Native Artist Series: Leon Misak Kinneeveauk

Episode 11: Leon Misak Kinneeveauk Hosted by Chandre Szafran Leon Misak Kinneeveauk (Inupiaq) from Pt. Hope in Arctic Alaska is an artist operating the largest ivory carving studio in Deghay’kaq, known today as Anchorage, at the Alaska Art Alliance. Carving walrus ivory is an original artform of Indigenous communities in the Arctic, stretching across Inuit lands in Alaska, Canada, and Greenland. In this episode, Leon shares the journey of discovering his role in community leadership after being incarcerated for a crime involving a death. Under Leon’s leadership, the studio offers a much-needed place of cultural belonging and camaraderie, that meets the specific needs of the art of ivory carving. Jerome Saclamana (King Island Inupiaq) joins to share his years of experience in ivory studios, and what makes Leon’s studio a rare gem in the urban center of Anchorage. Native Artist Series The Native Artist Series takes a deep dive into the stories of Indigenous artists, spanning a wide range of artistic disciplines. From performance artists and writers, to carvers and weavers, artists share their unique stories and perspectives on navigating these fields while reclaiming native identity.