Alaska Beat

Gifted Native artists battle personal demons: 'Like father, like son'

The Anchorage Press this week features a long, intimate profile of Jarvis Perez, a gifted but un-apprenticed Tsimshian artist and son of internationally-known carver Frank Perez. Jarvis has been in trouble with the law much of his life, and battles chronic alcoholism just like his father does. Now, Jarvis is serving time in prison for his fourth DUI conviction, a felony, and isn't scheduled for release until 2012. He's looking at the bright side, though. "This is my fourth time in prison, and I'm going to make it my last. When I leave here this time it will be the death of my prison self," he told the Press. "Every time I come back here, I find that I have the time, calmness, sobriety and structured environment that I need to sit down and express my feelings and my dreams." Read much, much more of a compelling portrait of two generations of the Perez family's art and struggle, here.

ADVERTISEMENT