About Me
My Background
This is a page for me to share my paddles with friends and family. I am Alaska Native (Haida), a citizen of the Cherokee Nation of OK (they allow dual citizenship) and I was born in Alaska. My great grandmother gave me my Haida name when I was an infant (Kún Kuyáang, which means a whale's big splash). My grandfather (my Chinaa) from Hydaburg, AK, was Haida (a native speaker) and my grandmother Cherokee (born in OK, her father is on the Dawes Roll). He made me 3 paddles and numerous other things, including a small canoe, small totem and a halibut hook. I have taken an interest in making them. I continue to study Haida art forms and have learned from my Uncle about the paddles and from a cousin and other artists about the art and language. I carve the paddles out of yellow cedar planks. I have really improved the design and have learned a lot about putting the art onto the paddles, by looking at the art my entire life and mostly reading books about the art form. Each one is an original design, by me, drawn in pencil and then painted with Acrylic onto the paddle. I have made over 50 of them so far. I also have learned how to make drums and have made over a dozen of them. I have also made 3 button blankets and have put an original design on them as well. I finally was fortunate enough to be learning "officially" Northern Northwest Coast form line in a class from a famous artist in Summer of 2021. I really learned a lot about the "rules" and how the shapes touch each other. I have a ways to go but it really helped. I took an intermediate class with another amazing artist, also through Sealaska Heritage Institute, on form line. He really helped me move the ideas from my head to the paper.
My Medium
Yellow Cedar paddles. Acrylic paint.
My Inspiration
My family.