INDIE ALASKA is an original video series produced by Alaska Public Media in partnership with PBS Digital Studios. The weekly series captures the diverse and colorful lifestyles of everyday Alaskans at work and at play. Together, these videos present a fresh and authentic look at living in Alaska.
In this episode of Indie Alaska, we meet Iñupiaq artist Ross Schaeffer. After spending most of his life hunting, trapping and fishing around Kotzebue, Scaeffer transformed his lifestyle into creating artwork and carvings that blend traditional and modern techniques. Using age-old materials such as woolly mammoth bone, Ross works on carvings inspired by his culture and natural environment, and encourages young people to try artwork themselves.