Jerry Laktonen was born in Kodiak, Alaska in 1951 and lived between Kodiak and the village of Larsen Bay; he now resides in Granite Falls, Washington. For most of his life he has worked as a commercial fisherman. It is through this occupation, and the teachings of his father and uncles, that Jerry learned the woodworking skills required for making beautiful masks and ceremonial paddles. After the 1964 earthquake, Jerry moved to Seattle where he completed high school and attended the University of Washington and Seattle Pacific College.

Jerry Laktonen is most noted for his ceremonial masks and paddles, which reveal the strong influence of his Alutiiq ancestors. The Russian devastation of the Alutiiq people in the 1800s left Jerry with little awareness of the carving tradition, now his passion and his career. When he could no long support himself and his family in the fishing industry, he began to explore a career in carving, putting to use his natural artistic abilities.

Jerry started making miniature versions of Alutiiq kayak paddles. While he had no formal art training, his experience in repairing fishing boats gave him a foundation for further developing his talents with wood. His Alutiiq ancestors used driftwood to fashion their carvings, but Jerry prefers various woods including old-growth cedar, one of his favorites. He adheres to the Alutiiq tradition of painting and carving his pieces in vivid colors, using designs often rich with precise detail. Jerry insists on the cultural authenticity of his work, drawing on countless hours of studying museum pieces and photographs in books. Despite this quest for technical accuracy, Jerry accepts that a trance-like “knowing” of ancestral presence ultimately inspires his carving.

Jerry has found carving to be a fantastic outlet for expression, as well as a means of educating people about Alutiiq culture. By carving the paddles and masks, he can pass on the beliefs of his ancestors to young Alutiiqs, raising awareness for their people and instilling a sense of honor. He knows that he is witnessing a renewal of confidence among the Alutiiq people, which he in part attributes to a “healing” imparted through artistic expression. From Jerry’s viewpoint, artists and the local and world communities have benefited from this healing as well.

Laktonen’s work can be found among the collections in the Smithsonian Institute, the Anchorage Museum of History and Art, as well as the Alutiiq Museum and Archaeological Repository in Kodiak. One of Jerry’s paddles hangs in the office of Senator Ted Stevens in Washington, D. C. He attends numerous art shows, especially the Indian Market in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and the Heard Indian Market in Phoenix, Arizona, where he has earned awards and recognition for his work. His “Joe Hazelwood Mask” now travels with the “Looking Both Ways” exhibit, a traveling exhibition produced by the Smithsonian Institution’s Arctic Studies Center in collaboration with the Alutiiq Museum and Archaeological Repository. Unmistakably Alutiiq, with its elongated face, feather headdress, and striking geometric painting, powerfully commemorates the ten-year anniversary of the 1989 oil spill in Prince William Sound. This man-made accident impacted his livelihood as a commercial fisherman, which led him to his new life as a highly regarded Alutiiq carver. Jerry says he wants to “show the beauty and artistry of our ancestors…and still have some leeway to express artistic creativity and my own feelings.” Jerry loves to share the joy of his work and regularly presents his work to his local community, always welcoming the feedback he receives.