Jul 20, 2015 | Acting Out and Musical Chairs, Adventures of Rear-Mirror Rissy, Showing Off, To Market To Market |
Clarissa takes a photo of herself on KTOO Public Radio station’s monitor – Juneau, Alaska
who sponsors the weekly TV series called “Colores” at PBS New Mexico.
When show organizer John Morris contacted me about being a part of the Antique Native American Art Show in Santa Fe, New Mexico opening August 17th, I did not know it would involve doing my first public television interview airing on Saturday, August 8th in Albuquerque, NM. Modern technology made it so that the interviewer, who was in the television station in Albquerque, could interview me while I sat in the KTOO television sound room. Technology sent the visual interview via internet along with me providing about 100 images of my work to the TV company who sponsors the weekly TV series called “Colores” at PBS New Mexico in Albuquerque.
The interview will broadcast on the following dates:
Clarissa in the TV recording studio of PBS’s local station at KTOO in Juneau, Alaska
The episode with my segment will broadcast on Saturday, August, 8th at 4:00pm on Channel 5.l PBS New Mexico who sponsors the weekly TV series called “Colores”.
It will also repeat as follows:
Monday, August 10th at 9:30pm on Channel 9.1.
Friday, August 14th at 10:30pm on Channel 5.1.
Just a reminder that this is a segment not the entire show. The way Colores! works is that each show is made up of approximately 3 segments. Clarissa’s segment is about 5 minutes. They will mention the Santa Fe Antique Native American art show during the program.
Thank you Tara Walsh and Joan Rebecchi at PBS New Mexico and the folks at Juneau’s KTOO for getting this interview together.
Jul 11, 2015 | Adventures of Rear-Mirror Rissy, Honoring Others, Tlingit Culture Accentuated, To Market To Market |
L to R: Dorothy Grant, Vicki Soboleff, Catrina Mitchell, Nancy Barnes (Jr.), and Clarissa Rizal sport Dorothy Grant’s beautiful designer clothing
During the final hour of the Sealaska Corporation’s annual meeting, my friend Rhonda Mann and I took a jaunt over to Dorothy Grant’s booth of her designer clothing. Of course we went wild over the blues! And it turns out that after a half hour of having a ball, all of us danced away with a Dorothy Grant!
For those of you who want to know about our top Northwest Coast Native designer of 35 years, check out her website at: www.dorothygrant.com
May 25, 2015 | Tlingit Culture Accentuated, To Market To Market |
The new guy on the block: Haa Shagoon Gallery features local Northwest Coast arts and crafts
Haa Shagoon Gallery recently opened it’s doors on May 1st this year featuring mainly Northwest Coast art from locals as well as anywhere else along Southeast Alaska and West Coast Canada, though one can find antique woven grass baskets, carved ivory and baleen from Alaska’s far north. Owner Don Morgan says he has sold twice as much artwork since the first two weeks than he did in two months at his other location in the Senate Building just a couple of doors down from his new location!
Owner Don Morgan of the Haa Shagoon Gallery
Haa Shagoon is a Tlingit phrase meaning “Our Land.” Haa Shagoon features artwork from about 20 Alaska Native artists including Jnu Didrickson, Boyd Didrickson, Debra O’Gara, Kay Parker, Ray Peck, Brian Chilton, Irene Jean Lampe, Lily Hope and Clarissa Rizal, to name a few. Items available for sale include carvings of totem poles, plaques and masks, Ravenstail robes, aprons, headbands, limited edition silkscreened and Giclee prints, silver, copper and gold jewelry, pottery, etc.
Everybody’s talking: Artists Jnu Didrickson, Israel & Sue Shotridge, Don Morgan
Generally every day, Haa Shagoon features an on-site artist demonstrating their work; sometimes there are two or three artists, yet always at least one, Most of the artists are locals who live in Juneau, but on occasion Haa Shagoon may feature an out-of-town guest artist spontaneously dropping in and demonstrating for the day! Jnu Didrickson is a regular demonstrator working in carved wooden masks and silver jewelry.
