Seattle-born artist Susan Ringstad Emery features
contemporary native artwork including woodcarvings, paintings and digital artwork.
Descended from Iñupiaq and Scandinavian hunters, fisherman,
ship builders and even a shaman, Susan offers a light-hearted description of
herself as an “Urban Iñupiaq & a Scandinavian who doesn’t look the part”.
Susan’s artwork has been exhibited at Grand Central Terminal
NYC, Peabody Essex Museum, Alaska Native Heritage Center, Alaska Native Arts
Foundation, Seattle Municipal Tower, National Nordic Museum and corporate and private collections
around the world, including Dena'ina Wellness Center Kodiak, corporate boardrooms
at Bering Straits Native Corporation and the Native Village of Eklutna. Her work is in the permanent collection at
the Nordic Museum, Seattle. Susan is listed on both the Ethnic Heritage Artist
Roster and the Public Art Roster at Seattle’s Office of Arts and Culture and a 2018 graduate of Seattle Office of Arts and Culture Public
Art Boot Camp.
Susan is an enrolled tribal member of Native Village of
Shishmaref (Alaska)
"I love indigenous artwork from around the world, human mark-making and the Iñupiat Ilitqusiat, or our values system of northwest Alaska. My influences include my cultures, family, and inspiration of the beauty of nature that surrounds us, as well as other artists whose story and style I admire; such as my maternal Iñupiat grandfather Teddy Sockpick- whose art was expressed through his skilled scrimshaw etchings, and my paternal Swedish grandmother Florence Selberg-Ringstad, who placed a priority on the arts and enjoyed working in watercolor. I grew up part of my years in Alaska, and in Western Washington.
Quayana and tusen takk for visiting my website!"
Susan's native name is "Ahnoaq" (pronouned uh-NŌK) after her grandmother Holly Sockpick (néeNayokpuk)
Susan's Norwegian family originates from Ringstad i Bø i Vesterålen, Nordland, Norway
Still learning about Swedish roots originating in Dalarna and Norrbotten
