Nov 2, 2013 | Honoring Others |
Joan passed away (without real fair warning) on September 30, 2013 – though I did not find out about her passing until her husband, Jack emailed me a month later. Of course it would take him at least a month before he could say anything. Those two were inseparable; they were two bumps on a log who were supposed to forever get real, real old together to the point where neither could get out of the rocking chairs and they would just be found on the front porch holding hands with the grin of old death on their wrinkly faces! But no, that’s not what happened. Someone gave them the damn, WRONG script!!! %^$$%#@! wrong script!!!
Jack and Joan lived with us about 15 years ago; at least, maybe 18 years ago, I don’t quite remember. They were in between houses and needed a place to stay, so I shifted the house around a bit and moved our bedroom into my studio; they and their daughter Hope lived upstairs – their son Jay was off in college; our two older kids had already left home (so I know it had to be sometime after 1996). We lived together peacefully for about two months before they found their new home. We took turns making and sharing dinners each night; during the day, we each had our respective rooms to work – they were self-employed and so were we, so no one went anywhere to “go to work.” Our house isn’t that big, only 2300 square feet, though none of us really got in one another’s way; it didn’t even feel like we had another family living in our house! When someone would come to the door for the Hudson’s or for the Koppelman’s, the other would say: “uh,…just wait a moment and I will check to see if they are home…!”
I know Jack and his family are adjusting big time. Words cannot describe this loss. It is way too hard to imagine Jack without Joan; impossible. It’s not supposed to be so, and yet damn it that the script they received is what it is!
Oct 15, 2013 | Honoring Others |
Ellen Hope Hayes – 2007
The first time I met Ellen Hope Hayes was at the Pioneer Cafe, Sitka, Alaska back in 1985. I had just finished a meal with some friends and I was waiting for a ride to come pick me up. I noticed how this beautiful, elderly woman had been staring at me for quite some time; she finally got up and came sat down by me when my friends had left. First thing that came out of her mouth: “I think I know who your mother and father are.” With that famous smile and equally famous glint in her eye, she continued: ” I’ve been watching you. You look like your father but you act like your mother…Is her name Irene Sarabia?”
We laughed. She reminisced about her and her first husband, Roger Lang, going to school together at Sheldon Jackson School with my mother back in the late 40’s. She said my mother was just way too much fun! And ever since this first introduction, we were street acquaintances. Throughout the years, we would see one another in passing, on the ferry boat, at Centennial Hall in Juneau, during a Clan Conference, at a potlatch, or at a memorial service. We would catch a few lines, give one another hugs, shake hands and hearts “until we meet again.”
One of the most gracious women I have ever come to know; an inspiration to all of us younger women to learn how to become (if we aren’t that way already – and God knows, I sure wasn’t born with much grace!).
The following is an obituary from the Sitka Sentinel, October 11th, 2013:
“Ellen Hope Hays, who made history when she was named superintendent of Sitka National Historical Park, passed away peacefully on Oct. 8, 2013. She was 85 years old. Ellen was living at the Sitka Pioneers Home at the time of her death. She had moved back to Sitka from Bainbridge Island, Wash., in January 2013.
Ellen was born Dec. 29, 1927, the seventh of 14 children born to Andrew and Tillie Hope of Sitka. She was a Tlingit of the Raven moiety, Kik’sadi Clan and Point House. Her clan name was Kaa Katlin (Raven Looking Forward). She was raised and lived much of her life in Alaska. She married Roger Lang and they had one child, Karen Valorie Lang. In 1978 she married Henry Hays, and they moved to Bainbridge Island, Wash., in 1994.
Ellen was a graduate of Sheldon Jackson School, and was awarded an honorary doctor of law degree from the University of Alaska in 1996. Ellen spent her professional career with the National Park Service and on July 9, 1974, she became the first woman and the first Alaska Native to be appointed superintendent of a national park in the Pacific Northwest.
She also was the first woman to apply and be accepted as a member of the Alaska Native Brotherhood. She was instrumental in the Brotherhood’s successful effort to operate the Visitor Center craft shop wing of Sitka National Historical Park, which eventually became known as the Southeast Alaska Indian Cultural Center.
Throughout her life, Ellen promoted the values of art and the humanities. She served on many boards and commissions that were dedicated to these causes, both in Alaska and Washington.
Ellen forged many enduring friendships throughout her life. She was a mentor, friend, and teacher to many. She was passionate about her family, her heritage, the arts and education. She believed one should always be learning.
