Q&A with Vince Gregory of Carving Fox Art & Jewelry
Storyknife, March/April 2026 edition
Vince Gregory, a Calista Shareholder in Anchorage with ties to Upper Kalskag and Russian Mission, is a first-generation, self taught carver who began carving over a decade ago for peace of mind and spiritual fulfillment.
Vince often sells his ivory carvings at Indigenous craft shows in Anchorage and he shares workspace with other Alaska Native carvers at the Alaska Art Alliance shop at 4th Avenue and C Street in downtown Anchorage.
Vince is also active on Instagram (@carvingfox1989) where he shares each stage of his work, starting with the raw material. Following is a Q&A with Vince adapted from an interview in late 2025.
Tell us about yourself and the origins of Carving Fox.
My cultural background—my family, my village, and teachings—taught me the ideas of never being wasteful, being resourceful, adaptive and creative, and an attitude of gratitude.
I carved for the first time with a piece of moose antler a friend was about to throw away. It took me a few days to decide what to do with the antler. I had an ivory ring I purchased for $10 while I was working as a cashier at Walgreens. I said to myself, I need to make this antler look like that ring. In the process of carving it, my world of trouble became silent, and that’s when I noticed that art is a form of therapy. That’s when I knew I wanted to keep doing it, because of how relaxing it felt.
The name Carving Fox came from seven encounters I’ve had with foxes, three of which were in dreams. In one dream, I saw two foxes fighting and wrestling. In the distance, I see a mother fox watching, and it looks at me like it is saying, “Join us.” There is a puddle and I see a fox looking back at me in the reflection. I was like, whoa, that’s me, I’m a fox! That’s how I got my artist’s name, from the energy of dreams.
My cultural background—my family, my village, and teachings—taught me the ideas of never being wasteful, being resourceful, adaptive and creative, and an attitude of gratitude.
Vince Gregory of Carving Fox Art & Jewelry
As a self-taught artist, how did you build your skills?
Once I began carving, it took me about four years until I got the confidence to reach out to others. I started by making gifts. I had to make 100 rings before I got better at it. Since then, I’ve made over 1,200 rings, two chessboards, probably over 200 dice, and probably over 200 pairs of earrings and at least 30 pairs of chopsticks. The only thing I was actually taught to make was my very first bracelet with a fox and watch band that I wear daily. For my first chessboard, I used a Walmart chessboard as a pattern.
What are some rewarding aspects of your business?
The most rewarding things are meeting new people and the joy it brings to people’s faces if I give them a gift. Making other people happy makes me happy.
Whenever I post something on social media—let’s say, a fossilized ivory ring—I put my thoughts and feelings around it, and gratitude for something special. In 2017, my old wrestling coach from high school said I should start naming my art pieces, because then you give it a spirit, a life, energy meaning, and a story. So ever since then, when I make something new, I give it a name. I recently worked on a set of dice made of ebony wood with dots made from ivory. I named it Midnight Stars. Those stars represent our ancestors—we’re never alone because they are with us.
What advice do you have for aspiring artists?
I would first say, find something that is meaningful to you, whether it is music, painting, cooking, sculpting, dancing, singing, or whatever. But if you are making material objects, it is important to keep in mind you aren’t making things you can buy in any retail store. It’s an extension of your soul and your heart and spirit. Always put meaning behind it.
I also recommend listening to meditation music while carving. Especially if you are going through some sort of trauma, like a death in the family, the art of creation and meditation music can help your stress and problems disappear. It’s a transformation of energy.
Visit the Calivika Shareholder Directory to create your own free business listing and review options to purchase goods and services from our people. See Vince Gregory’s listing for Carving Fox Art & Jewelry.