Aug 20, 2012 | Latest Art Projects, Showing Off, Tlingit Culture Accentuated, To Market To Market |
Clarissa Rizal’s booth #283PAL at the Santa Fe Indian Market – someone commented that the booth was set up like a “little museum” – and another commented it looked like a “miniature gallery” – nice compliments, indeed!
I just don’t know how artists do this market annually; when I was younger I bounced back – not any more. Some have done this market for 50+ years. I’ve done this market 4 times in 18 years, since my first one in 1994. As exhilarating and exciting this market can be with the variety of artists and their works, the thousands of people in just two days, and all the other art shows, fashion shows, musical and artistic events crammed into a total of maybe 4 days, I find that I am just not cut out for this kind of intense activity like I used to be. However, I think that I just have to learn how to preserve and contain my energies while I’m at the market so that it doesn’t take me three years to re-couperate!
Top left feathers hang; bottom left is the wire “tree” with gumboot earrings, Chilkat/Ravenstail doll with the red Rusisan-style Navy hat next to the Ravenstail ensemble of “Copper Child” with the “Totemic Mosaics” in the background
I give thanks to all the folks who put this event together; producing a market of this magnitude is a lot of work. What?–there are over 1000 artists crammed into tiny cubicles in the heart of Santa Fe – White booths line both sides of the streets each one block off the Plaza – and Santa Fe has done this for 91 years! HOly Moly! I commend SWAIA for the extraordinary dedication – I give thanks to all my friends, family members and DanDan who helped me get my stuff done and then off to market; and those friends who live in Santa Fe, whom I haven’t seen in months or years, who came by to visit. The experience of people working together for a “cause” is a pleasant feeling; it makes all the work worthwhile!
the wire “tree” is adorned with the gumboot earrings – what are gumboots? (See description below) These particular gumboot shells were harvested from Glacier Bay National Park in Southeast Alaska
The Gumboots chitons, Cryptochiton Stelleri are also known as the giant Pacific chiton – they are a food source for many indigenous peoples, harvested from Central Coast of California, up the Northwest Coast of British Columbia and Southeast Alaska to the Aleutian Islands and to Japan.
These chitons have eight armored “butterfly” plates running in a flexible line down their back. Unlike most chitons, the gumboot’s plates are completely hidden by its leather upper skin, which is usually reddish-brown, brown, or occasionally orange in color. They can grow up to 14 inches long, and can live up to 40 years.
The Tlingit people enjoy eating the rubbery-textured gumboots boiled and dipped in seal oil, or pickled just like cucumbers. True to Tlingit tradition, they utilize the entire animal; the shells either adorn regalia or get made into earrings, as you see here and most recently at the Santa Fe Indian Market this past weekend of August 18th and 19th.
Close-up of items for sale at Clarissa’s table: hand-caste paper feathers, cell phone covers (with padding), brochures and the infamous Russian-style Navy hats adorned with buttons and beads – if you look closely at the two ladies in the photo in front of the hats, on the left is Donna – she wears an actually Russian Navy hat from the 1800’s adorned with fringe – Clarissa (right) wears the Tlingit version in felted wool her grandmother Mary Sarabia created in the late 50’s/early60’s.
The Russian-style Navy hats were the big draw to Clarissa’s booth; most people had never seen anything like them and wondered where they came from.
The Russian sailor hats are reminiscent of the hats once bartered (or from battles) assimilated by the Tlingit for use in regalia in the 1800’s. After the purchase of Alaska, the sailor hats from Russia were no longer available in trading and Tlingits subsequently created elaborately styled wool and felt versions of the hat.
I will have these hats available for sale on my website within the next week by September 1st. I will also have my hand-caste paper feathers, greeting cards and cell phone covers available for sale too.
Waldorf School teacher Vicki Vessier and Clarissa wear Tlingit-ized Russian Navy hats handmade by Clarissa – Vicki’s is fringed with abalone shells and beads; Clarissa’s is fringed with red seed beads
For those of you who are self-employed artists/business folk, if you have not done so already, incorporate the smallest visa card contraption on the planet yet: the Square. Half of my sales were done with the Square – as easy as 1, 2, 3! The Square doesn’t cost a thing, you can do a sale anywhere as long as you have your iPhone to plug into, there is no monthly fee, and it’s only .275% off every sale. Check out the Square!
the Santa Fe Indian Market crowd – Saturday afternoon, March 18, 2012
DanDan and I had a great time at the market, although it’s gonna take several days to re-couperate from the intense activity. I am already planning next year’s market. I think the best part about Indian Market is after all the work is done, the booth is all set up like a “little gallery” and I can relax and meet people from all walks of life and from various corners of our Mother Earth! See you next year, same time, same station!
