Jul 4, 2014 | Class Act, North Tide, Tlingit Culture Accentuated |
Louise Baker pays attention to Lily Hope teaching Diane Knopp how to dress her next weaving project on the loom
Ann Smith and I taught our second weaving class together in Chilkat and Ravenstail weaving during the week-long Adaka Festival in Whitehorse, Yukon Territory. Lily Hope assisted for four days (her first time being away from her family!).
Ann Smith drafts out pattern configuration for Ravenstail design
Ann Smith and I were two of Cheryl Samuel’s first students to learn Ravenstail back in 1989. Since then Ann has woven approximately 5 Ravenstail robes and numerous smaller weavings and has taught classes in Yukon and British Columbia. Ann was one of my first students in Chilkat weaving back in 1991; in fact, she inspired me to weave robes instead of weaving contemporary pieces of regalia. Only recently have I decided to incorporate weaving smaller items in my time line!
Clarissa demonstrates the fantastic fingering technique of her teacher/mentor Jennie Thlunaut. L to R: Dan Shorty, Stefanie Sakinya, Diane Knopp, Andra Hunter, Clarissa, Marge Baufeld, Louise Baker, Sally Lutchman, Charlene Baker
Most of the techniques and spiritual information I teach are directly from my apprenticeship with the last of the traditional master weavers, Jennie Thlunaut from Klukwan, Alaska who passed away in July 1986 two months after she taught me. All students who learn from me are a direct lineage of Jennie’s legacy, the most prolific Chilkat weaver of all time with 50 robes and 8 tunics.
Lily Hope demonstrates weaving techniques on Clarissa’s child-size Chilkat robe to visitors at the Adaka Festival
Lily Hope has been weaving Ravenstail for nearly 10 years. She started weaving Chilkat weaving 4 years ago when she was an assistant teacher during one of my classes in Juneau; little did anyone know that as she was “student teaching” she was for the first time learning how to weave Chilkat!!!
Louise Baker (Tagish) measures her warp for the child-size headband using Jennie Thlunaut’s old-time technique of cutting a piece of cardboard to the length of the project, wrapping the warp loosely but evenly around the board and then cutting one end, before hanging strands on the loom
The class is fairly full with 10 eager students
Lily demonstrates how to “dress” your loom
Ann helps Marge Beaufeld with her first braids while Nita Clarke whizzes away with happy anticipation of another weaving!
Charlene Baker (Whitehorse) shows Debra Michel (Atlin) the additional weaving she has on her loom – one is her first Chilkat weaving the other is her combination of Chilkat and Ravenstail (of which she is well versed).
Debra Michel weaves her second Chilkat weaving, a dance apron she designed…
Lily helps Zach James (Haines, AK) establish his first row of his Ravenstail pattern while Dan Shorty pays attention
Andra Hunter and her mother, Sally Lutchman contemplate what to do next
Stefanie Sakinya Sidney has begun another weaving project on the other side of her loom…!
Ann Smith (with her granddaughter) have fun with Nita Clarke – (let’s face it people, Chilkat and Ravenstail weaving is a lot of work, but it’s fun work!)
Ann reminds the weavers to be mindful of keeping their “stitches” even
Stefanie, Zach, Lily Sharon and Louise
L to R back row: Debra Michel, Charlene Baker, Diane Knopp, Sharon Shorty, Carver Dempsey Bob, Marge Beaufeld, Nita Clarke – Front row: Clarissa Rizal, Ann Smith, Louise Baker (missing: Lily Hope, Zach James, Sally Lutchman, Andra Hunter)
I am totally impressed with the commitment and dedication of the Yukon weavers. It is quite an honor for us to teach weavers who are eager to learn and eager to create more dance regalia for their family, friends and community members. This experience has been an instructor’s dream. And I know it was Jennie’s dream come true as well. She was the last traditional weaver; imagine how she must have felt! Imagine what she would feel if she were to see the number of wanna-be-weavers that have come out of the woodwork to dedicate themselves to a life-long learning process! I know only a small fraction of what she would feel; it has brought me to my knees with gratitude and compassion to be a part of Jennie’s legacy – to be a part of the traditional Chilkat weavers’ legacy and to be a part of this present-day legacy of this younger generation who will carry this forward. Can I have an Amen!? Can I have a Hoo-haa!
Looking through the class window at Clarissa’s yellow “Chilkat mobile” in the parking lot of the KwanlinDun Cultural Center in Whitehorse, Yukon
Thank you to Charlene Alexander, Executive Director of the Adaka Festival (in it’s 4th year), who coordinated another year of this amazing event and once again has invited us to teach weaving! Thank you to all the weavers who came out to learn more about our traditional weaving styles; Gunalcheesh!
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 16, 2014 | Class Act, Tlingit Culture Accentuated |
Clarissa reveals some of her tricks-of-the-trade, special suggested techniques and the “mistakes” in her recent Chilkat robe “Resilience” to the students in her One-day Weaving Class
Directly after Celebration, Sunday, June 15, 2014 in Juneau, Alaska, I conducted a one-day weaving class for weavers of all experience levels pertinent information gained from my apprenticeship in 1986 with the last traditional Chilkat weaver, Jennie Thlunaut; combined with my experiences as a weaver and teacher of this traditional art form over the past 30 years. Most of the information was directed towards Chilkat weavers though some of the information can also be applied towards Ravenstail weaving. This one-day class was to provide the spiritual aspects of weaving, tricks-of-the-trade and to inspire weavers to get back to their weavings!! It did not matter if weavers were students of mine or from another teacher; all were invited to attend.
