Sep 2, 2014 | Honoring Others, Latest Art Projects, Poetry Alaskan, Showing Off, Tlingit Culture Accentuated, To Market To Market |
The back and front cover of Juneauite author Hannah Lindoff’s “Mary’s Wild Winter Feast” co-illustrated by Nobu Koch and Clarissa Rizal
Hot off the press, you may purchase this book at the Alaska-Juneau Public Market at Centennial Hall in Juneau during Thanksgiving weekend at my booth #P-15 in the main hall OR you can purchase directly from Hannah OR you can order a copy from a couple of sources below:
Here is the book’s page on UAF: http://www.alaska.edu/uapress/browse/detail/index.xml?id=511
Here’s the Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/Marys-Winter-Feast-Hannah-Lindoff/dp/1602232326/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1409341461&sr=8-1&keywords=Mary%27s+Wild+Winter+Feast
You want a signed copy? Come by my booth P-15 at the Alaska-Juneau Public Market! We’ll see you there!
Aug 23, 2014 | Honoring Others, Relationship Overdrive |
Two of my favorite friends who are excellent artists, Preston Singletary (L), Cecil Touchon and I — @ Preston’s annual show during Santa Fe Indian Market, Blue Rain Gallery, Santa Fe, NM — Friday, August 22, 2014– photo by Nisa Touchon
I don’t know why, but I always wanted these two people to meet. Maybe it’s because they are “famous” — maybe it’s because they are almost like two peas in a pod — maybe it’s because one is an Aquarian and the other a Leo…! Guess which is which. Whatever the case, I think I wanted them to meet because they are a couple of my favorite people and this evening during Preston’s annual show opening at the Blue Rain Gallery in Santa Fe, Cecil and his wife, Rosalia and daughter Nisa, showed up! I forgot I had told them about the show opening; I am so happy they came, so happy for these two guys to meet — (don’t ask me why I wanted them to meet, all I know is that I was happy for them to finally meet one another; you ever feel that way about two of your favorite buddies meeting?)…
You may check out Cecil’s paintings and collages at his website: www.ceciltouchon.com
You may check out Preston’s glassblowing at: www.prestonsingletary.com
Aug 8, 2014 | Class Act, Honoring Others, Tlingit Culture Accentuated, To Market To Market |
Louet yarns held in small hand-woven cedar bark baskets – “The Coppers” Chilkat robe limited-edition block print by David Svenson, 1984
The Northwest Coast Weavers Supply (http://nwcoastweaverssupply.com/) online shop has been launched !!! This is THE online source we have all needed! This is our one-stop shop to buy Ravenstail or Chilkat warp and the best commercially-spun 100% merino weft yarns by company-brand “Louet” — NWCoastWeaverssupply.com will also begin carrying looms (for local delivery only), loom bags, no-sap cedar bark (bark is boiled to remove sap for splitting to spin with your wool), merino wool roving, and instruction books. And within the year, nwcoastweaverssupply.com will also offer other items for sale such as cloth covers, tote bags, mugs, greeting cards, warp sticks, embellishment items, etc.
Owned and operated by Lily Hope in Juneau, Alaska, place your order now on line for your weaving projects or classes by clicking here or give Lily a call on her cell at: 907-957-8378
Aug 2, 2014 | Honoring Others, Tlingit Culture Accentuated |
Flanked by two Ravenstail robes woven by Shgen, Clarissa poses with Shgen George (center) and her daughter Gabby Kay at her first show opening during 1st Friday Gallery Walk, August 1st, 2014 at the Juneau Arts & Culture Center (JACC), Juneau, Alaska
Shgen George has been an elementary school teacher for at least 10 years; she carves out time from her other roles as mother, wife, mentor, teacher, and daughter to do her art – it isn’t easy! Like where do you find the time to do your art when there’s always student’s class assignments to check during the weekend!? She had an impressive showing of buttonrobes, Ravenstail robes, beaded, appliqued and woven Chilkat and Ravenstail octopus bags! Wow. Even I have never had a one-man show and I’ve been at this for nearly 40 years! — Click here for more information on Shgen and her show at the JACC during the month of August.
Shgen says that I am her mentor. (Really? Me?) I am not only her teacher of Chilkat, I am her mentor. I have never really considered myself a “mentor” – like what does that mean? Someone who knows a little more about life’s certain topics that shares it on a consistent basis with specific person(s). She says that I have inspired her tremendously and wants to do what I have done in my life. I have never had anyone else tell me this; I wonder if there are others who feel the same way? I had not ever considered myself as someone “to follow in their footsteps…” so to speak. I am 58 years old this year; I better get on the ball and take my position seriously. So I have given her some pointers on how to go about doing this: what to watch out for, the dedication, determination and drive of doing art to keep yourself sane while growing up and old all the while becoming more of a human being, and all the while balancing your life with your husband, your kids, your community, your health,…and of course, your other job!
