Native art program founder receives two of Alaska’s highest honors for artists

So far, 2018 has been an eventful year for Alvin Amason, a Sugpiaq painter and sculptor, term professor of art and Alaska Native Art program coordinator for UAA.

This past February, Amason received the annual Governor's Arts and Humanities Award for an Individual Artist. The awards are a collaboration between the Alaska Humanities Forum, Alaska State Council on the Arts, Alaska Arts and Culture Foundation and Office of the Governor, and recognize contributions to the arts and humanities in Alaska.

After attending the award ceremony in Juneau with his daughter, Amason pulled out his phone to find several missed calls, all of them reaching out to congratulate him on his second accolade of the year - and one he didn't even know he received - the Distinguished Artist designation from the Rasmuson Foundation's Individual Artist Awards.

The annual Individual Artist Awards aim to support arts and culture in Alaska by putting money directly into the hands of artists. In addition to the single Distinguished Artist title, the program also grants 25 Project Awards and 10 Artist Fellowships which are open to applications and chosen by a committee made up of panelists from the Lower 48.

As the program's highest honor, the process of naming the Distinguished Artist is a little more scrutinized. Artists need to be nominated for consideration and the title is chosen directly by the Rasmuson Foundation. This year, Amason was one of 70 nominations for Distinguished Artist.

"I totally didn't know it was coming," explains Amason. "I was on the phone thinking, 'I didn't apply for anything?' But it's a strong endorsement of what I've been doing for many years."

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Those many years began in his birthplace of Kodiak, where he was raised in a family with a rich history of trapping, fox farming, commercial fishing and bear guiding. During his youth, Amason carried a journal to contemplate the world and people around him, recording his observations and sketches.

His grandfather was also a big influence in his formative years, giving Amason the foundation to build his observational skills - something he says is useful to have as an artist.

"My grandfather taught me a lot about how to see things," says Amason. "Inspiration can be whatever gets you to that departure point and gets you going, so I think it's really advantageous to have good peripheral skills so you notice things."

Admittedly, Amason wasn't always serious about art, revealing that he didn't start pursuing it until college. He moved out of Alaska to attend Central Washington University where he initially enrolled in their flight school. Realizing that it wasn't the right fit, he decided to finally try his hand at art.

"I didn't like the mechanical part, so after flying lessons I walked into watercoloring and really liked it," describes Amason. "I was always attracted to art but never thought about it, but it was a really good move."

Amason graduated from Central Washington University with a bachelor's in art and a master's in painting. Shortly after, he was accepted into Arizona State University, eventually earning his Master of Fine Arts in painting.

It wasn't long before Amason found himself taking on the role of mentor, accepting a position as art department chair and instructor at Dine' College in Arizona. For him, it was important to pass on the same foundation and encouragement that he received when he was a burgeoning artist.

"I had a professor who was looking through my sketchbook and telling me this is what I should be painting. I needed to hear that from somebody," shares Amason. "I've been lucky to have people like that and my grandfather. Students should know the value in their ideas and that they're unique. They're the only ones to have those ideas. Pay attention to it."

Over the years, Amason would catch the travel bug. He has spent time in Rhode Island, New Hampshire, California and back to Washington, establishing new studios in each location and continuing to grow as an artist. While in Washington, he received an opportunity to come back home to Alaska and teach a new generation of artists as the director of Native Arts at UAF.

Beginning in 1992, Amason transformed UAF's Alaska Native Arts program into what he describes as "a village within a university" - a comfortable space where students can feel empowered to experiment and take ownership in their work. The refreshed program was a success, and in 2009 Amason decided to retire to Anchorage.

Retirement didn't last long.

Only one semester after leaving Fairbanks, Amason received an offer to create a new Alaska Native Art program for UAA emulating what he accomplished at UAF. The decision to come out of retirement was easy.

"It just seemed natural to have indigenous arts in a place where you have indigenous people," he says.

One might think that all the time Amason spends teaching makes it difficult for him to pursue his own artistic interests. Not only does he feel inspired every day by the new perspectives and energy his students bring, but it's the best part of the job.

Amason's latest work can be found in the Anchorage Museum's new Rasmuson Wing. The exhibit contains his favorite piece to date and perfectly encapsulates what an amazing year it has been for the artist so far - an enormous, multi-colored bear utilizing his love for combining two- and three-dimensional forms. Beneath the bear lies the inscription, "Everything I love is here."

"This is one of my favorite titles. It was a real honor to be given that space."

Read about the four UAA alumni to also win awards this year from the Rasmuson Foundation's Individual Artists Awards here.

Written by Matt Jardin, UAA Office of University Advancement