Sep 10, 2010 | Honoring Others, Relationship Overdrive |
Japanese artist Julia Sai Carlson assists Robin Putnam on a wall mural in Telluride, Colorado
For 6 months in 2005, Julia Sai Carlson apprenticed with me in learning Ravenstail weaving and button-robe making. She initially contacted me via email from across the ocean in Japan. Of course, I receive all kinds of emails from people who want to learn Chilkat weaving or button robe making, but very few actually follow through and so my initial response from Julia was “yeah, sure…”
Since the end of our apprenticeship, she has been attending the California School of Arts and Crafts, going for her BFA degree, where she recently met her present boyfriend, Robin Putnam. Robin has been working on a painted wall mural for the town of Telluride, a small town in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. Last weekend they had the unveiling of the mural. You may read the article at: http://www.telluridenews.com/articles/2010/08/27/news/doc4c770ee308c6b873224608.txt
Robin and Julia
I am proud of Julia; she is living her dream of becoming a full-time artist. What I want for her, I want for my own children, I want for anyone including myself: to live their life to the fullest in living their dream(s). I treat Julia like one of my own kids – just can’t help that when a youngster comes to live for 6 months and just about does everything I do and travels everywhere I go. In those six months that she was with me, she helped keep the house clean, the garden weeded, and helped keep my ex in line. She traveled with our family to visit my parents in Alaska; she traveled with family to spend a week with my in-laws vacationing in Hawaii; she traveled with me when we took a side trip to visit the Navajo weavers at Toadlena Trading Post near Shiprock, New Mexico. She was my side-kick for 6 months! The last time I had that was with my youngest child, Ursala – until she went to public school in the 3rd/4th grade.
Robin and Julia each have their own websites. You may visit Julia’s website at: http://juliasaicarlson.web.fc2.com/ You may visit Robin’s website at: http://www.robinputnam.com/
Sep 9, 2010 | Latest Art Projects, To Market To Market |
A wooden box captures all the necessary little tools when jumping from weaving loom to weaving loom, whether they are looms in a class setting, or my own looms in my studio
Artists employ all kinds of tools for their trade and we never really pay homage to the tools that assist us in whatever the art we create. I’ve taken photographs of few of my most trustworthy “friends” who are with me on a day-in day-out basis, making business all that artfully simpler.
Very Important Paperbooks (VIP): A Franklin Covey planner and two notebooks, one for computer skill notes and website updates, and the other to list all the projects with "to-do" listings under each project category
Folks wonder how I accomplish so many things, like where do I find the time for it all? Well, besides not having much of a social life, nor owning a television all my adult life, nor taking vacations or looking for entertainment outside of myself, I have lots of time to organize, speculate, design and create (as well as the bookkeeping, note-taking, email responses, website updates, blogging, etc.). Outside of having creative time, and the usual paperwork, keeping organized is the key to accomplishments. I am a left-brained, right-brained person, can you tell?
Keep organized. It's a joy to reach out and select what you need in the very moment of its need instead of searching through stacks of paper strewn about the desk top - like just reach out and touch...the very thing you need
Let's face it you backwoods, artists - get with it! The wave of this future is right now and guess what, if you don't have a computer or laptop, the world of business is going to leave you way behind...as much as I resisted for many years to the technological world and the hubbub, I was forced to get on board by sheer pressure
This HP Officejet 6500 Wireless is not as quiet and smooth as my Canon MX700, but it does the job when i need to download, print and fill out applications to submit on the double!
