Alaska Native Artist James Grant Alaska Music Video

Alaska Native Artist James Grant Alaska Music Video

Native American Alaska Music Video. James Grant passed away April 11, 2010 after continuing to work while fighting a long battle with cancer. He was fighting that battle at the time this video was shot. This video production presents the background of Alaska’s renowned
Athabascan Indian Artist, James L. Grant Sr., who was born in Tanana Alaska. His mother died as a result of a tuberculoses epidemic and he and his brother, Jay, were raised in an ophanage in Nenana and Fairbanks until James was seven. At that time, a couple adopted them and took them to Southern California where they remained till adulthood. Soon after serving in the U.S. Military James and Jay returned to Alaska to reunite with their Athabascan family.

At an early age James discovered that he had talent as an artist and pursued those talents through his grade and high school years. Upon arriving in Alaska he entered the University of Alaska Fairbanks and his career as Alaska’s renowned Athabascan Artist began to blossom.

This production concludes with an eight month documentation of the progress of James creating an aluminum sculpture that is now exhibited in front of the Bassett Army Community Hospital at Ft. Wainwright, Alaska. The progress of the sculpture construction is set to the origanal song, “Native American Soldier” that is sung by “Indian Pete”, Pete Peter a well known Athabascan musician and singer.

This video is a short version of the original 24 min. version that also shows many of James works of art in Alaska with his commentary about them. A copy of the original version can be purchased from Boyd Communications the Producer of the video at: boydcommunications@acsalaska.com

All components of production by Ben Boyd of Boyd Communications at: www.benboydalaska.com http://www.benboydalaska.com