) during a healing ceremony.
• The main body represents the healer during a healing ceremony, giving blood to heal the people and the land.
• An image of drummers (printed with toner on handmade paper) sits around a large 48" ceremonial buffalo drum.
• The Kuskokwim mountains are in the background.
• The mask image was taken from one of my original three-dimensional large masks and was printed on acid free mylar with quality inks and modified.
• The symbol on the left hand side is the mark used by my grandfather's village in Alaska to indicate harpoon heads.

Medicine Series

#4 in the Series

One of a series of 14 monotypes printed on Rives BFK white, various hand-made papers and acid-free transfer film. Paper size 30 1/4" x 22 1/4". Collaborating printer, Frank Janzen, TMP

This series of monoprints represent what traditional "medicine" means to different Native peoples.

• I blended common cultural themes of different tribes.
• Each image features one of my masks worn by the Angalkuq (Shaman) during a healing ceremony.
• The main body represents the healer during a healing ceremony, giving blood to heal the people and the land.
• An image of drummers (printed with toner on handmade paper) sits around a large 48" ceremonial buffalo drum.
• The Kuskokwim mountains are in the background.
• The mask image was taken from one of my original three-dimensional large masks and was printed on acid free mylar with quality inks and modified.
• The symbol on the left hand side is the mark used by my grandfather's village in Alaska to indicate harpoon heads.

Tangvagal

He Is Watching Them

First in the series of two-color lithographs printed on Somerset Satin white and Rives BFK white. Paper size, 30’’ x 22 1/4’’; image size, 10 5/8’’ x 8’’. Collaborating printer, Frank Janzen, TMP. Edition 16.

This set of four prints tells a story of the artist's great, great grandfather and namesake Aarnaquq, during an intense healing ceremony. Aarnaquq was a well-known, powerful, and good shaman in the lower Kuskokwim area. This set of prints represents four stages in a traditional Yup’ik healing ceremony, indicated below. The artist used images of himself, altered with a mix of media, to create these pieces.

• Image 1: Tangvagai - “He is watching them.” Aarnaquq is protecting his eyes and carefully watching to see if a bad spirit is possessing someone.
• Image 2: Caugai - “He is confronting them.” Represents Aarnaquq confronting a bad spirit who is hiding within a person's soul.
• Image 3: Callugai - “He is fighting them.” Represents the spiritual battle Aarnaquq is engaged in as he pulls a bad spirit out of a person's soul.
• Image 4: Pellugtaa - “He brought him through." Represents the disfigured shaman after the spiritual battle, ready to continue battle when necessary.

Caugai

He Is Confronting Them

Second in the series of two-color lithographs printed on Somerset Satin white and Rives BFK white. Paper size, 30’’ x 22 1/4’’; image size, 10 5/8’’ x 8’’. Collaborating printer, Frank Janzen, TMP. Edition 16.

This set of four prints tells a story of the artist's great, great grandfather and namesake Aarnaquq, during an intense healing ceremony. Aarnaquq was a well-known, powerful, and good shaman in the lower Kuskokwim area. This set of prints represents four stages in a traditional Yup’ik healing ceremony, indicated below. The artist used images of himself, altered with a mix of media, to create these pieces.

• Image 1: Tangvagai - “He is watching them.” Aarnaquq is protecting his eyes and carefully watching to see if a bad spirit is possessing someone.
• Image 2: Caugai - “He is confronting them.” Represents Aarnaquq confronting a bad spirit who is hiding within a person's soul.
• Image 3: Callugai - “He is fighting them.” Represents the spiritual battle Aarnaquq is engaged in as he pulls a bad spirit out of a person's soul.
• Image 4: Pellugtaa - “He brought him through." Represents the disfigured shaman after the spiritual battle, ready to continue battle when necessary.

Callugai

He Is Fighting Them

Third in the series of two-color lithographs printed on Somerset Satin white and Rives BFK white. Paper size, 30’’ x 22 1/4’’; image size, 10 5/8’’ x 8’’. Collaborating printer, Frank Janzen, TMP. Edition 16.

This set of four prints tells a story of the artist's great, great grandfather and namesake Aarnaquq, during an intense healing ceremony. Aarnaquq was a well-known, powerful, and good shaman in the lower Kuskokwim area. This set of prints represents four stages in a traditional Yup’ik healing ceremony, indicated below. The artist used images of himself, altered with a mix of media, to create these pieces.

• Image 1: Tangvagai - “He is watching them.” Aarnaquq is protecting his eyes and carefully watching to see if a bad spirit is possessing someone.
• Image 2: Caugai - “He is confronting them.” Represents Aarnaquq confronting a bad spirit who is hiding within a person's soul.
• Image 3: Callugai - “He is fighting them.” Represents the spiritual battle Aarnaquq is engaged in as he pulls a bad spirit out of a person's soul.
• Image 4: Pellugtaa - “He brought him through." Represents the disfigured shaman after the spiritual battle, ready to continue battle when necessary.

Pellugtaa

He Brought Them Through

Fourth in the series of two-color lithographs printed on Somerset Satin white and Rives BFK white. Paper size, 30’’ x 22 1/4’’; image size, 10 5/8’’ x 8’’. Collaborating printer, Frank Janzen, TMP. Edition 16.

This set of four prints tells a story of the artist's great, great grandfather and namesake Aarnaquq, during an intense healing ceremony. Aarnaquq was a well-known, powerful, and good shaman in the lower Kuskokwim area. This set of prints represents four stages in a traditional Yup’ik healing ceremony, indicated below. The artist used images of himself, altered with a mix of media, to create these pieces.