Aug 17, 2012 | Latest Art Projects, Showing Off, Tlingit Culture Accentuated, To Market To Market |
Friends Shayla, Emily and Rosalia model a few Russian-style Navy hats, each made with cotton fabrics and/or felt embellished with trim of beads, sea shells, and/or abalone, and the band trimmed with antique mother-of-pearl buttons
These hats are based on the actual Russian Navy hats of the 1800’s. The Northern Tlingit tribes adorn themselves with these hats, and although the original hats were from the Russian Navy, the hats of today are mainly worn by women. There is an historical event that took place over 200 years ago that to this day, is acknowledged by the “YenWaaShaa” (Women of the Navy) of the Kaagwaantaan (Wolf clan) women.
The Russian sailor hats are reminiscent of the hats once bartered (or from battles) assimilated by the Tlingit for use in regalia in the 1800’s. After the purchase of Alaska, the sailor hats from Russia were no longer available in trading and Tlingits subsequently created elaborately styled wool and felt versions of the hat.
Clarissa with long-time friend Kamala adorns one of the hats with that Scottish slant!
These hats will be available for sale at the Santa Fe Indian Market this coming weekend and also at the Alaska Juneau Public Market during Thanksgiving weekend. If you cannot make it to the Santa Fe Indian Market to purchase one, you may order one from my website (Shop and Buy page) after September 1st. They are $75 each plus shipping to wherever you are!
Aug 17, 2012 | Latest Art Projects, Tlingit Culture Accentuated, To Market To Market |
Clarissa Rizal’s button blanket images on greeting cards – 6 of the 9 images above include L to R: “Following Our Ancestor’s Trail”, “The Greater Nature”, “Wrestling With Angels”, “Step Into the Light”, “Owl Woman” and “Emergence”
Twenty years ago we hand-printed silkscreened greeting cards with 9 different images based on button blankets I had designed and created. Although not hand-printed this time, I am reviving the set of button blanket greeting cards; they will be available for sale at the Santa Fe Indian Market the weekend of August 18 & 19th, and by September 1st, they will be available for sale as a set of 9 cards for $35 on my website under “Shop and Buy.”
Late at night, the cards all organized and ready to fold with an envelope
I am fortunate to have friends available to help stuff the card/envelope into the clear plastic sleeves; it was a mid-day party! – the sleeves are a very nice clean, clear quality from www.clearbags.com
This clear, acrylic card rack holds 9 cards either horizontally or vertically – the card rack is also purchased from www.clearbags.com for about $68 includes shipping.
Aug 16, 2012 | Latest Art Projects, Showing Off, Tlingit Culture Accentuated, To Market To Market |
Chilkat/Ravenstail robe and Ravenstail leggings on the loom late at night – the leggings are not quite finished
My daughters and I collaborated on creating a Chilkat/Ravenstail/Buttonblanket 18″ doll. I sewed the leather body and finished off the leggings and trimmed the fringe of the robe. Lily Hope designed and wove the robe and began the leggings, Ursala Hudson designed, beaded and sewed the button blanket style tunic and the button blanket Russian-style Navy hat. Lots of fun putting the doll together and bringing this little being to life!
Ravenstail Robe for an 18″ doll woven by Lily Hope
Ravenstail leggings woven by Lily Hope modeled on the 18″ leather doll made by Clarissa
Backside of the Chilkat/Ravenstail doll
Front of Chilkat/Ravenstail doll–oops, one strand of the beaded hat is obviously flipped up…!
Aug 12, 2012 | Latest Art Projects, Showing Off, Tlingit Culture Accentuated, To Market To Market, Tools-of-the-Trade |
Side view of Clarissa’s cell phone cases with the image of her logo which is on her business cards, letterhead, etc. The image is from her mixed-media collage “Tlingit World Series (TWS) #052.”
I have a limited number of cell phone cases available premiering at the Santa Fe Indian market at booth #283PAL on Palace Avenue located between Washington (library street) and Cathedral Street (the street of the infamous Saint Frances Cathedral one block up from downtown Santa Fe Plaza). Santa Fe Indian Market is on Saturday and Sunday, August 18th and 19th.
