Florence Nupok Malewotkuk
Yup'ik, 1906-1971
In 1927-28, Otto William Geist was conducting archaeological excavations on Saint Lawrence Island. He commissioned Florence to make a series of drawings that depicted traditional lifeways. Geist collected the drawings for Charles B. Bunnell, President of the Alaska Agricultural College and School of Mines (now the University of Alaska). Eventually, Florence completed more than ninety drawings for Geist. Collectively, they depict daily life scenes during the first quarter of the 20th Century among the Siberian Yupik Eskimo, including figure studies, fur clothing, and women's tattoo markings. After completing the series of drawings for Geist, Florence apparently put her drawings aside and concentrated on homemaking. Occasionally she would make a small drawing and trade it for supplies, but her output was extremely limited for many years. In 1955, Kay Roberts, an artist from Anchorage, commissioned Florence to do a series of drawings that were later reproduced and sold under the copyrighted name, "Bering Sea Originals." Except for the purchase price of the original drawings, this venture brought the artist little or no additional income. It did, however, earn her some notoriety and wider distribution of her artwork. Then in 1964, she was among 32 Eskimo (and the only woman) accepted into the Designer-Craftsman Training Project (funded by the Manpower Development Training Act), which instructed artists how to use new equipment, materials, and designs in adapting their work for new markets. Upon completing the training program in 1965, Florence's media included ink, pencil, crayon, and watercolors.
Besides drawing on paper, Florence also executed exquisite drawings on seal and walrus skins. Her walrus studies recall earlier engravers' portrayals of walrus on bow drills and trade pipes. Her preference for realism is evidenced by her superb draftsmanship, and her style earned her the title "Grandma Moses of the Bering Sea." After 1965, Florence's work took on commercial appeal, appearing on Christmas cards, note paper, and plastic place mats, coasters, and cups. Some of these were again marketed under the trade name, "Bering Sea Originals."
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