Chilkat Weaving Appreciation Presentation & Demonstration
I The Chilkat Weaving Appreciation demonstration and presentation during the Clan Conference 2009 was well received - the public learned how much work it was it weave Chilkat! |
 As part of our Chilkat Weaving Appreciation Presentation, Della Cheney and Percy Kunz demonstrate Cedar bark weaving and Chilkat preparations of bark for spinning at the Clan Conference, Juneau, AK - March 2009 - Photo by Clarissa Rizal |
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A Chilkat Weaving Appreciation Presentation and Demonstration was held for an entire day at the Clan Conference in Juneau, Alaska in March 2009.
Approximately 10 weavers from the Northwest Coast congregated at the Centennial Hall lobby to demonstrate all the aspects of Chilkat preparations and weaving to the general public. We held a crowd during the entire day, 10am to 5pm!
(website is still under construction - please excuse the repetitive photos & incomplete links - they will be up soon!)
There were demonstrations of the following:
* Chilkat weaving techniques and tricks-of-the-trade on several robes, aprons and leggings.
* Raw Material hands-on display: cedar bark strips, shredded cedar
bark, merino wool, mountain goat wool; dye materials such as wolf
moss, copper
* Prepartion for spinning: splitting the bark, preparing
the wool
* Demonstration of spinning warp yarns on thigh, plying wool and cedar
bark
* Photo display of how to gather cedar bark
A Power Point Presentation by Cultural Historian, Harold Jacobs and Clarissa Rizal concluded the portion of the Chilkat Appreciation event. Harold showed slides of his photo collection of old weavings. Clarissa and he analzyed some of the weavings. Clarissa provided her perspectives of past and
present role of Museums, particularly in regards to the
Native people of the Northwest Coast. These perspectives are based
on Clarissa's research at museum visits sponsored by the National
Museum of the American Indian (NMAI) Visiting Artist Fellowship
she received in November 2006.
Many thanks to the demonstrating weavers who came out of the woodwork:
Patrice DeAsis
Lily Hudson
Darlene See
Lorraine DeAsis
Della Cheney
Percy Kunz
Lorene Hanlon
Chloe French
Clarissa Rizal
This project was sponsored by Artstream Cultural Resources. Many things to the New England Foundation for the Arts Native Arts Program who provided partial funding for this project.
Past Demonstrations and Presentations have included:
2009 Chilkat Weaving demonstration & presentation, Clan Conference, Juneau, AK
2008“Chilkat Weaving demonstration, Smithsonian NMAI, New
York City, NY
2007 Cultural Interpreter, Holland American Line, Glacier Bay N.P.,
Gustavus, AK
2006 “Listening to Our Ancestors” Exhibit, Smithsonian
NMAI, Washington, D.C.
2005 Fusing Traditions” Artists Panel, Univ. of Washington
Burke Museum,“Seattle, WA
2005 Teach Math via Weaving, A laska Rural Systemic Initiative,
Univ. of Alaska, Juneau
2004 & 05 Chilkat Weaving Cross-Cultrual Exchange w/Navajo weavers, Toadlena Trading Post, Shiprock, NM
2004 “Folklife Festival” & Grand Opening Festivities
of NMAI, Smithsonian, Wash., D.C.
2003 “Art Walk” Fundraiser for Institute of American
Indian Arts, Santa Fe, NM
2002 “Tapestry” Show, Native & Western Science Convention,
Dine’ College, Tsaile, AZ
2000, ’99, ’93, ’91 U.S. Forest Service, Juneau,
Alaska
1996 “Made in America” Exhibit, Nelson Atkins Museum,
St. Louis, MO.
1993 “Artist on Board”, Alaska Marine Highway, Juneau,
AK
Contact Clarissa for permission to use text or images for educational purposes only.