Nick Evan
Nick Evan is a Yup’ik Eskimo elder and well-known carver whose family is from
Tuntituliak, a small rural Native village between the Yukon and Kuskokwim Rivers. The name Tuntituliak refers to the herds of wild caribou in the area which would have been hunted, both traditionally and today, for furs and food. In traditional times villagers probably traded warm caribou furs and caribou meat for seal oil meat from Eskimos living along the Bering Sea Coast. The village is off the road system and is considered a “Bush” village that is reached by air and in winter by snowmachine or dog team. In the 2010 census there were 408 residents. Nick Evan has specialized in carving elegant abstract bird forms out of particularly whale bone with baleen beaks for several years. His work demonstrates originality as well as his fine handling of the material. Evan also works in walrus ivory and musk ox horn. He currently resides in Anchorage. The Antique gallery carries the largest selection of Alaska native crafts in Anchorage from many well known modern artists.