Jennifer Younger
“Looking back takes me forward”
Raised in the Southeast Alaska town of Yakutat, Jennifer was surrounded by nature and traditional ways of life. Jennifer is Tlingit of the Eagle Kaagwaantaan clan and now calls Sitka, Alaska home.
Jennifer draws inspiration from traditional Tlingit formline designs, historic artifacts, spruce root basket weaving patterns, and from the contrast and texture of metals. Jennifer strives to continuously push the boundaries of her medium. Each piece of jewelry is handmade and assembled by her. Every engraved creation is unique, as she does not use patterns. Freehand design work ensures everyone has their very own one-of-a-kind creation.
Jennifer is an award-winning artist with such honors as:
First Place for metal carving, Carving & Sculpture Division Best of Division, Carving & Sculpture Division | Celebration Northwest Coast Juried Art Show | 2016 Juneau, Alaska
People’s Choice - Jewelry/Metalwork | Adaka Cultural Festival | 2017 Whitehorse, Yukon
Best of Spruce Root Category, Endangered Art Div (Collaboration basket with Jennie Wheeler) | Celebration Northwest Coast Juried Art Show | 2020 Juneau, Alaska
Fellowship Award Recipient | Rasmuson Foundation Individual Artist Awards | 2020 Alaska
Best in Show-Best of Carving & Sculpture Div (Raven/Sun mussel sculpture) | Celebration Northwest Coast Juried Art Show | 2022Juneau, Alaska
2nd Place Ribbon for Monogrammed Ovoids Copper Chest Plate | 100th SWAIA Juried Art Show | Santa Fe, New Mexico
Best in Show-Best of Endangered Art (Spruce root) Div (Copper & Spruce root hat w/Jennie Wheeler) | Celebration Northwest Coast Juried Art Show | 2024 Juneau, Alaska
Presidents Award “In recognition of her work and effort to represent her culture and give back to her community through her work and entrepreneurial spirit.” - Tlingit & Haida | April 2024 Juneau, Alaska
Jeweler of the Year Award - inaugural Indigenous Fashion Arts Gala | October 2024 Los Angeles, California
Native Creative Development Program Grant | Dec 2024 Evergreen State College, Washington
To see more of Jennifer’s work and creative journey, follow her on Instagram and Facebook.
“I am fulfilling my dream of pursuing something related to traditional Tlingit art, while having the freedom to express my own style. My hope is that you will enjoy something I’ve created.”
— Jennifer Younger
As Seen In
Conde Nast’s BRIDES Magazine September/October 2019 Edition
British GQ Magazine October, November, and December 2019 Editions
Vogue October, November, and December 2019 Editions
Native American Art Magazine December/January 2021 Edition
American Craft Magazine December/January 2021 Edition
Elle Magazine May 2021 Edition
Belle Armoire Magazine 2021 Summer Edition
Native Max Magazine 2022 Expanding Indigenous Womanhood Issue
Native American Art Magazine April/May 2022 Edition
Marvel Studios “She-Hulk” Episode 1 2022 Ginew X Jennifer Younger Raven Tee
First American Art Magazine for Herring Protectors Robes Fall 2022
Hamiinat Magazine Fall 2023
Cover: British Vogue feat. Lily Gladstone for Killers of the Flower Moon October 2023
Palm Springs Life Magazine January 2024
Elle Canada March 2024
Cover: Cowgirl Magazine feat. Amber Midthunder May/June 2024
Hamiinat Magazine feat. me: “Making It Modern” Summer 2024
Belle Armoire Jewelry Magazine “Honoring My Ancestors” Winter 2024
Hamiinat Magazine Fall 2024
Cowboys & Indians Magazine December 2024
Beyond Jewelry
Jennifer’s work has been displayed in print features, art installations and exhibitions around the world, including:
Vancouver Indigenous Fashion Week, Collab with Savage Kids, November, 2024 | Vancouver, BC, Canada
Indigenous Fashion Arts Festival Runway Show, June 2024 | Toronto, ON, Canada
Vancouver Indigenous Fashion Week, November, 2023 | Vancouver, BC, Canada
House of icons Fashion Week Solo Runway Show, September, 2023 | London, UK
House of icons Fashion Week Solo Runway Show, February 19, 2022 | London, UK
Covid-19 Exhibit “Community Spread, How We Face The Pandemic”, May’21-Feb 2022 | Wing Luke Museum, Seattle, Washington
10x10x10 Tieton Exhibition, International Juried Art Show, Aug-Oct 2020 | Tieton, Washington
Tlingit Roots, Solo Exhibit, July 2020 | Bear Arts Gallery, Fairbanks, Alaska
Brave New Worlds, International Fashion Showcase, February 2019 | Somerset House, London, UK (Collaboration with fashion designer Curtis Oland)
Read the story in Vogue HERE
Beyond Silver, Embelished Northwest Coast Jewelry, September 2018 | Lattimer Gallery, Vancouver, BC, Canada
Aasgutú Ádi (Forest Creatures), An Exhibit of Northwest Coast Formline, November 2017 | Duhesa Gallery, Colorado State Univ, Fort Collins, Colorado
Create, Memory, An Exhibit of Alaska Native Art February 2016 | Historic Sheldon Jackson Campus, Sitka, Alaska
Out of This World! Jewelry in the Space Age, June 2015-January 2016 | Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
In Collaboration
Ginew: Native-owned family business creating contemporary Native American goods and garments. Check out our Raven tee, jeans and bandanas.
Thunder Hat Co: Diné family owned hat and fashion company. We have done a large variety of hat bands together.
Manitobah Mukluks: creating mukluks, moccasins and slippers for the whole family. We created a limited edition Tamarack with the “momogrammed ovoid” design.
BOGS Boots: Rain, Winter and Garden boots. We collaborated with Native Outdoors to translate the art of the Tlingit ovoids into a boot.
