“Reciprocity”new work by Linda Infante Lyons

Statement

“In the spirit of inclusivity, I blend the spiritual symbols of Western culture with those of the Alaska Native people, elevating the culture and worldview of my ancestors. I acknowledge the duality of my heritage and invite the viewer to consider Alaska Native beliefs as equal to Western beliefs.

I present images of Alaska Native women, inspired by friends, family and fellow artists as the powerful beings I know them to be. Additionally, the land, animals and plant life take a rightful place as equals in my paintings.”

Biography

Linda Infante Lyons was raised in Alaska and her family is from Kodiak Island and are of Alutiiq/Sugpiaq Alaska Native and Estonian/Russian ancestry. Linda’s mother was born in the native village of Karluk. The artist’s great-grandmother spoke only Russian and Alutiiq. This history and ancestry informs her current body of work.

Linda Infante Lyons’ creative practice spans over 23 years. She studied art at the Viña del Mar Escuela de Bellas Artes in Chile, where she lived for 18 years. Her work can be seen in museum collections including the Alaska State Museum, the Anchorage Museum at Rasmuson Center, the Alutiiq Museum, the Pratt Museum and in Oberlin, OH, the Allen Memorial Art Museum. She has received Rasmuson Foundation Artist Fellowships, as well as national awards such the Joan Mitchell Painters and Sculptors Grant and the Native Arts and Cultures Foundation’s National Artist Fellowship. The artist is currently a Bennett Prize 3.0 finalist.

Infante Lyons’ work has been featured in Inuit Art Quarterly, First American Art Magazine and American Art Collector. She currently lives in Anchorage with her husband, British artist, Graham Dane.