Sep 24, 2011 | Adventures of Rear-Mirror Rissy, Latest Art Projects, North Tide, Showing Off, Tlingit Culture Accentuated, To Market To Market |
"Raven Knows Its Light" multi-media collage with faux pas painted frame - Clarissa Rizal
It’s hard to believe I actually got enough material together for a half-way decent show of some of my contemporary paintings and collages! The show opened on Thursday, September 1, 2011 at the Stonington Gallery in Seattle, Washington. My works were in good company with a couple of other friends of mine, Chloe French and Preston Singletary. Yes, all the works are for sale via the Stonington.
Stonington Gallery show opening - September 1, 2011
"Totem Theories Revisited" acrylic painting on canvas by Clarissa Rizal
Stonington Gallery show opening September 1, 2011
Tlingit World Series #092 - Clarissa Rizal - 2011
The above collage is a series based on the original painting “Ravens Prepare for Next Ice Age.”
"Jennie Weaves An Apprentice" Chilkat pattern board (for the Chilkat robe of the same name) - acrylic painting on canvas - Clarissa Rizal
If you are in the Seattle area, check out the show or…
Read about the opening show article in the Seattle Times – Friday, September 23, 2011: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/thearts/2016289325_ar23tlingit.html?syndication=rss
Aug 25, 2011 | Honoring Others, Latest Art Projects, Showing Off, Tlingit Culture Accentuated, To Market To Market |
During the Santa Fe Indian Market Sealaska stage, Likoodzi modelled the 4-piece Ravenstail ensemble "Copper Child" (a collaboration of mother and daughter Lily Hope and Clarissa Rizal) and Crystal Rogers modelled "Jennie Weaves An Apprentice" Chilkat robe (hot off the loom) handwoven by Clarissa Rizal
Likoodzi and Crystal smile at a full audience at the Santa Fe Indian Market - August 20-21 - The beaded deerskin dress and hi-top moccasins were made 30 years ago by Kate Waters Boyan for our mother Irene Lampe
Watch the Fashion Show of Northwest Coast Tlingit regalia at Sante Fe Indian Market August 2011 – video courtesy of Lee Cooper
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVrc0iXy9EE>
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVrc0iXy9EE
The Chilkat robe pattern board designed by Clarissa Rizal painted on canvas applied to wooden frame - Photo by Lee Cooper
Crystal Worl and Beckie Etukeok assist in putting up the ends in the back of the robe
Close-up of the braid ends in the back of the robe
Crystal Worl and Clarissa put up the ends in the back - photo by Lee Cooper
Clarissa's booth at the Santa Fe Indian Market 2011
St. Frances Cathedral Park the morning after Indian Market - photo by Lee Cooper
Here are three more videos taken by Lee Cooper at the Santa Fe Indian Market 2011:
“Jeanie Weaves an Apprentice” Chilkat robe being taken down from the loom (before completion of putting up the ends in the back) for the Sealaska Heritage Institute’s fashion show of Tlingit regalia 1 <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RW6-CPYYIY>
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RW6-CPYYIY
Fashion Show of Northwest Coast Tlingit regalia at Sante Fe Indian Market August 2011 <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVrc0iXy9EE>
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVrc0iXy9EE
The beginning of the flash flood as the completed Chilkat robe is removed from the loom. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KuZT4LOU5bc>
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KuZT4LOU5bc
Aug 12, 2011 | Honoring Others, Latest Art Projects, Tlingit Culture Accentuated |
Clarissa with one of her first Chilkat weaving apprentices, Louise Dangeli, Nisga'a from Kinkolith on the Nass River, British Columbia - Clarissa's Chilkat robe in the stateroom on board the ferry heading to Bellingham, Washington with a stopover in Ketchikan where Louise will be disembarking to attend her grandson, Michael Dangeli's wedding in Metlakatla - August 2011
Jul 24, 2011 | Latest Art Projects, Showing Off, Tlingit Culture Accentuated |
One of my latest mixed media collages; part of my ongoing series entitled "Tlingit World Series #90" - Clarissa Rizal 2011
Jul 18, 2011 | Honoring Others, Latest Art Projects, Relationship Overdrive, Tlingit Culture Accentuated |
Clarissa Rizal weaving the tail end of the design field of "Jennie Weaves An Apprentice" Chilkat dance blanket robe - July 2011
After 4+ years, this robe is scheduled to come off the loom on Friday, July 29th at Teslin’s Celebration 2011. I am hoping to have this robe danced then…we’ll see! This is my first of a series of robes I have designed of a Chilkat robe within a Chilkat robe. To distinguish the difference of the two, notice the blue being used in the smaller robe and the green used in the main body of the robe.
