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Copyright 2003
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Artists▲
Kathleen Westlake
See:
Clothing & Regalia
●
Dolls
 Kathleen
Westlake was born in Nome and grew up in the Arctic in the Villages of Nome,
Barrow, Atqasuk, Point Hope, and Kotzebue. Her father is Inupiaq and her
mother is English, Irish, Blackfoot and French Canadian. Coming from such a
rich cultural background, she was inspired by the cultural arts she saw
practiced as she grew up.
Kathleen has earned
statewide and national acclaim as a doll maker: The White House has
displayed Kathleen's dolls and one of her dolls is in the personal
collection of an Alaska governor. In addition, she was judged Best Doll
Maker by jurors in a 2000 Kotzebue art competition, and she received the
highest honor for dolls given in the Nunaptinni Savaktit Katimmaviat 2002
Art Competition. The dolls of Ethel Washington have
especially been an inspiration to her in her work.
The natural world
inspires her work. She was sitting on the beach when she began carving
her first doll head. She continued to walk the beach and gather objects to
use in her work. A small bone or piece of driftwood triggers her imagination
to use this artifact to create a scene with her dolls that depicts life in
simpler and harder times.
"When I
make and sell my dolls I hope that I am a model for other young people in my
culture," Kathleen said. "I want them to know that they can do traditional
crafts and it will help them to define their cultural identity."
Kathleen
also creates other Native pieces, including Caribou skin masks, Eskimo
yo-yos and fur parkas, mukluks, trim and ruffs.
Career Highlights:
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Winner of Miss Arctic
Circle
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First Runner Up Miss
World Eskimo Olympics
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All Alaska Art Contest -
Printmaking
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Cover Art for "We Speak
Eskimo" Book
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Doll Displayed in the
White House
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Doll in Personal
Collection of an Alaska governor
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Doll and Mask on Exhibit
at the Alaska Native Heritage Center
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Resident Artist at the
Alaska Native Heritage Center
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Supervisor at the NANA
Museum of the Arctic - Kotzebue
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Supervisor of the
Culture Camp - Kotzebue
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Supervisor of the Fish
Camp - Sadie Creek
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First Place - Washington
Talent Show- Vocals
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Performed at a Variety
of Gatherings - Vocals
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