Peppermint tea English ala creme with Vitamin Bs and C and a dash of cellphone radiation is a way to start a vigorous day
Love seats are a necessary tool to accommodate to sporadic visitors and late-night Netflix videos while spinning Chilkat warp - this is the first time I've owned a love seat - they are not sprawling like a couch
Sep 9, 2010 | Honoring Others, Relationship Overdrive |
The soft light of Irene Loling Sarabia Lampe
As many of us have experienced, or are presently experiencing, it is not easy watching our parents get older. It’s not easy for them either. Remembering my weaving teacher, Jennie Thlunaut’s words back in 1985 when she was 95: “…don’t get too old! Don’t get too old!” As she was trying to get up off the couch, “You cannot get up,…or walk anymore!” As she looked out at all of her students her thick glasses made her look like an owl: “…you cannot see anymore…!” She struggled with her false teeth flapping in her mouth: “…you cannot even talk anymore…!”
Two nights ago my sister and I were in sitting with our mother, Irene Loling Sarabia Lampe. At one point, Mom said the same thing as Jennie. She also said she is getting tired of living and just wants to go now. We don’t blame her. Since our father passed in December 2008, our mother has sorely missed him; this of course, has made her living a little bit less palatable. They were married almost 54 years.
My mother was the youngest in her family. After the passing of her brother Robert Sarabia and her sister Sue Belarde over 10 years ago, she remarked that she was the only one left in her family; she felt very alone. Yet, just a year before the passing of our father, my parents got to experience the birth of their first great-grandchild, Elizabeth Deanna Hope. Then 6 months later, they met their 2nd grand-daughter, Violet Sol Hudson. I hadn’t seen that kind of happiness since my own children were born. My mother will meet the next grand-daughter, Amelie Soleil Haas next month as she will be here for a two-week visit with her parents. We look forward to the celebration.
My Mamma naps and dreams of another time and place where she is no longer slow, bent and in pain
Out of the sky blue, my mother asked me when I’m going to cut my hair. I told her “after you are gone..” She curtly replies “Why are you going to wait until AFTER I am gone!? I want to see it now! I want to see all the curls you once had when you were a little babe…!”
Sep 8, 2010 | Adventures of Rear-Mirror Rissy, North Tide, To See or Not to See |
The name sake sits in the woods at the edge of Eagle Beach
At one time, there must have been more eagles at this beach. Lots of ducks, lots of seagulls, even Canadian geese, however only one eagle; like what’s the deal? How come nobody give the names “bird beach” or “Geese Beach?” What happened to all the eagles? Are they out fishing in other rivers plump with spawning salmon. Isn’t it too late for spawning salmon; aren’t we at the tail end of all that? Too much road construction for the eagles? Too many hikers, campers and beachcombers? Too much noise? One eagle, folks, that’s what was out here on a beautiful early evening. Better enjoy it while we can!
The tide is going out catching the reflection of another glorious sunset
Aerial Mushroons are like most mushrooms, they suddenly appear, then the go back from where they come
Some clouds erupt like volcanoes
I swear, like all the other photos on this blog, I DID NOT photoshop that lovely sight directly above us in the clouds!
"Rear Mirror Rissy" in her Alaskan safari style scoping the dramatic scene
The sun has set; do we really have to go home?
Sep 3, 2010 | Honoring Others, North Tide |
Juneau artist Arnie Weimer stands aboard his scaffolding at 2nd St & Gold
What kind of normal people would work in Juneau weather? Laborers, gardeners, construction crew, long shoremen, city maintenance folks,…and, and…artists? I can’t say I know very many Juneau artists who are willing to design and paint an art installation entirely outdoors. I’m sorry folks, but Juneau’s weather gets to me; unless of course, I am working in the weather, then for whatever the psychological/emotional reasons, I can stand the constant rain.
Hey, what is this photo essay about? Juneau’s weather or Arnie Weimer’s latest endeavor!? Gadzooks, get on with it!
What’s Arnie doing this mural for? What’s the name of it? Why is he doing it? Who commissioned him? Or is this mural a donation to the city because the big wall needed some action? What’s the story on this mural? Who is Arnie, anyway?
A few dabs of paint while he poses for this photo
Obviously, the mural portrays aspects of Juneau’s diverse cultural history (i.e. miners, totem poles, fishing vessels and “no parking” signs. I think I’ll give Arnie a call and get some info, eh? Or would you like to respond with answers?