Why has it taken me 4+ years to complete this robe? That very long story, along with the design description of this robe, I will tell when I complete the robe, make another move and settle down for a little while; I will include photographs of the various “landmarks”; stay tuned on that one.
Jun 22, 2011 | Class Act, Latest Art Projects, Tlingit Culture Accentuated, Tools-of-the-Trade |
With left over Ravenstail warp and yarns, I wove a flexible container that straddles the headboard of my weaving loom, to help organize and keep at hand my weft yarns, scissors, straight pins, tapestry needles, measure tape, etc. - all the important tools to have handy while weaving Chilkat or Ravenstail. If you look closely, you will see the individual containers are cedar bark baskets; one woven by my mother, one woven by my daughter, one woven by a friend and one woven by me.
One of the things that I encourage my weaving students to create in their lives is organization. If we want to be an active Chilkat weaver, and we want to keep our sanity while weaving, we must be organized! If we are not born organized, Chilkat weaving will change that part of ourselves to become organized. And if we fight the requirement of becoming organized, then while weaving, we will spend quite a bit of your time sorting through things, trying to find something that was misplaced or lost, etc. When I am in the flow of creativity, the last thing I want to reach for is a tool that has been misplaced and I have to go searching for it, or untangle something or accidentally break something. This kind of act is quite disrupting to the flow of creativity; I work hard at avoiding distractions when I know I’m going into a creative groove; so I have a clean, organized surrounding. For those of you who are Chilkat weavers, for those who have recently learned Chilkat weaving and for those of you who have seen the actual weaving process, y’all understand what I am talking about!
A view from above the Chilkat weaving loom headboard container - notice most of the yarns are in front, while miscellaneous and extra tools are in the back half of the pouch
Why a “flexible” woven container instead of a rigid, wooden one? So that I can travel with it across town, across the inlet or across the continent. It is light-weight and easily packable – a valuable resource for a weaver in motion.
Stay tuned for future blog entries of additional Chilkat weaving equipment and tools.
Thank you for visiting!
Jun 21, 2011 | Latest Art Projects, Tlingit Culture Accentuated |
I immediately took this shot 2 months ago when I moved in and set up my new temporary space. Nope, I didn't plan on having the black leather loveseat match the Tibetan rug match the turquoise couch match the bench match the yellow metal set of drawers match the Chilkat robe - it "grew" organically!
One of the first things I do when I move into a space is set it up comfortably, make the space “flow” and make it aesthetically pleasing; then, I place my loom where it feels best with the natural light being one of the major determining factors for its location. As a young child, my father always encouraged me to “make it look nice.” He encouraged me to take care of my surroundings, be clean, neat, organized, tidy,…and, make it beautiful. I’m not sure if I was already born with the capacity to design and create an aesthetically pleasing, workable space, or if I learned it. But, I enjoy creating spaces. I’ve even helped some of my friends’ do remakes in their homes. It’s fun. And a funny thing, every time I am designing or re-designing a space, I think of my father’s words.
The Chilkat robe on the loom is called “Jennie Weaves An Apprentice” – it is a tribute the apprenticeship with my weaving teacher, the late Jennie Thlunaut from Klukwan, Alaska – it’s the first of my series of robes I call “A Robe Within A Robe.”
Jun 20, 2011 | Latest Art Projects, Tlingit Culture Accentuated, To Market To Market |
A "Catabiense Alba" rhododendrun blooms outside the window overlooking mountains and water. My latest painting: "Jennie Weaves An Apprentice" an acrylic on canvas, is part of a series with this design as its base. It is also the "pattern board" for the Chilkat robe I am presently weaving and intend to complete by mid-July!