Ellen is survived by her husband, Henry Hays, of Bainbridge Island, Wash.; daughter Karen Coleman of Sitka; granddaughter, Kendra Pountney (Michael) of Sitka; grandson Jerrick Fulkerson of Juneau; and great- grandson Robert Pountney of Sitka. She is also survived by two brothers, Fred Hope (Margaret) of Sitka, and Percy Hope of Juneau. She also has numerous nieces and nephews, and is survived by her dearest friends Herb and Polly Didrickson of Sitka.
A memorial service will be held later in the Fall. In lieu of flowers, please send remembrances of Ellen to her family (c/o Karen Coleman) at PO Box 92, Sitka, AK 99835.
Sep 20, 2013 | Adventures of Rear-Mirror Rissy, Honoring Others, Tlingit Culture Accentuated |
Glass Tlingit “Baskets” by Preston Singletary
Directly after the retreat with Sue Shotridge and Melissa Rinehart, Sue and I went to visit our friend, Preston Singletary. For those of you who don’t know Preston yet, he’s that artist who does the Native designs on glass. He’s got a studio in Seattle equipped with lots of glass forms stuffed in shelves, boxes for shipping, packing material and 5 employees. The guy and his team really produce! Holy! — If you are interested in doing glass, go talk to the man. Click her to check out his website!
Preston’s studio is nearby Seattle’s Space Needle
David Svenson is another fantastic artist, working mainly in neon art living down in the mountains above L.A. – He used to live in my beloved Haines, Alaska back in the early 70s and 80s where he learned how to carve from the old masters, Leo Jacobs, Johnny Avatok and another elder whose name just slipped my tongue, dang it! Back in the early 80’s David suggested to Preston that he begin to put the Native designs on glass – that’s the story I heard, but ask the fellows to get the sure story because I may be wrong.
Sandwiched between two favorite buds: Preston and David
What can I say about these three artists above? Birds of a feather flock together. I didn’t really GET that saying until I had a lovebird years ago. My Lovebird “Kiwi” taught me many things about being human; get that…it took a bird to teach me about being human. Hmmm…go figure.
Shelves of glass forms by Preston Singletary waiting to be completed
I wasn’t sure how Preston’s employees would feel about me taking photos of them while they were working so I didn’t. I don’t even know how Preston feels about me posting photographs of his unfinished work on my blog in this public forum yet who gets to see art in their “naked” stages(?) nobody; I better contact him and see if it is okay to show them “naked”, incomplete. I am proud of this guy; I feel like he’s my younger brother. He’s got quite the dedicated group of folks; he’s a fortunate man to have these crew members. In fact, I gotta say that I am generally proud of my fellow artists! They have taken the leap into the “unknown” possibilities of bountiful possibilities and realities!
Sue Shotridge, David Svenson and Clarissa – in Preston’s studio
David Svenson and the glass Bear
Sep 18, 2013 | Honoring Others, Latest Art Projects, Tlingit Culture Accentuated, To Market To Market |
the first of several illustrations for a children’s book by Hannah Lindoff
Alaskan-born writer, Hannah Lindoff is writing a children’s book about a child’s experiences in putting up foods for winter from Southeast Alaska’s sea and land. Another artist formerly born and raised in Juneau, Nobu Koch and myself are collaborating on the illustrations. Above is an example of our combined efforts.
Under the influence of my friend, the infamous collage-artist/painter, Cecil Touchon, I began making collage about 12 years ago in 2001. He encouraged me to take the Northwest Coast form line art and “play” with it. I copied his technique, using similar materials and added the form line elements. Such fun!
I am currently working on the last few collages for the book. By the first weekend in October, I will then scan and email them off to Hannah for approval before she then emails them off to Nobu to complete image. I am working on these collages in my studio in Colorado, Hannah writes in Juneau, Nobu is living and working in Seattle; how cool is technology that the three of us, who live miles apart, can collaborate on a project together like this?
Sep 8, 2013 | Adventures of Rear-Mirror Rissy, Honoring Others, North Tide, Showing Off |
Childrens’ “Bogs” at the beach
I cannot remember the first time I saw those colorful, clunky, rubber boots called “Bogs” but for sure it was up in Juneau, the rain country. The brand name of Bogs most likely comes from the fact that these boots are worn where there’s an unlimited supply of water; that would be Southeast Alaska! There are even Bogs for children, even itty bitty children who are just able to walk, and of course, once little ones learn how to walk, they are vulnerable to wet weather just like we are, but even more so because they are closer to the puddles since they are shorter; see?
Little kid’s bogs next to the latest in Bog style; I call it “Spider Woman’s Bogs!”
