My Life
I came to the Alaskan wilderness in 72 from a middle-class city upbringing. I made arrangements to get flown into the wilderness with no arrangements to get picked up. 8 months later I walked out, after not seeing anyone during the months of no light and 50 below. I learned to trap, build a cabin, and as time went by I ran sled dogs. I lived on a houseboat and did all the things anyone who loves the outdoors dreams about. There was leather to make, solar panels to install, guns to fix, outboard motors to rebuild. In general, I couldn't own anything I couldn't fix and didn't have tools for. This was a very exciting life for 25 years or so. I got used to the subsistence life of growing my own food, or hunting for it, relying on myself a lot, and not getting caught up in the rat race. My life is different from most. I've never had a drivers license, never paid rent, never had a credit card-checking account, nor had a bill. I lived (still do pretty much) a 'cash' life. Times changed, my life did, priorities changed, and I moved to the village of Nenana in 98. This was a village I had gone by and stopped at while living on the houseboat, and it seemed a good place to settle. I now have a shop, and for the first time, electricity, which has made it easier to do my art, work on my book, and enjoy my midlife. The lifestyle I lead gave me a lot of basic values required to do the work I do... with a different slant on life and different perspective on things, and think this gives me 'something to say' in my artwork that is 'different'. I try to sell a way of life.... one of closeness and appreciation for the land and our basic roots.
Not just art --but a way of life
My art
Since I was 5 years old I was known for my art. My metalwork style started out as a practical aspect of my life--of having to repair tools. A knife handle had to be made, gun stock fixed.. and this took time, with only primitive hand tools. I took pride in the work, and sometimes wanted to simply cover up the repair, so covered the repair, or designed the repair to look like 'something'-usually an animal. This was the beginning of my art-metal style, which I developed while alone in the wilderness . My first works were crude, and made of bullet brass, shovel steel, copper wire, but was the start of the 'mixed metals' concept. This was usually applied to wood, bone, or horn, - materials I had at hand. Eventually it lead to 'artwork' just for art sake, which I would trade for gas and supplies in the villages I passed through. I still do a lot of trading. For 25 years everything was totally by hand without any electricity, done by kerosene light. Now I still do the major cutting of designs with hand jewelers saw, but the finish work is done with hand electric polishers. This helps on the tedious part. I use silver, copper, brass, bronze, gold.. and any other metal that looks interesting. I tend to specialize in birds and flowers, and do mostly necklaces. I combine the metals with 'things from the land' which include, ivory, teeth, claws, shell, and anything else that might come from nature. I am always trying new things. I have recently been carving gemstones, which is challenging, and makes the work interesting- and just got interested in 'casting' - to make my own custom caps on claws-crystals.
Not just art-- but a way of thinking
My Nenana 1916 home
Art Jewelry handcrafted gifts, of silver copper brass. Unique Alaskan very original! Gallery quality by Miles Martin Nenana Alaska- also selling raw mateirals. Teeth ivory wolf lynx claws skulls from the land!
selling furs feathers teeth -- good source for animal products
Homepage
Many Alaska sites arranged in order
Artist Jeweler
Dealer in raw materials
View from my trapline-- Denali in winter 50 miles from the nearest road
Miles at Miles of Alaska
box 363
Nenana Alaska
99760
1-907-832-5442 miles@milesofalaska.net
Miles at Miles of Alaska
box 363
Nenana Alaska
99760
1-907-832-5442 miles@milesofalaska.net
Tanana Valley State Fair 2004
Book 'Going Wild' by Miles
If you like my art ands raw materials this book
Is about the artist, where I get my materials ideas
And outlook on life. I see the book as another
Medium like my art, to make a statement about
A life and way of thinking. Lots of high adventure
Bear stories building a houseboat and life alone in
The wilds of Alaska $15
Stormbound Trapper A Cassette tape
This is a recorded story by Miles 1.5 hours long talking about winter in Alaska in the wilds. There are sound effects from the wild as I talk about 70 below 0 trapping running sled dogs, hunting moose getting lost and creating the mood of what it is like to be in the wild. $7
March 19th
I just got back from Nome looking for fossil walrus ivory and other related northern materials. I got some material. I have not even unpacked or shown my Tucson fossil finds so there is lots to do! Yes hundreds of pounds of 'stuff' but it might take months to list it all! Ha! Mostly keep an eye out in shop carts on my site or go to the 'newest' page. Be sure to cut and paste me a picture of what you are looking at. More then I can remember so be sure I know what you mean.
It is not easy to order from me
.
An odd thing to say. The reasons are many. Try reading about my lifestyle. Try reading the order page, stuff like 'cultural issues'. Keep in mind I'm a one man show. Keep in mind I spent 25 years alone in the wilderness seeing no one for months. What do you think sitting in front of a computer is doing to me? I'm not superman. Sometimes the river of humanity that arrives at my home through the internet each day is depressing and overwhelming. I need to say “Halt enough!” and stumble out the door for fresh air.
