About the Artist

George Ahgupuk was born in 1911 in the village of Shishmaref. He was the most famous Alaskan Eskimo artist of the time. When he became ill at the age of 22, a nurse gave him pencils and paper when she saw that he liked to draw. When he ran out of paper after his return home, he started to draw on bleached sealskin. He became famous for his drawings on hides of seal, reindeer, caribou, moose, and even fish.

Ahgupuk's drawings show scenes of hunting, reindeer herding, and village life. The famous artist Rockwell Kent admired his work and helped Ahgupuk become known outside of Alaska. Artists from New York sent him drawing supplies when they heard he ran out of paper. Later, he published Christmas cards with his work on them.

Answer the following question to continue your learning journey!

What scenes do George Ahgupuk's drawings show us?

Modern city life in New York
Farming Activities in Alaska
Traditional village life in Northwest coastal Alaska