I have never desired to wear Bogs – they are too colorful, too bulky and too heavy and I don’t want to be wearing something that suggests that there must be a lot of wet weather. Let’s say I am in denial of all the rain in Southeast Alaska! I won’t wear a raincoat; have never owned one. I won’t use an umbrella; though I’ll use one in Colorado, and I’ve never worn those brown rubber boots that everyone else has worn in Southeast Alaska for at least 50 years! Nope, not me.
Wore my bogs while blue berry picking up a mountainside in Haines, Alaska
But then one day, I walked into Shoefly shoe store in Juneau and there were these weird-looking, up-to-the-knee boots with a herring-bone pattern; they came in red and black. I was actually in the market for a pair of “normal” shoes since all I have are either boots or sandals, nothing in between. Oh well, I tried on these boots and they are like waterproof, thinly-insulated, high-top moccasins! So dang comfortable that there’s no such thing as “breaking them in.” I bought them specifically for the wet weather on beaches, in the woods, up the trails, rocky pathways and of course, in the bogs! That’s right. These are the truly remarkable, light-weight, stylish “Bogs in Alaska Bogs!”
“Spider Woman Bogs” fishing in Hoonah, Alaska
Go get yourself a pair at $110. They have inspired me to get my muscles back into shape because I just love walking in them. They’ve got good grip for boat decks, keep you feet dry no matter what, and golly, I’ve been mistaken for Spider Woman on occasion, and I kinda like being incognito for awhile!
“Spider Woman’s bogs” amongst the skunk cabbage while on the way to nagoon berry patch
In the back of the truck riding through the Hoonah mountain side looking for more berries – notice the bag of blueberries at the left foot of “Spider Woman’s bogs”…
Sep 1, 2013 | Adventures of Rear-Mirror Rissy, Honoring Others |
Two favorite books of late: “The Boreal Gourmet” by Michelle Genest and “The Boreal Herbal by Beverly Gray (notice “Spider Woman’s Bogs”)
“The Boreal Gourmet” – Adventures in Northern Cooking is a fabulous book for anyone living in the North like Yukon and Alaska. “Hilarious, big-hearted writing about food gathering and cooking adventures on Canada’s boreal frontier, Michele Genest mixes her experience of international cuisine with big love for local ingredients to create receipes that make you want to pull on gumboots and head north. This book is truly Yukon Gold!” – Margaret Webb, author of Apples to Oysters
“The Boreal Herbal”: wild food and medicine plants of the North is an indispensable guide to identifying and using northern plants for food and medicine. With the Boreal Herbal you will learn how to soothe pain with willow, staunch bleeding with yarrow, treat a urinary-tract infection with bearberry, and create a delicate and uplifting skin cream from sweetgrass. Also included are dozens of healty and delicious recipes, including Wild-weed Spanakopita, Dandelion Wine, and Cranberry-mint Muffins.”
I use both books as cross-references. For the past 10+ years, ever since I canned apricots and blackberries in my portable outdoor kitchen directly after my classes at Pilchuck School of Glass, I have had the notion that I will spend 4 to 6 months harvesting food starting up in Yukon and working my way down through Southeast Alaska, British Columbia and Washington State, Oregon, Montana, California, etc. then head back to Colorado to spend the Winters with my loot of foods put up for winter; every time I pull out a jar of smoked salmon, or dried apricots, or fix a cup of Labrador tea, I have the memories and joyful feelings of harvesting the bounty from the land and sea. This type of experience, in my opinion, is a wholistic way of life. Our spirituality, mentality and physical bodies are experienced as one; no separation. I discovered that Michele and her husband Hector (amongst many other Yukonians), do this type of journey every Summer. I intend on doing this too, soon. Real soon. And in conjunction with teaching Chilkat weaving wherever I am.
Michelle serving up sourdough pancakes with low-bush cranberries; her husband Hector (in the white hat) converses with a “customer”
While in Atlin, B.C. during their annual music festival, I took a jaunt on foot around town and while heading back to our weavers’ demo tent, I saw a crowd of people standing around a long table set up on the side of a road. They were all chomping down happily and talking while they ate, obviously enthusiastic about what they were eating. So I walked over to them and noticed hand-made mushroom raviolis and cranberry pancakes being served. I said: “hey, cool,…what’s going on…is there some kind of celebration?” And immediately the woman responded: “oh, hello, Clarissa…how’s it going…good to see you again!” It was Michele Genest. I had met her a month prior on the MV Matanuska ferry heading to Skagway. She was checking out our weaving looms on board – and I remember her saying she wasn’t much of an artist except that she was an avid cook and a writer. ——- It’s a small world.
