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!
Mar 29, 2014 | Latest Art Projects, Ravens & Eagles, Showing Off, Tlingit Culture Accentuated |
The three marks above the Sealaska Corporation logo…Clarissa Rizal
The top of the shared head and beaks of the “Eagle” and “Raven” of the Sealaska Corporation logo — by Clarissa Rizal
Almost completion of the shared eye of the “Eagle” and “Raven”, Sealaska Corporation logo — by Clarissa Rizal
Mar 6, 2014 | Health and Wellness, Showing Off, Tlingit Culture Accentuated |
Clarissa practices her voice lessons while weaving and exercising on the ball!
A few weeks ago, I bought this exercise ball with the intention that I would somewhat make an attempt to get back into shape. Though I had every intention of “exercising” to which I still don’t just exercise, I used the ball while I was eating meals, while I was on the computer, while practicing voice lessons and reading. Then it dawned on me that I could use it while weaving!!! HELLO!! This is one of the most important pieces of weaving equipment! This is the perfect seat; it is just the right softness, provides perfect posture, moves side to side as you are weaving a long horizontal line, and all while toning up your muscles! GO OUT AND BUY ONE NOW!!!
There are a variety of companies producing “body balls.” They cost about $10 to $20. Generally they are available in three sizes according to your size. Choose the one that is appropriate for your size and color preference – though sometimes you won’t have a color choice.
Generally all balls come with a pump in the package. The above photo shows the pump on the left and the un-inflated ball.
And then I remembered today that Crystal, one of my weaving students, had mentioned that she was going to buy either an ergonomic chair or an exercise ball; that was about a month ago; at 30 years old, she knows how to prepare herself for the best seat in town — golly, where have I been for the past 30 years weaving on a hard bench!? Hello? AND, we must remember that as we get older, let’s face it, our bums begin to lose their natural “padding!” The body balls are THE answer for the rest of your weaving life!
Feb 13, 2014 | Latest Art Projects, Showing Off, Tlingit Culture Accentuated, To Market To Market |
An idea for all those metal-smiths/jewelers of Northwest Coast design work! Design concept by Clarissa Rizal – February 2014
Anyone who has known me closely for a long time knows that these shoes are just not my style; HOWEVER, after I had seen them at T.J. Max these metal “dingdongs” attached to the shoe gave me an idea…an idea that I would like someone to do sometime…like within the next year!
I’d like to see some style of shoes that have carved engravings of Northwest Coast Native design work.
What do you say, you jewelers? You up for it? And what shoe company would go for this kind of thing?
Feb 2, 2014 | Latest Art Projects, Showing Off, Tlingit Culture Accentuated |
Lots of braids when you are about to weave the eyes and bridge of nose…yep, folks, this is what a Chilkat weaving looks like when in “full bloom!” – and you wonder how we keep track of it all!
I’m doing a trade with Preston Singletary. The first pair of Chilkat leggings were a little too big for him, so they became a part of the “Copper Man” Ravenstail/Chilkat ensemble (which is now in private collection in Seattle), so I began weaving this pair about 6 years ago. It’s slow going; trades are slow going when you’re trying to keep up with paying the bills. Trades are always on the back burner. Though these leggings are getting done, slowly but surely.
It’s proof in the pudding that practice-makes-perfect. I look at this weaving now and think “golly, it’s not very good…” compared to how I weave now. Also, the warp is not very good. It’s spun pretty evenly but before I figured out the trick of stretching the warp taut when wrapped around the wooden back of a chair to dry, this warp is too bulky. For those of you who know how to spin and know how to weave, and have figured out tricks-of-the-trade in making good warp, you will understand what I am talking about here.
From the beginning shape of the eyes in the photograph above to the completed “electric” eyes in this photo, it took about 3 hours to weave
Even so, the weaving is okay. despite my critiques. I’ll be getting back to it again as soon as I complete the “Resilience” Chilkat robe. I am finishing up old business as well as completing commissions and trades. It feels real good to do this.
Thank you for staying tuned in during the progress of this weaving!
Dec 1, 2013 | Latest Art Projects, Showing Off, Tlingit Culture Accentuated, To Market To Market |
Collage of “Tlingit World Series #101” by Clarissa Rizal – 2013
Today I completed two new collages marking the beginning of the next 100 collages in this collection called “Tlingit World Series.” Since 2001 I have made 100 collages. Most of my collages are made of reject hand-printed silkscreened prints, maps, found papers, giclee prints, and on occasion, Japanese papers.
These two collages are donations for a good cause; they will be available for sale at the fundraiser auction for the new Klukwan Cultural Center. The auction is held at the Burke Museum in Seattle, Saturday, December 7th starting at 6pm.