Front view of Clarissa’s cell phone case; it has two parts, the outside and the rubberized inside — If you cannot make it to the Santa Fe Indian market this year, you may place your order for one of these cell phone covers with Ursala at: ursalarose@gmail.com or you may place an order on my website after September 1st OR if you want to buy it in person, you may at the Alaska Juneau Public Market during Thanksgiving weekend at Centennial Hall in Juneau – my booth will be #29 at the Juneau Arts & Culture Center (Old Armory)
The main reason why I purchased the expensive iPhone is so I can use my new sales device “The Square” enabling me to take visa card payments during any art markets (and anytime for that matter!). It is white and measures about 1″ square, and plugs into the top of your iPhone jack. For those of you who are business owners/artists and have not been exposed to the “Square”, you must check it out on line. It is so cool, you can make a sale anywhere! Check it out!
Aug 11, 2012 | Adventures of Rear-Mirror Rissy, Latest Art Projects, North Tide, Showing Off, To Market To Market |
Blending recycled papers to pour into the paper casting bath while granddaughter pays attention(?)
15 years ago, I made a button blanket ceremonial robe in honor of a fellow clan member, J.B.(short for John Bruce) Fawcett from Hoonah, Alaska, who passed away in the mid-80’s. The robe was called “A Robe to Capture the Passion of Our Tears” made of paper feathers sewn to a blanket of handwoven raw silk adorned with a painted leather capelet. While moving back into my studio last Winter, I found my feather papermaking frames and told myself that I would begin making paper feathers once again. So here I am 15 years later making paper feathers for the Santa Fe Indian Market this coming weekend of August 18th & 19th.
Submerging the feather frames in the paper bath
Just in case you are in Santa Fe during this coming weekend, my booth number is 283PAL which is one of the 10′ x 10′ booths on Palace Avenue which is located between Washington and Cathdral Streets. When you head East on Palace from where all the local Natives sell their wares year around, my booth is on the right. Come by and pluck a feather; they will be available for sale starting first thing in the morning by 7am at the 91st Annual Santa Fe Indian Market!
Placing “leftover” cedar bark strips as the central “vein” of the feather
Handcrafted paper press
After pressing the stack of feathers (that are placed on cloth sheets), Clarissa pulls up each sheet of feathers to dry in the sun.
Once feathers are dry, Clarissa peels each one off of the pressed sheet
I embellished the one-of-a-kind feathers with buttons and beads and wrote inspirational quotes by a few Native leaders and chiefs.
My beaded work table: Once feathers were completely dry, a mother-of-pearl button and single beaded tassel were sewn at the tip of each feather, then the written quote.
the stack of unique, hand-cast paper feathers
During the last minute before heading driving down to Santa Fe for the Indian Market, thank goodness for friends like Emily and Shayla who helped attach the fine elastic loops at the top of each feather
I will have these paper feathers available for sale on my website under “Shop & Buy”; they are $25 per feather or 2 for $30 – they measure approximately 11″ high x 3 to 4″ wide.
Jul 17, 2012 | Latest Art Projects, Ravens & Eagles, Tlingit Culture Accentuated, To Market To Market |
“Eagle She Bear” acrylic on canvas is 50″w x 40″h
Since 1983, I’ve completed 50+ ceremonial robes in the Chilkat, Ravenstail and button blanket styles. I am creating a contemporary “mate” of each robe created in one of three mediums including acrylic painting, charcoal, or collage.
About 10 years ago the late Deloresa Cadiente commissioned a button robe from me; she was Eagle Teikweidee Bear Clan. This acrylic painting on canvas is the contemporary “mate” to the robe.
This painting is currently in a show entitled “The Spirit of Woman” which recently opened at the Wild Spirit Gallery in Pagosa Springs, Colorado.
Jun 26, 2012 | Latest Art Projects, Showing Off, Tlingit Culture Accentuated, To Market To Market |
While her son Louis is on her back, Lily Hope washes down the whale's tail in the parking lot of the Juneau Arts and Culture Center - Juneau, Alaska
The Juneau Arts and Humanities is sponsoring a project to help bring awareness to the support of a large bronze whale’s tail to be created by local artist Skip Wallen. 10 polyuerothane foam resin whale tails are being embellished by 10 selected local artists. Lily Hope submitted a proposal; we were selected as one of the 10. We were going to create a modern Tlingit-influenced stylized form line design painting, however, that would require at least three days of sunshine, and by this Summer’s lousy weather pattern we’ve been experiencing in Juneau, we decided to create something a bit simpler yet elegant.
Lily begins spraying the toxic, smelly black spray paint
Each whale tail is being sponsored by a local business – Thank you to Huna Totem Corporation for sponsoring ours!
Lily completes the black; Clarissa begins to spray touches of red
All 10 whale tails must be completed by July 1st; 3 will be in Juneau’s Fourth of July parade. In September, the whale tails will be auctioned.
Modeling for a pretend magazine article - haha!
We had to wait for a couple of hours for the paint to be completely dry before attempting to move it and begin gluing buttons.