Haa Shagoon Gallery is sandwiched between El Sombrero Restaraunt and the Alaskan Hotel on South Franklin Street, Juneau, Alaska
On special occasion Chilkat or Ravenstail weavers may get the notion to demonstrate the weaving technique, just so we can “get out of the house!”
A Chilkat weaving demonstration took place on Memorial Day weekend, Sunday, May 24th with (L-R) Lily Hope, Clarissa Rizal and Irene Jean Lampe
I have approximately $60K worth of inventory featured at the Haa Shagoon Gallery; they carry the most work I’ve every had in any gallery at one given time in the past 15 years. They feature a variety of my work created in the past 3 years including, 5-piece woven ensemble “Chilkat Child”, the “Egyptian Thunderbird” button blanket, the 6-foot “Totemic Theories” charcoal on canvas, “An Ocean Runs Through Us” limited edition Giclee triptyck, and a wide selection of limited edition Giclee prints.
Front entry of Haa Shagoon Gallery
Haa Shagoon does a 70/30 commission; when an item sells, the artist receives 70%, Haa Shagoon receives 30%. Most galleries do a 50/50 split. Contact Don Morgan if you are an artist interested in Haa Shagoon carrying your work, please give Don Morgan a call on his cell at: 907-209-1501
May 11, 2015 | To Market To Market |
The Northwest Coast Weavers Supply business card and sticker
The Northwest Coast Weavers Supply launched their website and business last Summer. Owner Lily Hope provides Ravenstail and Chilkat weavers a venue to purchase their basic weaving supplies such as the weft and warp at this easy outlet, on line. Occasionally, Lily will post a blog pertaining to weaving, running the business, the latest new shipment, etc. For supplies for your next weaving project, place your order with Northwest Coast Weaving Supply at: http://www.nwcoastweaverssupply.com or call Lily directly and place your order: 907-957-8378
This was a family-affair to get this baby off the ground: The easy-to-navigate website was created by Lily’s sister, Ursala Hudson at www.whiterabbitstudio.us and the logo of human hands (always depicted with 3 fingers and a thumb in Chilkat weaving) is also to hint at the viewer the fingers are like that of a spider (since spiders were the first weavers in the world), drawn by Lily’s mother, Clarissa Rizal.
Apr 23, 2015 | For Crying Out Loud, Latest Art Projects, Showing Off, Tlingit Culture Accentuated, To Market To Market, Tools-of-the-Trade |
Northwest Coast Tlingit graduation cap designed by Clarissa Rizal painted and modeled by Ursala Hudson at her BA graduation — 2014
I have a new website with a few new tweaks to my blog, just launched last week on April 13th; I HAVE GRADUATED to a simpler, cleaner, and easy-to-navigate format to update: It’s time to celebrate! (Most artists that I know would rather spend their time creating instead of working on the computer, so the easier and faster computer time, the better for us all…!)
This is my fourth website since 1998; the first was created by my friend Cecil Touchon (www.ceciltouchon.com) nearly 20 years ago when there were not very many Native American artists’ websites.
I have been blogging since July 2010, nearly 5 years! Unlike the past blog entries randomly posted when I could fit in the work, I will post new blog entries 3/x weekly with this schedule:
- on Mondays and Thursdays and Saturdays by 12 midnight (Alaska, Pacific or Mountain time — all depends on where my business travel takes me!).
Blog posts will include the usual latest projects, art business travel, tools of the trade, people, classes, health topics, etc., though to continue helping out my fellow weavers in a more efficient manner, I have added a new section to my categories (column on the right) called “Tricks-of-the-Trade.”
All photographs on my website and blog were shot by myself unless otherwise noted.
- For over 20 years, most of the photographs of my button robes and my chilkat weavings were taken by professional photographer Jeff Laydon at www.pagosaphotography.com.
- I make an effort to give credit to any other photographers.
- Thank you to my ceremonial robe models the late Russ Eagle and my grand-daughter Amelie Haas.
- My friend Russ had been modeling for me for nearly 15 years until his passing in 2009.
- Five-year-old Amelie had her debut this past March modelling my “Chilkat Child” 5-piece weaving ensemble.
I have begun formatting my photographs larger; people want to SEE!