Aug 19, 2013 | Class Act, Honoring Others, Tlingit Culture Accentuated |
Catrina Mitchell from Juneau, Alaska winds the skein of weft onto the ball winder to create a ball of weft – working from a ball of weft is much easier to draw the yarn from than the skein…
A student of Ravenstail and Chilkat, Catrina Mitchell knows what she wants to do in the evenings and on the weekends this Fall and Winter into Spring: Ravenstail weaving! We’re excited! Am I going to reveal WHAT she is weaving, for WHO and WHEN she wants it done? NO. Hello…That’s a secret! It’s enough to know she is one of several women on a mission to complete her weaving(s) by Celebration 2014 next year. — For those of you who haven’t gotten started on your weaving; what are you waiting for? Winter is coming! Let’s get on the ball and have fun! And let’s join for a Weavers’ dance and song next year!
Catrina has warped up her loom (or “dressed” her loom) – She wove her first row (called the “anchoring row”) and before she weaves her first 5 rows of white, she is now double-checking the length of each warp end making sure they are all the same length
Catrina is happy to remember how to do Jennie Thlunaut’s fingering for speed, accuracy, tension and most of all: GRACE!
A perfect Weaver’s Tote! Each compartment has a purpose of its own – four distinct places for the four colors: black, white, yellow, blue – compartments for pen and small spiral-bound notebook – compartment for scissors, large-eye tapestry needles, cotton twine/sinew, and then some!
Aug 18, 2013 | Adventures of Rear-Mirror Rissy, Honoring Others, North Tide, Tlingit Culture Accentuated |
The making of the traditional dugout canoe at Cherri and Wayne Price’s porch in Haines, Alaska
How many of you know, or know of, the carver/silversmith/boat builder/hunter Wayne Price? Do you know where he lives? Have you ever taken a class from him? Have you met his wife, Cherri? Or met any of his friends or students or family? It’s time to meet him.
The Price House is always hopping with visitors coming and going – I’m not sure how Wayne gets his work done! And both he and Cherri are always accommodating; they generally drop what they are doing and will converse with you. (They sound like the way I am but I am trying not to be that way to the degree I was else I cannot get my work done!) Here they share their dry fish with Crystal Rogers, Jim Simard and Teahonna James
The Price House: …so I like to help them out in whatever way I can…in this instance, when I caught Wayne and Cherri talking about loading the firewood into the basement, I immediately volunteered the weavers Crystal and Teahonna and Lance Twitchell’s brother to help out…! The community has got to be reminded now and then to “give back” to Wayne and Cherri and it starts with each and every one of us who have benefited from their hospitality !
The Price House: Meagan Jensen looks over Teahonna James weaving the closure of her circle.
The Price House: William Wasden, from Alert Bay, B.C., sings songs from his neck of the woods, while Wayne tends to the fire, the weavers weave and the rest of us listen, watch and take in the scene!
Read more about Wayne and Cherri Price on their website; click here to the link. And when you are in Haines, stop by and say hello – let him know I sent ya!
Aug 18, 2013 | Honoring Others, North Tide, Poetry Alaskan, Relationship Overdrive, Tlingit Culture Accentuated |
Jennie Thlunaut’s hands weaving closing up the black braids to the eye – May 1986
As we weave the fabric of our lives, working hard through all the days
Mixing colors into twine, cedar too for warp that’s mine
Our hands do hurt but I won’t complain; my students here I’m going to train
To be a weaver of the robe, that people know over all the globe
Our work we do for time will stand, side by side from my ancestor’s land
Their hands I see when I close my eyes; heads of grey, hands wrinkled and wise
Their training I feel all through these days, now I pass it on in so many ways
What I teach I hope and pray, they will learn and weave will stay
Long past my last earth day
My Grandchildren’s Grandchildren I hope will say
This robe I weave is from my land, taught to me by someone Grand
Our story goes on and we prevail; I’m here to tell you a weaver’s tale.
Written by Wayne Price in honor of our weaving tour visit in Haines, Alaska three weeks prior and in memory of our weaving mentor, the late Jennie Thlunaut – written 18 August 2013
Wayne Price wears the “Diving Whale Lovebirds” Chilkat robe recently woven by Clarissa Rizal – June 2013 – weavers Cherish Clarke, Sherri Atlin, and Georgianna Low are standing behind Clarissa and Wayne at the Adaka Festival photo shoot – photo by Ken Kaunshansky
Aug 4, 2013 | Adventures of Rear-Mirror Rissy, Class Act, Honoring Others, North Tide, Tlingit Culture Accentuated |
Flanked by Crystal and Clarissa’s Chilkat weaving looms, Teahonna James weaves on her Chilkat headdress in the upstairs room of the Sheldon Museum in Haines, Alaska
The Sheldon Museum, though small and cozy in comparison to many museums about the country, has quite the collection and display on Chilkat weaving. In fact, for the first time ever, the weaving exhibit included Tlingit language weaving terms! I have posted them on a separate blog entry; click here to the link.
