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Questions?
Contact us at
Northwind Crafts
Willow, Alaska
E-mail
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About
the artist, Sue Firmin
Introduction by Teresa Firmin Lindner
Sue start of
1984 Iditarod, Anchorage,
with Leaders Spike (left) Sage (Right) photo
taken by Sue's Dad, Stanley Wilk
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Definition:
Artist. A person whose creative work shows exceptional sensitive
creative ability or skill and imagination
By definition, we are all an artist of something in our lives. However,
it does not define us as the term defines some. Sue Firmin is a
born and raised Alaskan and second generation artist. She has channeled
both creativity and pioneering spirit into her art work.
Sue was born in Anchorage Alaska. Her parents, Stanley and Jane
Wilk, were Alaskan pioneers. After their 1945 honeymoon to Alaska,
they could scarcely wait to get back home, to Rochester, NY, pack
up and move to the Last Frontier. Her childhood led her on many
adventures but, the grandest and most heartfelt adventure of all
was when she married Bill Firmin in 1974. Wed under the dancing
Northern Lights, above the Arctic Circle in the small village of
Fort Yukon, their adventures together spanned the next 30 years.
Bill was partner to Sue in heart, spirit and vision; her biggest
fan. Their marriage was, and still is, special to many of us and
an inspiration in our own lives. They wintered their first years
on the Porcupine River running a trap-line by dog team. Their daughter,
Teresa, was born in 1977 and the family became three. With the addition
came the move to Flathorn Lake in 1979-80. Flathorn Lake, north
of Anchorage, is accessable only by small aircraft, dog team or
boat. It is located in close proximity to the Big Susitna River
and provides grand views of Sleeping Lady Mountain. Sue chose 1981
to fulfill a life long dream of running a team of sled dogs in the
Iditarod. Bill, ever the supporter, assisted with everything from
handler to sled builder. As soon as Sue crossed the finish line
she had goals for the following year. Sue was one of the first few
women to run Iditarod. The bloodline of her dogs still compete in
the race to this day, despite the jokes that she and her dogs might
be "too pretty" to run such a race. Sue concluded her
Iditarod competition after five successful races to raise and home-school
Teresa.
Sleeping
Lady Mountain
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The family suffered their greatest
loss of all, in 2004, when Bill passed away due to cancer. Sue
and Teresa honor his memory daily. They continue to live as he
would have wished them to here in Alaska. With the passing of
Bill, Sue made the choice to move herself, her business and her
remaining dogs onto the road system in Willow, Alaska, where she
resides today. The family home at Flathorn Lake is still owned
by Sue, but she now shares ownership with Teresa and Teresa's
husband, RT Lindner. Flathorn Lake will always be the family heart
home.
Sue still keeps a small recreational team of dogs to enjoy during
the long Alaskan winters. With the addition of a comical bay quarter
horse and a 26 year old mini horse to keep him company, there
is always something going on to keep life interesting
The family travels have taken them far and wide throughout Alaska
from the Southeast to the far frozen north. Sue's love of Alaskan
birds, animals and flowers are depicted in her paintings. Besides
being an artist, Sue is a breast cancer survivor, Iditarod veteran,
mother, wife, inspiration, and friend.
Sue with daughter Teresa |
Sue's paintings echo her own mothers'
natural talent as a painter. She was the creator of the oil paintings
on cottonwood bark which Sue emulates. Sue's handcrafted tin ornaments,
with her embellishments, are purely her own creation and ingenuity.
Each ornament is hand sanded, painted and wired. Many ornaments
are fashioned alike, yet each piece bears its own originality
due to painting technique and/or beading. Sue handles each one
to make it special and unique
Sue's oil paintings are currently not available online. If you
are interested, please contact Sue directly for information, offers
and photos of her work.
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