- I also will aim towards shooting more interesting shots, maybe at different angles
- maybe I’ll even tweak them too, because I CAN!
- Click photos on my website to enlarge; the blog photos are what they are
- Ursala says I ought to buy myself a SLR camera to produce better photos, though at this time I cannot afford spending $500-$1000.
- Blogs and websites are much more interesting with better photography and golly, shooting from my old iPhone I guess just doesn’t tickle anybody’s fancy does it!
- Hold on, dear readers, the money for a real camera will come some day!
As time permits, I will be adding one more topic to my website: a “Tributes” page to honor mainly Tlingit elders who have helped me on my path as a full-time Tlingit artist for nearly 40 years. My “Tributes” page will include those of have passed including:
- grandparents, Juan and Mary Sarabia
- parents William and Irene Lampe
- very first mentor/teacher Tlingit chief from Yakutat, Harry K. Bremner, Sr. who gave me my very first sewing lessons along with Tlingit song and dance instruction, and
- mentor/teacher of Chilkat weaving, Jennie Thlunaut
- my apprenticeship with Jennie Thlunaut
Thank you to my daughter, Ursala Hudson for working hard last weekend to create and launch my website by my deadline! Check Ursala’s graphic design/web design work on her website at: www.whiterabbitstudio.us
Mar 25, 2015 | Showing Off, Tlingit Culture Accentuated, To Market To Market, Uncategorized |
Amelie dances “Chilkat Child” 5-piece Tlingit woven ensemble woven by Clarissa Rizal – 2015 – all photographs by Jeff Laydon of Pagosa Photography
In the Summer of 2012, I had a couple of weaving apprentices come live with me for a month. All three of us started child-size Chilkat robes (with the intention that the child robe could also be worn by an adult as a dance apron). Over the past 2.5 years with all the other projects, a couple of commissions, travel for weaving classes and gatherings, family, etc., I finally completed this ensemble. I chart my time; it took a total of 5 months to weave this ensemble. The only way to make myself get a job done is to give myself a deadline, usually the deadline is an art show, a dance performance, etc. This time the deadline to complete the entire ensemble was by the Heard Museum Indian Art Fair and Market the weekend of March 6th this year.
Back side of Chilkat Child dance robe – Size 3T – woven by Clarissa Rizal 2015
I used four shades of blues, three were hand-dyed by myself, the variegated blue was dyed by a company in Sitka, Alaska. I used one shade of blue just for the braids. To distinguish the braids from the weavers, it was Jennie’s trick-of-the-trade to use two different shade of blues, one for the weaving, one for the braids! Also, I included curlique shapes in the design form; they represent seaweed, yet also I just wanted to see if I could actually weave the tight curls; they are not necessarily easy to weave, so believe me (which I rarely use that phrase), weaving the curliques in the leggings and the apron were a challenge!
Close-up of Chilkat dance apron and Chilkat/Ravenstail dance leggings – Size 3T (fot small child) – woven by Clarissa Rizal – 2015
I also used three different shades of golden yellow and two shades each of the white/off-white and black. The fringe on the apron, headdress and leggings were trimmed with .22 bullet shells, and all the pieces are trimmed with sea otter fur. Except for the robe, all the pieces were lined with leather with twisted fringe.
“Chilkat Child” torso (hat and upper front part of Chilkat robe – woven by Clarissa Rizal – 2015
Thank you to my 5-year-old grand-daughter, Amelie Soleil Haas for being such a natural-born model. She was easy to work with, took instruction well, and made my little “Chilkat Child” look better than ever!
Grand-daughter Amelie models “Chilkat Child”, with the weaver of the ensemble, her Grandma “Rissy” Clarissa Rizal – March 2015
Folks wonder how I get so much done: Most people who see me out there in the world being friendly and cordial and seemingly always traveling, wonder how I have time to work…well, there’s an explanation for that: when I hole up inside my studio for about 7 months out of the year, I do nothing else but work, work, work–produce, produce, produce. I have a zilch social life; I don’t watch TV except Netflix movies while I am preparing bark, splitting wool, spinning or grooming warp, and I don’t entertain because I don’t have facilities or room to entertain. I tend to be goal-oriented. I like setting goals and achieving them. And as any of you who know me well, I have always had many, many goals to achieve, all at once; there are things to take care of, things to design and make, places to go, people to connect with and bills to be paid! My motto: “Getterdun!”