A few years ago, when I saw Shgen’s astounding beadworked octopus bags, I told her that I had woven a couple of octopus bags, one Ravenstail, the other Chilkat. I encouraged her to weave octopus bags of all kinds, and why not!? Nobody’s doing it and it’s gotta be done and I’m too busy doing other weavings and works so it might as well be her! By golly, she’s done it!
Shgen too is part of Jennie Thlunaut’s legacy of a Chilkat weaver. I know Jennie would be proud of Shgen, her character, her talent and her works.
Congratulations Shgen!!! And Gunulcheesh to her husband, daughter, mother, father and other community members who have supported Shgen in her achievements!!!
Can we have an Amen!? Can we have a HOO-HAA!?
Jun 22, 2014 | Acting Out and Musical Chairs, Adventures of Rear-Mirror Rissy, Class Act, Honoring Others, North Tide, Poetry Alaskan, Showing Off, Tlingit Culture Accentuated |
Of all the things I have ever aspired to be and do, it’s never been to be a lead singer, or one of the singers in a band! Though at the request of my friend the glassblower, Preston Singletary, I thought I’d give it a go. We sing traditional Tlingit songs with the back up of a fantastic sound called funk jazz fusion played by outstanding musicians that practically blew flutist Gene Tagaban and I right off the stage with the very first drumbeats at our very first performance in Seattle the night of June 20th. We are called “Khu.eex” (pronounced “koo eeeexch” which in the Tlingit language means “potlatch.”
Preston’s other band is called “Little Big Band” – this band is a totally separate band with a totally different sound from Khu.eex, You may visit Little Big Band’s website by clicking here at “A Little Big Band.com”
The following are a few photos of “Khu.eex” taken by Dan Shanks and I:
Let’s introduce you to “Khu.eex” – L to R: drummer from New Orleans Stanton Moore, Clarissa Rizal, keyboard player from New Jersey Bernie Worrell, Seattle musicians: bass player Preston Singletary, flutist/spoken word Gene Tagaban, saxaphonist Skerik, lead guitar Captain Raab, and sound engineer Randall Dunn at Avast! Studios, Seattle.
Read more about the various band members & the recording studio on their websites:
Bernie Worrell, keyboard artist: http://www.bernieworrell.com
Stanton Moore, drummer: http://www.stantonmoore.com
Preston Singletary, bass: http://www.prestonsingletary.com
Gene Tagaban, flutist/spoken word/singer: http://www.storytellingraven.com/
Clarissa Rizal, singer/spoken word: http://www.clarissarizal.com
Avast! Recording Studios: http://www.avastrecording.com/
Preston rounded up Gene, Captain Raab and Clarissa to create the set list.
I thought to myself “man, this is serious, we are really performing for an audience and are no longer in the recording studio…” like “hello, wake up dearie, we are not in Kansas anymore…!” The following photos are rehearsal shots:
Preston, Stanton Skerik and Bernie during our one rehearsal directly before the first of two shows on the evening of Thursday, June 19th, Seattle,Washington.
Here are a few more shots of our performances:
When are we going to take this troupe on tour? Well, a few things have to line up: First, Preston is working on finalizing the recording sessions and it looks as though there is enough material for two CD’s. Secondly, Preston’s two kids have to get a little older by about two years so that they can come on tour with us. Thirdly, we have to do some fundraising (maybe via Kickstarter) to pay for the tour.
And fourthly, for me, now that my throat is pretty much healed from last Winter’s spell of pneumonia, I can continue to take my voice lessons from Brett Manning’s Singing Success.com – click here to find out more about how you can take these fun voice lessons — if I can take voice lessons, you can take voice lessons! Being a part of Preston’s band, I feel like I have to contribute more than just being able to sing the native tunes; I have to really learn how to sing so my voice is an actual instrument allowing me to be more CREATIVE!!!
Bernie Worrell with Dan Shanks (who was the photographer for most of the photos on this blog post).
Both Bernie and Dan (as well as Gene Tagaban) are part Cherokee — can you see the resemblance? I can….(elongated shape of skull/face, certain width at bridge of nose, ears are flat to side of head, and the human kind graciousness of their character…)
Jun 15, 2014 | Honoring Others, Latest Art Projects, Ravens & Eagles, Showing Off, Tlingit Culture Accentuated |
“Resilience” Chilkat robe – Clarissa Rizal – June 4, 2014 -photo by Jeff Laydon, Pagosa Photography
After 3 months of preparing the bark and wool then spinning the warp and dyeing the weft, and then 5 months of weaving the robe with at least 8 up to 12 hours per day of daily weaving time, I finished the robe on my 58th birthday, June 4, 2014! You may read the design description of the robe in an earlier blog post from last year at by clicking: http://www.clarissarizal.com/blogblog/?p=2914 (You may also find additional blog posts about the progression of this robe under the category “Latest Art Projects” in the left hand column of this blog page.)