If you are in the Seattle area and want to collect Northwest Coast art, please attend!
“Tlingit World Series #102” by Clarissa Rizal – 2013
Oct 30, 2013 | Latest Art Projects, Showing Off, Tlingit Culture Accentuated |
Close-up of “Where We Going” painting – acrylic with a touch of gold paint on curved wooden frame
Last night I finished the painting for the Sealaska Heritage Institute’s fundraiser coming up in February 2014. For information on SHI and their fundraiser, click here to link to their website.
Both paintings will be sold as a set – they each measure 10″ x 10″ – acrylic on curved wooden frame
To show the curve of the wooden frame, I took this shot although it makes one frame look larger than the other…but, like I said, they are the same size!
Oct 27, 2013 | Latest Art Projects, Showing Off, Tlingit Culture Accentuated |
The right corner of the Chilkat robe – the top border of yellow is completed – 26 hours later…! So far so good, I am on track…!
26 hours to complete the yellow border and the 5 strands of braids at the bottom of the border – those hours are in between the hours of this particular Fall, winterizing the house/studio, nor coordinating the Weavers’ Gathering demonstration at the Clan Conference, nor babysitting grand-children, nor painting a donation piece, nor spinning warp for a Chilkat/Ravenstail pouch for another donation, nor cleaning and organizing the studio for another round of intense work until June, nor the daily routine of eating, sleeping, and taking care of my body.
I am far from lazy, from from being bored, far from being a “kept woman” and far from taking a vacation any time soon! All I do though, I LOVE to do; I have a lot of love in my life – all the things I do I love, all the things I be, I love. I realize I spend most of my day “in love.” There isn’t much time in the day spent on things I do not love. I’ve been this way a long time. Even though I may not act like it sometimes, I give thanks every morning no matter what my mood, and I give thanks every night as I put my “home” to bed. It’s been my unspoken way of appreciation and gratitude.
Nobody needs to know any of this though I share it here with you, the reader. Why? Because some day some time long past me posting this blog entry, I may read this again years later, because in a way this blog is like my work diary. I used to keep track of all my work via hard-copy photographs placed in a plastic sleeve with pages of notes on the current project at hand…I’ve got shelves of my work all categorized in big 3-ring binders on shelves I had built to take the weight of it all. Now my recordings have gone virtual with the blog site. I may read this entry years later and it is a reminder of who I have been, where I was at, and I get to compare it with who I am on that future date!
My work lives in the future. My system, my entire way of thinking is mainly in the future. So this blog serves as a vehicle to contain the present-day work and adventures for eventual past reflection. When I am real old and I look upon my past, I intend to enjoy myself and others all over again!
Oct 22, 2013 | Latest Art Projects, Showing Off, Tlingit Culture Accentuated |
Completed the black top border of the robe – 41 hours later!
Here’s a close-up photo of the black top border of my Chilkat “Resilience” robe that I am weaving for the Portland Art Museum…notice the subtle texture of the weave. I weave over three warp ends instead of two when weaving the black and yellow borders of a Chilkat robe. I learned this from my teacher/mentor Jennie Thlunaut, last of the traditional Chilkat weavers who passed away in 1986. She suggested that I use size 3/6 weft yarns (equivalent to 3-ply commercial yarns) and weave over three warp ends – ONLY IN THE BORDERS! These techniques create a subtle texture and a larger “frame” for the design field of the robe.
I will be posting more updates while weaving this robe over the next few months; stay tuned and thanks for visiting!
Oct 19, 2013 | Class Act, North Tide, Showing Off, Tlingit Culture Accentuated |
Della Cheney and Percy Kunz demonstrates cedar bark weaving at the Weavers’ Gathering demonstration during the Clan Conference in Juneau, 2009
Once again, the Clan Conference will convene in Juneau at Centennial Hall Thursday, Friday and Saturday, November 7, 8, & 9th. This is a time of shared and gained educational experiences from the Native and/or collegiate perspective. For more information on the details of the Clan Conference and a listing of the lectures, please click here to visit the website. or click here for the Juneau Empire’s announcement of the Clan Conference.
Chilkat, Ravenstail, Cedar bark and Spruce root weavers will gather together in the lobby of Centennial Hall for the entire three days, 10am to 4pm to share their knowledge. In 2009, the presentation was a big hit, we’ve been asked to demonstrate again. Click here to see past photos of the weavers’ demonstration.
We welcome weavers to join us and participate in this fun endeavor! Contact Clarissa Rizal or Lily Hope if you are interested!
