Featured Artist: Savannah LeCornu
“I think art can help bring awareness to environmental sustainability and can help get general audiences excited about doing their part.”
-Savannah LeCornu
For our 2024 outreach materials, we sought to embrace sustainable principles and offer boaters practical items for use on the water. We also aimed to honor Indigenous leadership in environmental sustainability and recognize the tribal lands where we live and recreate.
We connected with Tsimshian, Haida, and Nimiipuu artist, Savannah LeCornu through her work with the Yakutat Tern Festival and collaborated on designing neck gaiters that provide sun and wind protection for Alaskan boaters.
We recently caught up with her to discuss her art practice and how it aligns with a life on the water.
Alaska Clean Harbors: Can you share a bit about yourself and what motivates your creative process?
Savannah LeCornu: I am a self taught Indigenous artist from Ketchikan Alaska, I am part of the Tsimshian, Haida, and Nez Perce tribes. The mediums I work in are drawing (traditionally and digitally), painting, and beading. I work in formline and plateau art styles to create modern art that celebrates my tribes, my family, and Indigenous peoples.
My creative process is motivated by my friends and family who support me as well as the need to do my part in preserving Indigenous art forms.
How would you describe your artistic style, and can you talk about how you think your style has developed over time?
I do have a hard time describing my artistic style as a whole, but if I had to I would say it's traditional with a modern flair. I work with traditional shapes and incorporate abstractions and modern themes and colors. Over time I have figured out the kinds of stories I want to tell through art and I suppose my style has developed with that in mind. It's become reflective of who I am, the things I'm interested in, and the themes that are important to me.
What drew you to Northwest formline art?
I started drawing at a pretty young age and was quickly drawn to formline once I learned it was the art form of two of my tribes. I have a lot of family members who work in traditional arts like beading and weaving, and it inspired me to take up an art form as well. Not a lot of my family draws, so formline felt like it could be my thing; it could be a way for me to stay close to traditions, help preserve them, and could be the art form that I shared with others, just like they shared their arts with me.
How do you enjoy spending your time outdoors or on the water?
I enjoy swimming in the ocean and walking along the beaches here in Alaska hunting for beach treasures.
What inspired the salmon design featured on the neck gaiters?
Salmon have always played a big part in my life, and play a big part in the tribes I am a part of. It had been awhile since I had created a formline salmon design and the neck gaiters felt like the perfect opportunity to revisit salmon designs.
In your opinion, what role does art play in the work of environmental sustainability?
I think art can help bring awareness to environmental sustainability and can help get general audiences excited about doing their part.
We look forwarding to handing out LeCornu’s designs at upcoming outreach events. Reach out if you would like us to visit your community!
If you would like to see more of Savannah’s work, check out her portfolio here.