Teahonna quietly weaves in the room surrounded by “artifacts” – yet to us, they are “relatives” – they are “related” to us in some form or another, whether it be a tool used by our ancestors, or a map carried by a visitor, or a robe woven by our teacher – there is relativity to us
For several years, I thought it a good thing to learn to speak the weaving terms in our Tlingit language. I wished I had asked Jennie to teach me the weaving terms but I was too young to even know what to ask. I watched a documentary on a dugout canoe carved on an island in Lake LaBarge in the Whitehorse area; at one point during the completion ceremony of the canoe, Lance Twitchell a young speaker of Tlingit who taught himself the language not even 10 years ago, who is now an assistant professor at the University of Alaska Southeast, spoke so eloquently in our Native tongue that even though I didn’t know what he was saying, hearing the language in that moment immediately brought tears to my eyes – he spoke as if he were an elder who has returned to us only to find remnants of a language almost obliterated and he alone with a couple of others are working hard to bring it back. Lance looked as if he carried this “weight” upon his shoulders. In that moment, I told myself that when I return to Haines and live there, I will learn my language, and I will begin with the weaving terms so that I may teach it to my students.
Do all Chilkat weavers have long hair? Many do. Clarissa and Crystal have kept their long hair – a trademark of many Tlingit women before the Westerners arrival.
The two Chilkat robes in the background were woven by the last of the traditional Chilkat weavers, the late Jennie Thlunaut; and to the left of the robes, the Ravenstail robe was woven by Lani Strong Hotch from Klukwan
In the left behind Crystal and Clarissa, the small child-size Chilkat robe was woven by Jennie Thlunaut – come to think of it, this may have been her very last Chilkat robe before she passed in July 1986
Because of such beautiful, warm weather, we agreed to demonstrate weaving nearby the totem pole carvers on the last day outside the front entrance to the Sheldon Museum
Nathan Jackson (r) visits Jim Heaton, the master carver of this particular pole (who isn’t pictured but standing to the left), and sculpture artist Matthew Hincman – in the background are singer/composer William Wasden from Alert Bay, B.C. and leader/singer/drummer of the Dahka Kwaan Dancers from Whitehorse, Y.T., Marilyn Jensen
Except for the Swiss-made chisel, these are hand-made carver’s tools
Teahonna spinning warp – She is trying to meet her goal of 300 yards of Chilkat warp so she too can begin weaving a child-size Chilkat robe.
L to R: William Wasden, Marilyn Jensen, William’s nephew Mark, Clarissa Rizal, Crystal Rogers, Matthew Hincman, Megan Jensen,Jim Heaton, Jim’s carving apprentice Joe (?), Nathan Jackson, and Jim Simard
On the last day of our demonstration, there suddenly was a congregation of familiar visitors and friends who “happened to be in town” – at our request, William Wasden sang a couple of compositions in honor of weaving and in honor of the carvers, especially in honor of local master carver, Nathan Jackson.
After a wonderful last day, we wished we had been demonstrating our weaving outside the other two previous days; we wondered how many other folks we would have reached had we been more exposed.
We wove outside way past the Museum’s closing hours until the sun went behind Mt. Ripinsky
Chilkat weaving has become a way of life. I see how it has shaped my world views, my connections to people, places and things; it has even made me philosophize more so than ever! haha! I see all the relativity of things via Chilkat. It is something that I want to share with our people. As with all of us, our time here is limited. I am a busy woman, constantly. I am one of a few who makes the time and energy to teach our women. I want to help bring up the standard of internal living within the minds and hearts of our women. I have experienced the gift it has brought me and how it has changed me internally. Chilkat weaving provides an internal strength I had no idea existed. I want our women to experience this internal strength. When we strengthen our women, we strengthen the bond of our relationships. If during her status as a Chilkat weaver that her relationship with her partner goes awry, possibly the integrity of her partner did not match with the strength of Chilkat weaving. When we strengthen the woman, it is like a rippling effect; the power moves out like a water dropping into the ocean…the weaving strengthens the relationship which in turns strengthen the family unit which in turns strengthens the community, which then strengthens the nation…and the world!
Thank you to my apprentices, Crystal Rogers, Teahonna James, Vanessa Morgan, and the new “groupie” Stefanie Sidney, for coming along for the “ride” – it’s been quite the experience and treat! Let’s do this again! Truly, what would a teacher be without her students?