I’ve been a privileged girl all my life. My basic needs have been met. I’ve had a roof over my head, decent food to eat, wild water to drink, and nice clothing if I want (but now I’m stuck on black sweatpants over the past 8 years and nobody can get me out of them!). No matter where I have lived in Juneau, there is always a beautiful view because it is just about impossible to not have a view of mountains, meadows, trees, a river, creek and/or the ocean. Although the past two years have been a challenge and I’ve struggled to maintain my basic needs, I am quite blessed with having a wonderful view while I am painting my next 6 original paintings on canvas and new collages. Like what more do we need when we’ve got astounding views to create by, right!?
Painting in the kitchen studio - only for another month, then it's time to move again...("pack it in, pack it out - pack it in, pack it out...")
I am planning on creating a series of 4 to 6 original acrylics on canvas with the same name as above, but numbered in sequence of their creation. Each one will have the foundation of the Chilkat robe pattern board, but a completely different painting. I’m excited about doing this series of paintings. I’ll have one of them for sale during my first show (ever!) at the Stonington Gallery in Seattle, opening September 1st. The others I am hoping I will have completed by the Santa Fe Indian Market August 20-21st.
Jun 19, 2011 | Latest Art Projects, Ravens & Eagles, Tlingit Culture Accentuated |
Drafting up a traditional Chilkat robe based on an old one. This one I call the "Lovebirds Diving Whale."
I’m working on a couple of Chilkat robe designs. One I just completed as part of my “robe-within-a-robe” series for a collaborative project with another artist; the other robe design is this one above. This design is a “diving whale” with an Eagle and a Raven, the Lovebirds. This is a draft of the robe I am preparing to weave, yet I am having second thoughts about re-doing the design so that it goes along with my “robe within a robe” series. My Chilkat robe-within-a-robe series are designs where there is a smaller Chilkat robe within the main image of the Chilkat robe. I have almost completed my first Chilkat robe within this series; it is called “Jennie Weaves An Apprentice.” The deadline for the completion of this robe is mid-July – however, I have been predicting the completion of this “Jennie Weaves” robe for the past two years; so what makes me (or others for that matter) believe me when I say it’s gonna be done by mid-July, huh?
Jun 8, 2011 | Latest Art Projects, Tlingit Culture Accentuated |
Nice heavy-duty pressure cooker
Cedar bark basket weavers need not cook the sap out of the bark as part of their preparation of their materials. Those who are Chilkat weavers need to cook the sap out of the cedar bark before spinning the bark and wool to make their Chilkat warp. In the olden days, a large pot full of water filled with cedar bark strips was placed on a fire outside. The water boiled for an hour or two, then dumped and clean water added and brought to a boil. This procedure continued for a week until there was not a whole lot of sap mixed with the water. This is a long procedure; I did it this way for several years until (the late) Agnes Bellinger, daughter to my weaving teacher (the late) Jennie Thlunaut, taught me how to do it the modern method:
1) With a paper towel, rub the interior and the lid of a large pressure cooker with vegetable oil; 2) Fill the pressure cooker with 2/3 water; 3) Add just enough cedar bark strips to fit into the pot comfortably – do not stuff the pot full; 4) Cover, bring pot to a boil – let boil at 10 pounds pressure for at least one hour, at the most two hours; 5) Release steam; 6) Open lid, let cool down up to an hour; 7) Find a place outdoors where you do not mind sap water being dumped. Do Not dump sap water on your lawn, in a flower bed or where trees (other than cedar) are growing. NEVER dump sap water down your drains or in the toilet. Follow these procedures…
Strips of cedar bark awaiting to be lifted out of their sappy water
With a stick, lift out cedar bark strips from the sap water and place on news paper. (Note: if you use paper towels, there will be a tendency for the paper towel to stick to the bark).
Rule of Thumb: Always take the bark out of the water before dumping the sap water.
Lifting cedar bark out of the sap water
Find a place to dump the sap water. Do Not dump sap water on your lawn, in a flower bed or where trees (other than cedar) are growing. NEVER dump sap water down your drains or in the toilet.
Dumping sap water
8) With a paper towel or rag, immediately wipe all the sap residue from the interior of your pressure cooker including the lid – then wash with pressure cooker with soap and water
Your cedar bark should be free of most of its sap, ready to be split into fine silky strips for spinning with wool to create Chilkat warp.
9) Store your bark in paper bags; never plastic bags nor plastic containers unless you know for sure that your bark is completely dry.
Happy sappy-free bark!