However, once I am “out of my rabbit hole” and in the world, I am truly out there, but nevertheless doing work, just a different kind of work. It’s my “social work” which generally involves helping with the grandchildren, spending time with friends, networking, traveling to do shows, or teach classes or apprentices, buying supplies and equipment. This life is the way I make a living. It’s been this way for 39 years, it’s too late to get out of it now!
Mar 18, 2015 | To Market To Market |
I am selling my Epson Pro Stylus 7880 24″-wide Format Inkjet Printer that I have had for nearly 6 years and have barely used, not even 50 hours of use. As part of the printer package, included is my Shrinkwrap System. I am whittling down my artistic activities and will eliminate the production and sale of Giclee Prints. I am focusing my efforts on my Chilkat/Ravenstail weavings, button blankets, original paintings, and am returning to carving.
This excellent printer features: 24″ wide print carriage, roll or cut sheet paper, prints on thick media up to 1.5mm (silk, photo paper, watercolor paper, canvas, etc.), 8-channel MicroPiezo AMC print head, and UltraChrome K3 ink guaranteed 80 years from any fading.
Most refurbished printers run anywhere from $1800 to $2300, just for the printer. I am asking $3280 for the entire printing package, which includes the printer ($2300), a 40′ roll of canvas ($300), rolls of other miscellaneous papers (no charge), set of inks ($400), maintenance tank ($50), Shrinkwrap system ($300), 16 sheets of 24×30″ black foam core ($80) and roll of Shrinkwrap ($150)
If you’d like to know more about these fabulous printers, you may check out a website at: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/518790-REG/Epson_SP7880K3_Stylus_Pro_7880_Large_Format.html
Mar 16, 2015 | To Market To Market |
ATTENTION ARTISTS WHO SELL THEIR WORKS AT ART MARKETS & FAIRS!!! Do you need wall panels to display your paintings, graphics, prints, etc.? I have two complete display units for sale made by Graphic Display Systems, the original manufacturer of affordable wire mesh display panels, for Artists, Craftsman, Schools, etc., to display their work in a professional manner. The display unit is the most light weight, most durable, most used and easy to assemble display panel on the market. The system breaks down into three flat boxes that fit easily in the back of your station wagon, 4wd, or today’s BMW! My panel system are in excellent condition. I have one in Colorado which I have used only 4 in times in six years and I have one in Alaska of which I’ve only used this unit 2 times in the past 4 years, and because I am changing my business plan this year, it’s time to let them go!
The system in Pagosa Springs, Colorado is the basic panel system with additional panels to add 18″ more height. Included are additional bars and clips. This system is valued at $1600; I ask $1000.
The system that I have in Juneau, Alaska is the basic panel system shown on the website to fit a 10ft. x 10ft. booth. This system’s wall is 10 ft. wide and 5 ft deep with one horizontal bar at the top. Initial cost was $1000; I ask $800.
For more info on these fabulous systems, check out the company who manufactures these at: http://www.graphicdisplaysystems.com/accessories.htm And yes, my area code is 970 (colorado)…!
Mar 12, 2015 | Honoring Others, Relationship Overdrive, Showing Off, To Market To Market |
The Hope grandchildren, Bette, Louis, Mary and Eleanor model hats made by Grandma Rissy!
After 20+ years of weaving Chilkat and Ravenstail robes, I have accumulated left over weft yarns in shades of whites, blues, yellows and blacks, not quite enough for any significant weavings, so I decided to put these yarns to use.
Grand-daughters Violet, Simone and Amelile–Chilkat hats made by Clarissa Rizal – Winter 2014-15
Nearly 40 years ago, instigated by the need for beautiful, ear-flap hats to keep the wind, rain/snow and cold out for my own children, I became a hat maker and there are a few folks out there who still have their winter hats that I made. Those hats back then have my design trademark at the top of the hats: the star or starfish, as shown in these photos. Now that I have grandkids, I am back to making these hats…happily, I have come full circle…!
