JOHN HOOVER

- JOHN HOOVER -

Aleut, 1919-2011

John Hoover was a celebrated artist whose work was deeply rooted in the culture and spirituality of the Aleut people. Born in Cordova, Alaska, to Aleut and Dutch parents, Hoover was profoundly influenced by the natural beauty and Indigenous traditions of the Pacific Northwest. Growing up in rural Alaska, he developed a strong connection to the environment and an Indigenous worldview centered on ecological harmony and interconnectedness. Hoover began his artistic journey in the late 1950s as a painter but eventually transitioned to wood carving, which became his signature medium. The artist’s work masterfully combined Aleutian mythology and traditional animist beliefs with innovative design and technical precision, reflecting both his Indigenous heritage and his creative ingenuity.

Hoover’s carvings are renowned for their spiritual depth and symbolic complexity, often depicting mythical figures, animals, and spirits central to the Aleutian worldview. Shamanic beings, birds, and sea creatures frequently appeared in his work, emphasizing themes of transformation and the unity between humans and nature. Drawing on Northwest Coast design principles, his sculptures reveal innovative stylistic brilliance while honoring cultural traditions. 

John Hoover also dedicated himself to teaching and sharing his cultural knowledge and artistic gifts. He received formal training at the Derbyshire School of Fine Arts in Seattle, Washington, and served as an artist-in-residence at the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico in 1972. His teaching extended internationally to Japan, Taiwan, and the Philippines in 1974, and he worked as an instructor at Northern Arizona University in 1979. 

Over the course of his productive and prestigious career, Hoover won several major awards, including first prizes in sculpture at Central Washington State College in 1972, the Philbrook Art Center in 1974, and the Heard Museum in 1975. John Hoover’s work earned widespread recognition and is included in prestigious institutions such as the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian, the St. Louis Art Museum, the Anchorage Museum of History and Art, the Seattle Art Museum, the Philbrook Museum of Art, the Heard Museum and the Autry Museum, among many others.