Medium: Carving, Boat Building
Raised in the Alutiiq village of Akhiok, Speridon Simeonoff has been carving for nearly three decades and is widely recognized for his skill.
Although Simeonoff sells his works, he carves primarily for spiritual reasons—to preserve the traditions of his ancestors and share his knowledge with youth to enrich cultural pride and build self-esteem. Other carvers in the Kodiak region consider him to be an exceptional craftsman, and one of the most skilled makers of dart sets.
Simeonoff is the son of Mitch and Judy Simeonoff of Akhiok. He began carving as a young boy. His initial work focused on toy boats but evolved to include kayaks, traditional games, and other objects under the tutelage of his great uncle and church godfather, Art Peterson. in recent years he has been studying and making traditional boats.
Simeonoff also explored carving through culture week programs in Akhiok School. These were among the first village heritage celebration on Kodiak. As such, his work represents the onset of the Kodiak Alutiiq heritage movement—the reawakening of tradition and the development of a new generation of Native artists.
Photo courtesy of Sven Haakanson, Jr.
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Speridon Simeonoff
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The Alutiiq Museum Store works with many of the artists in this gallery. Visit the store to see more examples of their work.