The initial drawing of “Resilience” Chilkat robe copyright 2013 by Clarissa Rizal
Materials ready to go: Full-size pattern, basket of warp, basket of yellow, black, white weft, and basket of blue weft
Clarissa Rizal completes weaving the logos of Sealaska Corporation, Alaska Native Brotherhood and Alaska Native Sisterhood and prepares to weave the Sealaska Heritage Institute’s logo
The beginning of SHI’s logo (bottom center)…
Of all the parts of the robe that I was not looking forward to was the weaving of the Sealaska Heritage Institute’s logo! However, once I got it started, I had so much fun and i felt such an affection as if the “human body” was actually a real entity, a real person! — You are probably wondering why the figure is upside down…it’s because this logo is the actual “tail” of the shared body of the Eagle and Raven clan. The tails of the main figure(s) is always drawn upside down.
On May 5th, I had a bike accident causing big bruises everywhere, especially my hands. And though my hands took a long time to heal and I was in pain, I had to get the robe done by June 11th because I SAID I WOULD and there was an institution that had commissioned this from me and by golly I was gonna “getterdun!” So I swathed my hands several times daily with the famous healing skunk cabbage ointment “Skookum” made by Harlena Warford out of Hoonah, Alaska,…and I used the three fingers on each of my hands to get the job done come hell or high water! (And because I know that I AM the “hell and high water” there was nothing of which to be afraid!!)
Clarissa Rizal completes and dances her robe on her 58th birthday, June 4, 2014…!
At the Canoe Gathering in Juneau, Alaska during Sealaska Heritage Institute’s biennial “Celebration”, Carver Wayne Price is flanked by Portland Art Museum’s Curator of Native American Art, Deana Dartt-Newton and designer/weaver of the robe, Clarissa Rizal. This is my third Chilkat robe Wayne Price has worn for me.
PAM now houses the robe in their permanent collection. According to Deana, as long as she is the Curator of Native American art at P.A.M., this robe will always find its way into ceremonies and Celebrations. Thank you, Deana!
Jun 14, 2014 | Adventures of Rear-Mirror Rissy, Honoring Others, Relationship Overdrive, Tlingit Culture Accentuated |
Clarissa with Donna Cranmer (Alert Bay, B.C.) and Ann Smith (Whitehorse, Yukon) at the Sealaska Art Fair during Celebration 2014, Juneau Alaska — Louis Hope receives a pair of mukluks
There was a core group of us weavers, like little more than a handfull who were weaving Chilkat back in the late 80’s; some of those women were Canadian, some were Alaskan — didn’t matter, we were all related somehow! They included Ernestine Hanlon, Suzi Williams, Anna Brown Ehlers, Irene Jimmy, Ann Smith, Donna Cranmer, and myself. There were not very many of us back then; not like today. (I apologize if I forgot to include you!)
It was sure good to meet up with Donna and Ann; we all hadn’t seen one another in 13 years! From 1992 to 2001, we would have Indigenous Weavers’ Gatherings once or twice a year; they began with our hostess Ernestine Hanlon in 1992 in Hoonah – from there we organically grew…a weaver would host a gathering in her home in her home town…we hosted them in Juneau, Haines, Sitka, Alert Bay, Prince Rupert, etc….and it’s been so long, I forget where else!
It’s a darn good thing I blog else I’d forget what I’ve done and where I’ve been and who’ve I done whatever I did where and when! It’s really hard to keep up with myself!
Jun 12, 2014 | Honoring Others, Latest Art Projects, Poetry Alaskan, Showing Off, Tlingit Culture Accentuated, To Market To Market |
An illustration by Nobu Koch and Clarissa Rizal in Hannah Lindoff’s children’s book “Mary’s Wild Winter Feast”
Juneau author Hannah Lindoff first children’s book “Mary’s Wild Winter Feast” will be hot off the press and available to the public this coming September. Illustrated by artists Nobu Koch and Clarissa Rizal, Hannah read the story during the weekend of “Celebration” at 11am on Friday, June 13th at the Juneau Public Library. Lily Hope also told one of our T’akDeinTaan clan stories of “Salmon Boy”. Sondra Simone Segundo read her book “Killer Whale Eyes” Photos follow:
With the help of her daughter, Hannah reads her first children’s book “Mary’s Wild Winter Feast” to a full room at the Juneau Public Library, Juneau, Alaska.
