From Chile Dictatorship to Alaskan Art | Linda Lyons
Written by Tokala Tatum on June 5, 2025
Turning her past life experience into transformative art, Linda Lyons sets the bar for professional artists from creative integrity to transformative art both on the canvas and in the classroom.
Hosted by DJ Ev, he sits down with Linda Lyons on the Daybreak Star Radio to talk everything from art within differing countries, classrooms and cultures. Tune in below to see the full video interview‼️👇
Culture to Creativity
Linda Lyons was born and raised in Alaska, hailing from the Allutiq/Sugpiaq nation, spending much of her young life on Kodiak Island. Due to this Linda fell in love with nature and it has become a growing and influential force in her artwork. Even to the point of starting out her career in biology before it would take a massive turn.
Linda’s love for biology grew exponentially but at the same time her love for visual arts was growing simultaneously. She states that spending time on Kodiak Island not only trained her love for nature but also her eye for seeing the land in an artistic way.
Eventually she gave up biology to pursue the visual arts stating that her love outgrew her interest in biology. So, Linda packed everything up in order to chase her dream. Although this would lead her to an entire different country within an entire different political system.
Chilean Dictatorship
”It can be a lonely pursuit but if you love it then be persistent and just do it.” – Linda Lyons
Linda Lyons landed at the prestigious art school in Chile, the Escuela de Belles Artes de Viña del Mar. Living there for 18 years, practicing and honing in her craft and creative voice. She also came across something else, the Chilean Dictatorship.
From the period of 1973 to 1990, Chile was ruled by dictatorship, an overthrown government, leaving their society in chaos. Linda states that this influenced her peers art by a lot, leaning heavily into social commentary, resistance and protest based artwork. Although Linda said this only helped her define her unique voice even more, rather than falling into the void.
Since Linda came from a much quieter sense of life in Alaska, with her love for nature, it helped. In Central American there are many great artists such as Diego Rivera who practice the art of ‘magic realism’. Linda said studying these artists allowed her to depict the simplicity of nature in a stylized and heightened way, finding her true voice.
Influencing the Future
Now Linda is back in Alaska, doing her artwork alongside her husband while also teaching. Linda Lyons teaches the local youth the ways of art. Emphasizing learning the basic fundamentals and training the eye to see more than anything.
Linda currently loves working with oil on canvas because it has a certain fluidity to it. This medium also allows the art to evolve on the canvas naturally, due to oil blending well. Linda passes these teachings on to the youth, allowing them to self-express.
Linda encourages anyone interested in this “lonely” path to not give up. Be organized in your approach to success, never fear rejection and stay persistent. Emphasizing that persistence always defeats rejection eventually.
Check out the full video interview down below and go support Linda Lyons in all that she does‼️👇