• Image 1: Tangvagai - “He is watching them.” Aarnaquq is protecting his eyes and carefully watching to see if a bad spirit is possessing someone.
• Image 2: Caugai - “He is confronting them.” Represents Aarnaquq confronting a bad spirit who is hiding within a person's soul.
• Image 3: Callugai - “He is fighting them.” Represents the spiritual battle Aarnaquq is engaged in as he pulls a bad spirit out of a person's soul.
• Image 4: Pellugtaa - “He brought him through." Represents the disfigured shaman after the spiritual battle, ready to continue battle when necessary.

Utetmum

#23 in the Series

One of a series of 24 monotypes printed on Rives BFK white and hand-made paper. Paper size, 15’’ x 24 1/4’’. Collaborating printer, Frank Janzen, TMP.

MEANING: "Utetmun" means homeward or moving towards one's point of origin.

The images in this series are representations of an old story about the return of our traditional healers and is the story of the spiritual return. I was told by elders and believe that, "The spirits of our healers will return and when they do, they will be more powerful and aware then ever before".

Though the arrangements of the images in this series vary, they all contain the same elements and carry the same meaning.

LEARN MORE. Click to learn more about the meaning of the piece Utetmun.

Utetmum

#8 in the Series

One of a series of 24 monotypes printed on Rives BFK white and hand-made paper. Paper size, 15’’ x 24 1/4’’. Collaborating printer, Frank Janzen, TMP.

MEANING: "Utetmun" means homeward or moving towards one's point of origin.

The images in this series are representations of an old story about the return of our traditional healers and is the story of the spiritual return. I was told by elders and believe that, "The spirits of our healers will return and when they do, they will be more powerful and aware then ever before".

Though the arrangements of the images in this series vary, they all contain the same elements and carry the same meaning.

LEARN MORE. Click to learn more about the meaning of the piece Utetmun.

Utetmum

#14 in the Series

One of a series of 24 monotypes printed on Rives BFK white and hand-made paper. Paper size, 15’’ x 24 1/4’’. Collaborating printer, Frank Janzen, TMP.

MEANING: "Utetmun" means homeward or moving towards one's point of origin.

The images in this series are representations of an old story about the return of our traditional healers and is the story of the spiritual return. I was told by elders and believe that, "The spirits of our healers will return and when they do, they will be more powerful and aware then ever before".

Though the arrangements of the images in this series vary, they all contain the same elements and carry the same meaning.

LEARN MORE. Click to learn more about the meaning of the piece Utetmun.

Utetmum

#16 in the Series

One of a series of 24 monotypes printed on Rives BFK white and hand-made paper. Paper size, 15’’ x 24 1/4’’. Collaborating printer, Frank Janzen, TMP.

MEANING: "Utetmun" means homeward or moving towards one's point of origin.

The images in this series are representations of an old story about the return of our traditional healers and is the story of the spiritual return. I was told by elders and believe that, "The spirits of our healers will return and when they do, they will be more powerful and aware then ever before".

Though the arrangements of the images in this series vary, they all contain the same elements and carry the same meaning.

LEARN MORE. Click to learn more about the meaning of the piece Utetmun.

The Dance

Monotype, 30" x 22 1/4"

The Dance is the story of the cycle of life beginning with the spiral. The story is told by a left-handed person which goes from right to left starting in the upper right hand corner. The hash marks on the upper and lower part of each -tych are similar to ones found in carved walrus ivory tusks symbolizing footprints showing the direction of the story.

• The first chapter begins with a mother, father, and daughter's dance of life; the red represents the family bloodline.
• The next chapter represents the daughter (with a strong bloodline) moving towards adulthood as she is surrounded by non-family members doing her own dance.
• When the page is inverted, the story continues from left to right in the center -tych.
• The next chapter shows the young woman meeting her soul and blood mate as they dance together.
• The following chapter shows the soul mates coming together to share and combine their bloodline.
• Invert the print again and the story finishes from right to left on the bottom -tych.
• The next chapter shows the soul mates with their daughter beginning the next bloodline and starting a new dance.
• The final chapter is the daughter (grand daughter of parents in first chapter) continuing in her own dance of life completing the cycle of life.
• The subtle symbol in the background is a traditional Yup'ik Symbol and represents both a gathering place and the cycle of life.

Myth of Creation

Limited Edition

One of a series of 24 monotypes printed on Rives BFK white and hand-made paper. Paper size, 15’’ x 24 1/4’’. Collaborating printer, Frank Janzen, TMP.

This lithograph was completed as part of an international exchange project between five Native American artists and five artists from Johannesburg, South Africa, and was coordinated by the Crow's Shadow Institute of the Arts in Pendleton, Oregon, and Rutgers University in New Jersey.

This Myth of Creation print tells the story of the Raven.

In the Yupiit worldview, the Raven is closely associated with Ellam Yua “the owner or spirit of the universe” and Ellam Yua stories. However, modern religious proselytization practices have dismissed and dispelled traditional Yup’ik cosmology, religious beliefs, and the practices of our ways of being; or has it?

In this print, I offer a different perspective to the Creation story as perceived by Aarnaquq the shaman. This print represents - in spite of stringent religious and cultural assimilation policies and practices - my deep spiritual belief in traditional Yup’ik ways of knowing and being. These are beliefs that I - along with many of my Yup’ik counterparts - have struggled with, fought to suppress, and have run from for many years.

As my aunt Naulalria told me, “Aarnaquq, you are through running and are so much at peace with yourself”. When I let the Yup’ik ways of knowing and being flow through me, it centers me, puts things into balance, and brings me incredible peace.