I was brought to tears when Lily Hope told our T’akDeinTaan Clan story “Salmon Boy” – if you have the chance to ever hear her tell this story, drop everything, attend and listen…!
Ketchikan Tlingit writer, Sondra Simone Segundo reads her very first children’s book “Killer Whale Eyes”
Thank you to all the parents and children who came out this morning to attend this storytelling event! Thank you to the co-sponsors Juneau Public Libraries and the Sealaska Heritage Insititue. Gunalcheesh!
Jun 12, 2014 | Adventures of Rear-Mirror Rissy, Honoring Others, North Tide, Tlingit Culture Accentuated |
9 canoes gathered at the shores of Sandy Beach in Douglas, Alaska the day before “Celebration” began on Wednesday, June 11, 2014
There have been numerous canoe gatherings along the Northwest Coast for the past 20 years – they started after I moved inland to Colorado. Since 2007, I began spending part time in my home state of Alaska and part time in Colorado, Yukon and wherever my work takes me. This June the timing was right and I made sure I attended this gathering – mainly too because my friend Wayne Price had his first sailing of two traditional dug out canoes that arrived at this gathering – they were the only two traditional canoes; the others were fiberglass.
Michael Jackson from Kake, Alaska with dance staff – little does he know Clarissa has her latest Chilkat robe in her arms
I am sorry I cannot provide all the communities who partook in this event though I know Haines/Klukwan, Kake, Juneau and Yakutat were represented.
Clarissa waits for Wayne Price in his dugout canoe to place the Chilkat robe on him
Paddlers raise their paddles enthusiastically as they have permission to come ashore to their hosts homeland
One of my heroes, Ethel Lund (center) flanked by two friends
Clarissa with her daughter Lily and grandson, Louis Hope
The tide has gone out, the tour ships are leaving Juneau port and the paddlers are coming ashore!
Village of Kake, Alaska paddlers carry their canoe ashore
Deana Dartt-Newton, Wayne Price and Clarissa Rizal
Backside of the “Resilience” Chilkat robe woven by Clarissa worn by friend and carver, Wayne Price
Wayne and Cherri Price stand beside Wayne’s traditional dugout canoe – their entire crew paddled from Haines, Alaska to Juneau to join in the canoe gathering
The dugout and the any paddles were carved by students under the guidance of Wayne Price
I dare say I have missed out on all the canoe gatherings in the past 20 years, but hey, better late than never!
May 11, 2014 | For Crying Out Loud, Health and Wellness, Honoring Others |
Clarissa’s mother Irene Loling Sarabia Lampe berry-picking at SueAnn’s home – My mother protected herself from the blood-sucking mosquitos; she wore two layers of clothing, fingerless gloves (before you could buy them in the store) AND a shower cap! — August 2001
One of the most favorite things to be and do with my mother was berry picking…We picked berries almost every August since I can remember filling up our freezers and jars until she was 80 (just 4 years after this photo was taken). 2005 was the last year we picked together; she decided that it was risky to be romping around in the forest even though she was very careful. She was avoiding breaking a leg or worse yet, breaking a hip which she warned us to never do since at that age will be the downfall of one’s health.
For the past three years, Mother’s Day has been a day of both sorrow and joy. Like any of us whose mother’s are one of our best friends for life, I miss her so I have my moments of sorrow; yet, at the same time, I am a mother to three great kids! After our mother’s passing on July 4, 2011, I wrote a blog entry about my Mother; you may read and see more photos of her at: http://www.clarissarizal.com/blogblog/?p=1983
I invite you to also read her obituary with historical photos at: http://www.clarissarizal.com/blogblog/?p=2025 These photos include images of my Grandmother and Grandfather Mary and Juan Sarabia, childhood, etc.
Top: Clarissa’s parents William and Irene Lampe with first grandchild, 18-month-old son, Kahlil on father’s boat the “Clarissa Rizal”, Excursion Inlet, Alaska – July 1978 — Middle photos of Clarissa’s children: Kahlil, 5 yrs old; Lily, two yrs old; Ursala, one yrs old — Bottom photo: Clarissa, 2nd grade school photo
I am fortunate to be the mother of three fine kids; and my children are now parents!
Clarissa and her children Ursala, Lily and Kahlil in front of “Jennie Weaves An Apprentice” Chilkat robe – July 2011
I am blessed with four wonderful grandchildren with two more “waiting in the eaves” to be born this July and October!
Just got out of the movie theatre….Clarissa’s four grandchildren L to R: Elizabeth Hope and her brother, Louis, Violet Hudson and Amelie Haas — they make up the three clans of H’s: Hope, Hudson and Haas!
I have known for a very long time that I am one of the most wealthiest women I know. My definition of wealth is defined by my family, who we are, where we come from, who we be and what we do. I wish you a very a Happy Mother’s Day,…today and always!
