Rasmuson Foundation has named Kodiak-born carver Jerry Laktonen the 2025 Distinguished Artist. The award, which includes a $50,000 grant, honors his lifetime of creative excellence and cultural leadership, the Foundation’s highest recognition for an Alaska artist. 

Now in its 21st year, the Distinguished Artist Award is part of the Foundation’s Individual Artist Awards program. It celebrates one artist each year whose work has made a lasting impact on Alaska’s cultural landscape. Artist nominations are reviewed, endorsed, and a winner selected, by a panel of professional artists, arts administrators, and arts scholars from throughout Alaska. 

Laktonen’s carvings, which include ceremonial paddles and expressive masks, are celebrated for their craftsmanship, vivid detail, and deep connection to Alutiiq heritage. A self-taught artist who began carving seriously at age 45, Laktonen turned to art after the Exxon Valdez oil spill disrupted his fishing livelihood. Drawing on his experience in boatbuilding and extensive study of museum collections, he has become one of the most recognized Alutiiq carvers of his generation. His work blends cultural authenticity, storytelling, and a profound spiritual connection to his ancestors. 

“Jerry Laktonen brings intention and integrity to every piece he creates,” said Gretchen Guess, president and CEO of Rasmuson Foundation. “He has worked tirelessly to ensure Alaska Native artists are recognized and respected. His commitment to authenticity has left a lasting mark on both his community and the field.” 

Born in Larsen Bay in 1951, Laktonen spent his youth fishing Kodiak’s waters and later worked in boatbuilding. That experience sharpened his skills with wood. After the Exxon Valdez oil spill, he turned to carving as both a livelihood and a form of cultural expression. What began with homemade tools and experimentation grew into a celebrated body of work that has helped preserve and elevate Alutiiq art. 

His carvings are part of major collections, including the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian. There, his blue Alutiiq paddles have greeted visitors at the gallery entrance. He has earned first-place awards at the Santa Fe Indian Market, the Heard Museum Fair in Phoenix, and other major Indigenous art shows across the country. 

In addition to his artistic achievements, Laktonen has mentored emerging artists, advocated for the rights of Alaska Native artists, and played a central role in raising the visibility of authentic Alutiiq art. 

“Artists like Jerry Laktonen remind us that culture is not only preserved. It is lived, shared, and continually reimagined,” added Guess. 

The Distinguished Artist Award includes a $50,000 unrestricted grant. It is the top honor in Rasmuson Foundation’s support of Alaska’s creative leaders.