Kariel Galbraith (Tlingit), 2024 FAAM Alaska Native Art Writing Fellow. Photo: Galbraith.
Norman, OK – First American Art Magazine is proud to introduce the first recipient of the FAAM Alaska Native Art Writing Fellowship, Kariel Galbraith.
Galbraith is a Tlingit scholar, writer, and artist. She graduated from the University of Washington in 2024 with a dual major in English (with honors) and American Indian Studies. Galbraith has worked closely with the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture in Seattle with collections, staff, and visiting artists to research a variety of Indigenous artistic media along the Northwest Coast. She leads weaving workshops and says that building skills and knowledge in Tlingit cultural art forms has taught her that creating and engaging with art is “crucial to improving our sense of self, well-being, and community connection.”
Galbraith says, “I am so excited to be the 2024–25 Alaska Native Art Fellow for FAAM! This opportunity is situated at such a great time for me to get experience in writing, editing, publishing, and collaborating just as I wrap up my bachelor’s degree. I hope this fellowship and the mentorship, connections, and new skills it brings will help prepare me for a career (and life) of doing art, writing, and prioritizing culturally competent storytelling!”
The FAAM Alaska Native Art Writing Fellowship provides an emerging Alaska Native writer with an opportunity to work with writers and editors on five writing projects throughout the six-month fellowship timeframe. Galbraith’s writing will be featured on the FAAM blog and in upcoming print issues.
Publishing Editor America Meredith (Cherokee Nation) says, “Our selection committee was deeply impressed by Kariel’s writing talent and broad knowledge of Alaska Native arts. We’re looking forward to working with Kariel over the next nine months.”
The fellowship, facilitated by Meredith and FAAM contributing editor Stacy Pratt, PhD (Mvskoke), is generously supported by The CIRI Foundation as part of its Alaska Native Art Writing Initiative. The fellowship’s goal is to mentor emerging Alaska Native art writers to encourage and increase quality critical writing on Alaska Native arts and artists.
First American Art Magazine is a quarterly print and digital journal whose mission is to foster historical resilience, cross-cultural understanding, and reintegration of humans into the natural world.
