Phillip John Charette
Alaskan Native Artist Philllip John Charette with large 6 ft. X 5 ft. Amikuk mask at the Portland Art Museum in Portland, Oregon.
John is wearing traditional "mukluk" boots, made especially for him by his grandmother.
Interview With OPB Art Beat
Click image above to view an interview with Phillip Charette that airs on Oregon's OPB TV Art Beat.
Award Winning CD
I'm very pleased to say that one of the songs on my Arctic Voices CD, Cherokee Love Song won the Just Plain Folks award for best Native American Song of the year.
Click to hear Cherokee Love Song.
Phillip Charette Artist Statement
Specializing in Contemporary Art that's
Rooted in Yup'ik "Ways of Seeing"
Cama-I (Hello!)
My name is Phillip John Charette. I am an Alaskan Native artist of Yup'ik descent. I create Native American art that builds on the traditions and cosmology (worldview) of the Yup'ik people who live in the southwestern part of Alaska.
My Native American Yup'ik name is Aarnaquq which means "the one who is dangerous." I am named after my great grandmother Aarnaquq and my great, great grandfather, also named Aarnaquq, who were both powerful healers (shamans). It was the responsibility of our healers to direct the making of Yup'ik masks and all things spiritual.
It is a distinct honor for me to carry on a new tradition of Yup'ik spiritual work by doing the art I have been called-on to create.
Yup'ik Worldview Reflected
All of the art I create reflects some aspect of Alaskan Yup'ik cosmology and our "Ways of Seeing," which are largely spiritual in nature.
My goal is to re-introduce the art of my Yup'ik ancestors, and to educate people about the Yup'ik's fascinating view of the relationships among all things in the universe—both in this life and in the life that follows.
But I am also half French-Canadian, and I live in modern times. So, while my art is rooted in Yup'ik tradition, because I am who I am, my art has a contemporary aspect as well.
Contemporary Twists . . .
For instance, I might add elements that inject some contemporary humor; I might use a particular material that wasn't available to my ancestors; or, to provoke some thoughtful reflection, I might incorporate features that represent opposing or parallel worldviews.
Respecting Yup'ik Traditions . . .
Regardless of the contemporary twists I might add, all of my works reflect my namesake, Aarnaquq. By reflecting the ways and beliefs of my namesake in my art, I am allowed to follow in the footsteps of Aarnaquq.
Most important in this regard, whether the piece contains contemporary elements or not, I always take care to respect the piece I am creating in the way that my Yup'ik ancestors did for thousands of years.
A Visual Artist and a Musician
I think of myself as a visual artist, a musician, and a designer of custom musical instruments.
As a visual artist, I specialize in designing:
- Yup'ik masks
- Yup'ik mixed-media sculptures
- Fine-art prints which incorporate Yup'ik themes
- Healing jewelry
As a musician and instrument designer, I:
- Write and record flute music and conduct flute performances for special events
- Design custom Native American flutes
- Design custom Yup'ik drums
My Media and Methods
Because I build on traditional themes in a contemporary world, my work depends on the assimilation of a broad range of materials and techniques. I've tried to capture for you below some of the major media and techniques I've adopted in the creation of my works.
- As a mixed-media artist I work with numerous materials, which include clay, wood, driftwood, glass, metal, stone, glass beads, rawhide, porcelain, feathers, quills, shells, bones, paint, and found objects
- I use pottery, a rare Yup’ik art form, as the foundation for my work. My clay masks and sculptures are low fired or raku fired in homemade kilns
- All teeth, bones, and spirits are hand made of high-fired porcelain
- Because I'm also a flame-worker, I make my own glass beads
- Driftwood masks and sculptures are hand carved in a contemporary style
- Traditional wood-bending techniques are used in making spirit mask frames and Yup'ik drums
- Native American style flutes are concert quality and made of hardwoods and low fired clays (including smoke fired, horse-hair fired, and raku)
My Artistic Goals
My artistic goals are to constantly explore and discover new methodologies and to utilize new materials in the creation of new art forms rooted in the Yup'ik tradition.
Future artistic goals include the creation of monumental work, working with bronze, large fused glass, metal sculpture, and precious metal work.
I also hope to push the boundaries of traditional art, bringing attention to new possibilities in the mixed-media art world.
No matter what the technical or artistic goal of my art, I hope to expose people to and educate them about the spiritual world of Yup’ik art.
Why Am I an Artist?
A question I am often asked and often ask myself. To be honest, it's a tough question to grapple with, especially when trying to pay the bills!
Aside from the formal verbiage listed in my Artist Statement, I struggle forward with my work to understand and define who I am - not only as an Alaskan Native Artist - but, as a human being. I attempt to accomplish this by making a statement with one out of every twenty pieces I do.
The rest of the work is about connecting with you; a larger audience! This is why my work involves stories and educational lectures which I am always happy to share. Your response to looking beyond the physical work is what helps to drive me forward.
For those of you who have laughed, cried, hugged, and shared your stories with me, I am eternally grateful. Moments that I see healing, understanding, and emotional connection happen in your life help to heal and bring wholeness to mine. I am honored by those of you who have taken the time to know me and my work. For those of you who collect my work, I thank you for looking beyond the physical and for making connections within and beyond yourselves.