Last of the traditional Chilkat weavers Jennie Thlunaut
Arnie included his boat from long past in this fishing scene
The mural measures 20 ft. high by 120 ft. wide
Rain or shine, Arnie plugs along
Sep 2, 2010 | Acting Out and Musical Chairs, Tlingit Culture Accentuated |
Lily Hudson and Elizabeth “Betty” Hope wait for daddy to appear on stage
Ishmael Hope explains the shape of Alaska by using his hand - a perfect visual for demonstrating to the tourists where Juneau is located in relationship to the rest of Alaska! Yet, even we locals laughed at the hand demonstration because many of us had never seen that gesture before!
If you guys didn’t get a chance to see Cedar House’s last performance this past Saturday, August 28th, you missed out on the re-telling of four old Tlingit stories by Frank Katasse and writer of Cedar House, Ishmael Hope. Ishmael had re-written the stories to set for the stage recorded by the late Robert Zuboff. The play was directed by Flordelino Lagundino (www.flordelinolagundino.com).
The play was staged for this Summer’s tourist season, however, there was so many requests for the play to be performed for the locals, Perseverance booked a couple of weekends.
Four stories were enacted out on stage between Frank and Ishmael. The kept us quite entertained hearing the dialogue exchanged between the two as the stories were conveyed with motions, shouts, quick costume changes and facial expression – so much fun! The four stories included:
The Origin of the Mosquito – about how a young man overcame a terrible evil during the earliest years of Tlingit history.
The Birth of Raven – about how the major figure in Tlingit mythology came to birth, survived his treacherous uncle and arranged the Tlingit world today.
The Salmon Box – about how the Raven created the salmon cycle.
The Raven and the Brown Bear – about the Raven at his most scheming and devilish.
I had heard these stories several times before, and even acted out the mosquito turned cannibal giant story with the Native theatre group Naa Kahidi Theatre back in the early 90s, but to see two expert storytelling actors portray these stories in a different light was just so much fun!
A full house and standing-room-only at Perseverance Theatre's last performance of Cedar House
Storyteller Frank Katasse and Ishmael Hope refer to their list giving thanks to all those who assisted with this production
After the play was over, Frank and Ishmael stuck around to answer more questions from audience members
Miah Lager and Lily Hudson with their children pointing to the "stars"
HUH!? you are probably wondering why I didn’t include any photos of the actual storytelling!? Like, what happened!?
I couldn’t. The audience was not allowed to take photos during the show.
Sorry folks. I was just being a good girl and did what I was told; for once!
Sep 1, 2010 | Honoring Others, Tlingit Culture Accentuated |
The silent auction included art prints, Native foods baskets, jewelry, overnights for 2 at various local hotels, and a couple of Pendleton blankets!
Last Friday, August 27th, a fundraiser dinner was held at the ANB Hall in Juneau, for cancer patients Clarence Jackson and Barbara Fields. The fundraising efforts included a Chinese and Silent Auction, of course topped of with a salmon/spaghetti dinner which included herring egg salad, steamed rice and fresh rolls, served to a hungry group of 250+ folks who just got off of work at 4:30pm.
I apologize for not taking any photographs of the food – I was too busy eating, and by the time i thought of taking photos of the food, it was too late! (Come on you guys, you know I like taking photographs of food, right!?) I think my mother and sister got full on the herring egg salad, so they couldn’t eat the fresh sockeye salmon – I got to take their portions home…ah, the benefits for just being there!
A Chinese auction included 2 sets of Alaska Airline tickets, a painted bentwood box, and a huge box of subsistence foods from Angoon!
Mayor Jan Hill from Haines, won the 1st set of Alaska Airlines tickets for two!
Young dancers performed for the audience
How much money was raised during this event? I don’t know. Yet, it was a good feeling to see the large number of folks who came out to help support both Clarence and Barbara in their journey towards healing themselves of cancer.