Grandma Rissy has nicknames for all her grand-children: SikiKwaan, Ajuju, Wasichu, and Inipi — Chilkat hats by Clarissa Rizal – Winter 2014-15
Mar 11, 2015 | Adventures of Rear-Mirror Rissy, Showing Off, Tlingit Culture Accentuated, To Market To Market |
Sue and Israel Shotridge enjoy one another; Clarissa Rizal’s “Chilkat Child” won Best of Class at the Heard Museum Juried Art Show, Phoenix, AZ – March 2015
Doing art markets alone is not as much fun, however if you get along with other artists who may want to do the show alongside with you, like Sue and Israel Shotridge, it’s so much more fun! We had a blast! This was their first year at the market; this is my third year. We were two of 600+ Native American artists featured at the Heard Museum Native Art Fair and Market usually held the first weekend in March; this was the Heard’s 57th year. Sue and I were not quite a year old when they first started this fair! There were also a few other Northwest Coast Native artists at the Fair, though not many of us: Dolly Garza, Diane Douglas-Willard, and Zoe Urness.
Shotridges and Rizal combine their “gallery space” in each of their 10′ x 10′ booths at the Heard Museum Indian Art Fair and Market, March 7 & 8 – Phoenix, AZ, 2015
To be a part of the fair, the application process starts each year in July. To qualify, you must be at least 1/4 Native American with proof of your CIB (Certificate of Indian Blood), there’s a $25 application fee, the largest, 10’x10′ booths are $500, you must provide a resume’, and 10 images of your best work within the last 3 years. It’s easy for myself because I have established a large body of work over the past 39 years, though for emerging artists, the application process may be intimidating; however, keep your faith in yourself, put your best foot forward, and if you have nothing major to show for yourself, then get on the ball and produce some work before the Heard Museum deadline for application! Get it together, step up to your plate that’s waiting to “feed” you! It’s up to you!
Israel Shotridge drums and sings a clan song to an audience in his booth at the Heard Museum Native Art Fair & Market, Phoenix, AZ – March 2015
A select group of the booths at the Heard are 10′ x 10′. The Shotridges and I took down the canvas wall that divided our booths; we wanted to be able to converse and especially have more light AND give buyers and opportunity to “step into our gallery.” —- These shows can be a lot of work. It took three hours to set up my simple booth below. It took three hours for the Shotridges to do the same. Yet there is a simple pleasure in the accomplishment of making our space look inviting, and in our opinion, it really is like setting up a temporary outdoor “gallery.”
Clarissa Rizal’s “little gallery” art booth at the Heard Museum Native Art Fair & Market, Phoenix, AZ – March 2015
Outside of winning ribbons and with the intent you will sell some work to help offset not only your costs but pay some of your bills for the next few months, one of the best parts (for me) about doing shows are the variety of people we meet from all walks of life and the invites to other shows and events, or invites to artist retreats or residencies, and not to mention the up-and-coming artists who look to you for guidance and advice. Generally speaking, I think people like to be needed; it gives us another sense of self-worth!
Recent glassblown pieces by Tlingit glassblower Preston Singletary at his annual art show held the same week as the Heard Art Market, at the Blue Rain Gallery in Scottsdale, AZ
Jeremy Frey won Best of Show for his magnificent basket, Heard Museum Juried Art Show, March 2015
Carver Israel Shotridge and Glassblower Preston Singletary
Sue Shotridge takes a photo of the award-winning bentwood box carved by her husband, Israel Shotridge — Heard Museum Juried Art Show and Market – March 2015
Clarissa Rizal and Sue Shotridge sport their cedar bark hats woven by Haida artist Merle Anderson – March 2015
Beadwork close-up by beadwork artist Marcus Amerman – (I am partial to the Chilkat emblem in dead center!); Heard Museum Juried Art Show & Market, March 2015
Marcus Amerman’s beaded “Smithsonian” piece at the Heard Museum Native Art Fair Juried Art Show, Phoenix, AZ – March 2015
Adrian Wall’s sculptures in blown glass and stone at the Heard Museum Native Art Fair & Market, Phoenix, AZ – March 2015