Lily begins gluing smokey-gray mother-of-pearl buttons
Lily finishes gluing the buttons, then each is nailed down to survive any weather
Louis helps nail down the buttons too!
Please tell your friends, neighbors and co-workers about the big auction on Saturday, September 15th at the JACC (Juneau Arts & Culture Center, i.e. the Old Armory), where all the wonderful creations will be auctioned off to the highest bidder!
Do we look proud of ourselves or what?
Thanks to all who are volunteering and participating in the Animal Parade and supporting this Whale Project, which will place a spectacular life-scale bronze humpback whale and fountain on Juneau’s waterfront, in recognition of Alaska’s 50th anniversary of Statehood. This will be an icon for Juneau, and the third sculpture of Skip Wallen in Juneau.
Many thanks to Kathy Ruddy for coordinating this event; thanks again to Huna Totem Corporation for sponsoring our particular whale tail!
Jun 17, 2012 | Latest Art Projects, Poetry Alaskan, Showing Off, Tlingit Culture Accentuated, To Market To Market |
Pasting pages with matte medium onto old recycled cabinet doors
Back in March I cleaned out the attic; 18 years of accumulated family, personal, business and theatre stuff were set in the driveway. I let go of lots of stuff, however, I hung onto other things I felt I would use later. About 10 years ago, I had saved three, wooden cabinet doors from a remodel. I told myself that I would use them someday whenever I got into doing paintings for a living. Although I began painting about 10 years ago, I never really took it seriously until lately when a number of things accumulated this past year one of them being the return of my friends Cecil and Rosalia Touchon. Undoubtedly my contemporary works in paintings, collage and charcoals are influenced by Touchon. Check out their work at Cecil Touchon.com
Once all three panels were covered with pages and were given a couple coats of matte medium over the entire surface, Clarissa sketches shadows here and there to give a 3-D appearance
Rummaging through my box of collage-making papers, I came across a book of international poetry published in 1961. The pages were weathered; I liked the look – pasted them onto the gesso-ed cabinet doors which I will from now on will refer to as my “canvas.” I then pasted a cut up paper print of my Chilkat robe design pattern called “Jennie Weaves An Apprentice.” I edged each strip with a bit of golden yellow acrylic paint. I am having fun.
I order most of my acrylic paints, canvas, matte medium, brushes, etc. from Artist Supply Warehouse (ASW); as far as I know, they have good quality products at the lowest prices. If you find anything better, would you mind letting the rest of us know? Thank you!
A better view of the 3_D shading example
After a bit of shading with a soft lead drawing pencil, I stood back and liked the effect; like wow, now I am really having fun! – If I am not mistaken, this is my very first mixed-media collage on wooden cabinets done with this type of effect. If you want to see more of this effect, make sure you visit Cecil Touchon’s website. He’s an expert at this!
So far, so good, but not quite finished with this triptych
Each panel measures about 40″ high and about 20″ wide. They are available for sale as a unit at the Alaska Juneau Public Market during Thanksgiving weekend in Juneau.
Jun 10, 2012 | Honoring Others, Latest Art Projects, Showing Off, Tlingit Culture Accentuated, To Market To Market |
Working the last piece of the triptych
In 2003, (or was it 2004?), while attending Ft. Lewis College in Durango working towards my Bachelor of Fine Arts, I enrolled in a required class: Drawing I. (Now you are most likely thinking to yourself: hmmm….after 30+ years as an artist, Clarissa needs to take a drawing class?) Well…yes, because like I said, it’s a requirement towards my BFA. I learned a lot in that class and will not regret it because it introduced me to working in charcoal and I love it!
Total concentration and thorough enjoyment working in charcoal with the challenge of not getting filthy! - Notice Clarissa is wearing black...
After 8 years, I have finally returned to completing this project. My impetus was to have this triptych to show in Juneau at the Native Art Market during Celebration 2012, however, when I unwrapped it to hang in my booth, there were a few ripples in the paper – the mounting was not done correctly, either that or the change in weather (sunny and warm when I glued it down to cold and damp two weeks later when I unwrapped it!). So no one got to see this triptych; oh well!
Close up of the middle image - I refer to it affectionately as a stylized image of my son, Kahlil - the expression on his face reminds me of when he was a small child about 30 years ago
Clarissa's completed charcoal triptych
Each panel measures 11.5 inches wide by 17.5 inches tall. I recently pulled out the triptych thinking that I was going to figure out how to repair all the tiny ripples where the glue did not take – lo and behold, all three pieces were as it was when I initially wrapped them and there are no ripples whatsoever! What a relief, yet Hmmm….what happened? Can anyone tell me?
