Nathan Jackson (artist) explained

Nathan Jackson (born August 29, 1938) is an Alaska Native artist. He is among the most important living Tlingit artists[1] and the most important Alaskan artists.[2] He is best known for his totem poles, but works in a variety of media.

Jackson belongs to the Sockeye clan on the Raven side of the Chilkoot Tlingit. As a young adult, he served in the military in Germany, and then became involved in commercial fishing. While ill with pneumonia and unable to fish, he began to carve miniature totem poles. His interest in art was piqued, and he enrolled in the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Since then, Jackson's work has included large totem poles, canoes, carved doors, wood panel clan crests, masks, and jewelry. Jackson has worked to pass on traditional Tlingit carving skills to younger artists, and has offered many demonstrations and workshops in Alaska and the Pacific Northwest.

Jackson has created more than 50 totem poles,[3] some of which are on display in the National Museum of the American Indian,[4] the Field Museum in Chicago,[5] Harvard University's Peabody Museum,[6] and other museums in the United States, Europe, and Japan. Other totem poles stand outside Juneau-Douglas High School, Juneau's Centennial Hall,[7] in Juneau's Sealaska Building,[8] in Totem Bight State Historical Park,[9] at the Alaska Native Heritage Center,[2] at Saxman Totem Park,[10] and at the Totem Heritage Center in Ketchikan.[7] One of the earliest examples of his totem poles was carved for the American Festival held at the Horniman Museum, London in 1985 and now stands in a commanding position in the Horniman Gardens.[11]

He is a recipient of a 1995 National Heritage Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts,[12] a Rasmuson Foundation Distinguished Artist Award (2009),[13] [14] and a United States Artists Fellow (2021).[15] He received an honorary doctorate in humanities from the University of Alaska Southeast.[12]

He is shown on the 1996 Raven Dance US postage stamp.[16] [17]

In 2022, Sealaska Heritage Institute invited carvers to create kootéeyaa (totem poles) for the Totem Pole Trail in Juneau, Alaska. Jackson and his son, known as Jackson Polys, will carve two poles.[18]

Jackson currently resides in Ketchikan, Alaska.[19] His wife and son are also artists.[5]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Contemporary artists: Tlingit. American Museum of Natural History. April 2, 2011. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20110429233939/http://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/totems/contemporary/tlingit.php. April 29, 2011.
  2. News: Dunham. Mike. Tlingit 'peace' headpiece now in Juneau museum. Juneau Empire. August 31, 2010.
  3. News: Rennicke. Jeff. Totem poles. Via. AAA Northern California, Nevada and Utah. May–June 2008.
  4. Web site: Kaats (depicting the story of a man who lived with a bear family). National Museum of the American Indian. April 2, 2011.
  5. News: Field Museum's new totem pole erected. MSNBC.com (Associated Press). April 2, 2007.
  6. Web site: NAGPRA in the Museum GalleriesNAGPRA in the Museum Galleries. Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology. April 2, 2011.
  7. Book: Hilary Stewart. Looking at totem poles. 1993. Douglas & McIntyre. 978-1-55054-074-1. 171, 183.
  8. News: A list of local totem poles. Juneau Empire. August 26, 2010.
  9. Web site: Totem Poles at Totem Bight State Historical Park. Alaska Division of Parks and Outdoor Recreation. April 2, 2011.
  10. News: Holing. Dwight. Totems speak of another way. Milwaukee Journal. February 22, 1987. H1.
  11. Web site: Other Horniman Sights to See . . n.d. . Horniman Museum & Gardens . October 17, 2020.
  12. Web site: Nathan Jackson: Tlingit Alaska Native Woodcarver/Metalsmith/Dancer . . n.d. . www.arts.gov . National Endowment for the Arts. December 16, 2020.
  13. Web site: Stalzer. Cassandra. Nathan Jackson receives $25,000 Distinguished Artist Award; Foundation Also Names Eight Fellows, 17 Project Grants. Rasmuson Foundation. April 2, 2011. May 15, 2009. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20110720174414/http://www.rasmuson.org/PressRelease/index.php?switch=view_pressrelease&iReleaseID=206. July 20, 2011.
  14. News: Dunham. Mike. Rasmuson Grants are announced. Anchorage Daily News. May 16, 2009. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20121004053407/http://www.adn.com/2009/05/16/798087/rasmuson-grants-are-announced.html. October 4, 2012.
  15. News: Zigmund. Dana. 2021-02-03. Renowned Northwest Coast artist named USA Fellow. 2021-02-04. Juneau Empire. en-US.
  16. Web site: Living people shown on U.S. stamps added to list. December 11, 2021. June 11, 2020.
  17. Web site: Evelyn Vanderhoop, Artist. December 11, 2021. May 9, 2018.
  18. News: Miller . Raegan . Decorated Ketchikan carvers and apprentices work on totem poles to be raised in Juneau . 23 November 2022 . Rainbird Community Radio . 2 September 2022.
  19. News: Nathan Jackson receives $25,000 Distinguished Artist Award. April 3, 2011. Capital City Weekly. May 20, 2009.

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