Raw stuff
-- So I wanted, and am good at running a huge flea market. Garage sale antique store. I am a collector. I like to sell and deal. Buy sell trade. But I do not like keeping track of stuff. So. So if you were 'here' you'd see 9 buildings filled with boxes of 'stuff'. (the raw materials). Like a yard filled by the tons of truckloads of things under tarps. You want to know about what? Ha ha and ha again! Dream on! You go find it. Have fun! Tell me if you find it! Filled with lost treasures and nooks and crannies like a treasure map. Stuff I have not seen since the 70's. Stuff with the prices still marked I paid in the 70's. No you got to pay more then that! But how much more? I have to think. I might pull a number out of the hat. See how it fits. I do not even own a suit and tie. Nothing is under bright lights with a sticker on it on a shelf. Yulk! You have arrived. You are not at an ordinary store. You are at the source , where 'raw' is defined as bloody and still twitching . Or still wet covered in mud. You have met the guy who might have drug it in screaming by the hind leg and ate it. You have arrived at some place related to Star trek. You have met Indiana Jones. The man who can make it happen. For a price, I can find even the holy grail. You just have to make it worth my while. See 'problem' below
Art !
You like to look at the art? To me it is all self evident and needs no explanation, but so few 'understand' I need to spell it out. First money is not my God. I'm not between a rock and a hard place and never will be. Happiness and lack of stress is important. I could be busy fishing today. I'm the only one who does this kind of art. It sells. If you do not get it, someone else will, and no one else offers it. . I want it in the right hands. Next. I look at today and tomorrow. I do not turn around and study my past. Once finished I loose interest in the item. I forget. I make a new one. I quit counting 15 years ago when I got to 9,999 (one of a kind items) I have made more claw necklaces then anyone else in the world. Where the item is I made yesterday I do not care. I have a good 500 finished items on hand at any given time. Sort of organized, but it might be in a box for shows, or in the tray it belongs in, or on consignment at a shop, or in for repair, or maybe I forgot, sold it, or gave it away. Rats. Some items are easier to locate . Some items sell so well I do not need to spend an hour looking for it because it will sell to the first person who sees it. Like big wolf teeth. Or blue ivory.
Problem !
So the problem is this is a garage sale and antique store. Nothing is marked and it's in any one of 9 buildings. Not a problem if you find it and bring it to me and I look up and make up a number, and you are happy. But guess what! You find the picture, not the item itself and show me the picture or give me a description and want me to go find it! Ha! Under what tarp? Which building? What shelf in what building in what box? Guess what! If I ignore you I can work in the shop for $65 an hour. If I stop to go look for something for you, my income comes to a grinding halt because the customer is not paying no $65 an hour to chat and have me go look for stuff. As in “That's $10 plus the $65 lost time it took for me to go find it” Tell me all you want about how I need to be organized. Bla bla you are in the peanut gallery, in the bleachers, while I am in the ring with the bull. Step into the ring and I might listen. Even if you are in your own ring with your own bull and are my equal, it's a state of mind. It's not about inequality. Each snow flake is unique and irreplaceable and can not be duplicated. The universe parts for each flake as it falls and closes again behind it forever changed. Some focus on that, and some focus on the storm comprised of all the flakes working together. Meanwhile yup I probably have what you want. That means squat if I cant find it. Worse, some customers talk me into looking, then say “Thanks , not what I'm looking for have a nice day” What's wrong with this picture?
Solution!
So I have no real rules, no minimum order etc. We'll see. Depends. If I'm busy, feel like it, like you, what the weather is like, and my opinion on if this is worth my time or not. All those cool pictures not in the shop cart? Teasers? Oh no not really. It's my resume, my portfolio, my references. Due to the volume of 'stuff;' going on I get to do repairs for museums, art collection value estimates for insurance companies, sometimes special orders for the rich and famous. It gives people ideas for a special order. It gives me credibility that I know what I'm doing. It's not talk, behold it is before you to see for yourself. Big buyers see my work and know I can turn it out, and some fly here to Nenana to see me and buy it by the truckload. One customer comes up from Japan once a year. We do not price it or mess around, we make a pile and I look at the pile and I make up a number. I just want it 'gone' so I have room for new cool stuff. But gone to my kind of people. He knows my prices are fair and we do not argue. I got 50 pounds of turquoise, you think I want to measure photo weigh each dinky piece? The decimal point has to get moved twice for that. On my art I have shops who say “Send me stuff” I accept returns. It all sells. I'm reasonable, fair. My prices are good, even if I make up a price at the spur of the moment my highest quote is half the completion's. Why argue? I can make a new one faster and easier then I can keep track of the last one. So in the big picture I make a living. I'm not rich, but it's my way, by my rules, when and how I want. Maybe I'm stuck up? An ego thing? Yea maybe (hmmm) But it's also a symptom of social problems that has to do with why a guy raised in the city would tune in and drop out to live in poverty listening to wolves. Why do we have to think value is in numbers or why cant we just look at something without having to own it? Maybe you are in a museum. Stop, stare, look, pause and smile. Why are customers irritated? So hey cut and paste me a picture if it's not in the cart! Who knows? Lets talk. If your only question is “Is it for sale!” in an irritated tone, well go shop on ebay and have a nice day. This is not your kind of place. Not everything is for sale just cause you want it, or because you see it. I get to choose my customers. Cool huh! Is that nuts? I can't say, but at least I'm honest. Customers are not used to seeing something they cant have? Well la de da. My soul is in my work and my materials. I either find or hand select every single item. There is less then 1% I order by mail. Every single art item I made, totally made, down to the carving, and making the mold, and casting of the cap. I had cut most of the rocks, eat many of the critters whose bones get used, find many of the fossils. There is a story behind every item. I care where my soul goes , and who gets a piece of it. The solution is all my art eventually is out there in the world being worn, and all my material one way or other is seen and used. What else matters? I own my world. What more do I need? One snowflake, that in falling, parts the universe, changing it forever. Money is not my God.
