Allie High

Allie High was born in Ketchikan, Alaska. Allie is Aleut and a Tsimshian Raven Killerwhale crest Haida from Massett, B.C. Her great grandparents were among the first to follow Father Duncan to establish New Metlakatla in the Alaska territory. Ms. High apprenticed with Jack Hudson of Metlakatla, Alaska in 1984 through the Alaska State Council on the Arts traditional Native arts apprenticeship grant. She took additional university classes at the University of Alaska in Juneau, Alaska, which included mask making with Marvin Oliver, Northwest Coast Indian Design with Bill Holm, tool making with Nathan Jackson, and spruce root basketry with Delores Churchill. She has a Master’s degree in interdisciplinary studies (art, theater, and sociology) from the University of Texas in Tyler, Texas. She also has a bachelor’s degree in art education from the University of Oregon. She has taught art in public schools in Alaska and Texas as well as University courses in Alaska and Louisiana. Allie has been an artist in residence and lecturer in museums and other cultural venues. Alaska Airlines, the Anchorage Historical, and Fine Arts Museum, the United States Department of Agriculture, Alaska State Parks, and private collectors have purchased Allie’s artwork. She has shown her work locally, nationally and participated in an international show. Her work was recently included in the exhibit “Alaska Passé/Présent” in the Musée Boulogne-sur-Mer, France, a large group exhibition of Alaska’s most important contemporary artists. Allie’s particular passion has been Northwest Coast Indian Theater. She has made masks for the Juneau, Alaska-based Naakahidi and Raven’s Voice Theater.