Nila Rinehart helps Clarissa and Deana Dartt-Newton remove her “Resilience” Chilkat robe from the loom
One of the best aspects of this class is that we had approximately 20 students from all over the Northwest Coast as far North as Whitehorse, Yukon Territory throughout Southeast Alaska and into Alert Bay and Kincolith on the Nass River, British Columbia. For me, it was a hoot to have weavers introduce themselves to one another and begin the process of networking!
My assistant and daughter, Lily Hope shows Mary Ebona Miller how to strap just a headboard to the backside of a chair to use as her “loom” – Davina Barrill (orange shirt), Seattle and Donna Cranmer (Alert Bay, B.C.)
Lily demonstrates weaving tricks-of-the-trade to (L to R): Karen Taug, Crystal Worl, Irene Jean Lampe, Nila Rinehart and Crystal Rogers
Donna Cranmer begins weaving her next project of several projects!
Donna Cranmer’s daughter, Gwinti checks out cousin Marley’s work.
Ricky demonstrates an easier method of “dressing” your loom to Karen Taug, Nila and son, Laine Rinehart
Juneauites Crystal Worl takes notes as Crystal Rogers shows Stefanie Sidney (Whitehorse) how to anchor down her heading cord
Vanessa Morgan (Kincolith, Nass River, B.C.) and her child-size Chilkat robe with her starfish/frog clan Clarissa translated into Chilkat design
The next generation of weavers – watch out for them: Crystal Rogers, Crystal Worl, Stefanie Sidney and Amber Baker (Pelly Crossing, Yukon)
Verna Hunt (Alert Bay, B.C.) shares the color and type of yarn she uses for her weavings with Laine Rinehart (Juneau)
Melissa Rinehart (Seattle), Verna and Laine all analyze another type of weft yarn
Ricky Tagaban (Juneau and Charlene Baker (Pelly Crossing, Yukon) share weaving techniques
Angoon weavers Shgen George and Jackie Kookesh share weaving information as they look at Shgen’s newly-hung warp for her first Chilkat roge!
Ricky inspects Shgen’s Chilkat octopus bag – Shgen holds another octopus bag in her hands
Weavers are taking a breather before our potluck feast!
Thank you to all the weavers who came on this past Sunday morning; it was great to see you all together and many of you meeting one another for the first time. Gunalcheesh!
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 9, 2014 | Latest Art Projects, Ravens & Eagles, Tlingit Culture Accentuated |
Clarissa Rizal finishes weaving the ANB (Alaska Native Brotherhood) and ANS (Alaska Native Sisterhood) logos.
Weaving an average of 9 hours per day for the past 5 months, Clarissa must deliver this robe to Portland Art Museum staff members in Juneau during SHI’s biennial “Celebration” this mid-June.
Clarissa begins weaving the (SHI) Sealaska Heritage Institute’s logo (bottom center)
Read about Clarissa’s design description of this robe is in a previous blog entry: http://www.clarissarizal.com/blogblog/?p=2914
Clarissa’s progression of the Sealaska Heritage Institute’s logo in the “tail” of the overall design of the robe.
May 2, 2014 | Latest Art Projects, North Tide, Ravens & Eagles, Tlingit Culture Accentuated |
Ursala;s Graduation cap
Our family has “style.” We are very much into creating our own style of dress, decor, language, etc. My parents were both very stylish and so are my kids. So when Ursala said she wanted to paint her graduation cap to wear during the Ft. Lewis College ceremony, how could I be surprised?
Clarissa Rizal quickly sketches the design for her daughter’s graduation cap
Apr 17, 2014 | Latest Art Projects, Ravens & Eagles, Tlingit Culture Accentuated |
Clarissa Rizal and apprentice Teahonna James – April 15, 2014
It’s nerve-wracking to weave a Chilkat robe in a total of 5 months, absolutely nerve-wracking. Though when I have a student who lives an hour from me who is willing to make the drive and sleep in my studio to learn how to weave, that is a real plus for me to make the deadline — and of course, it’s a plus for her because she gets to learn how many tricks-of-the-trade and how to weave a robe! So the trade is perfect for both of us!
Teahonna James has shown a great dedication to herself and I in learning how to weave Chilkat. She is totally committed, has a sense of balance and organizational skills and is a talented “expert” in weaving….but I’m not going to tell her that so we can avoid getting big-headed about it! %^} I appreciate having the gift of apprentices who squeeze Chilkat weaving in between the lines! Recent apprentices Crystal Rogers and Vanessa Morgan are two others who do this too.
There are several other apprentices too from the distant past who have become strong weavers and teachers in their own communities. I know my mentor and teacher of Chilkat, Jennie Thlunaut would be proud of them too. There is a sense of peace knowing that I fulfilled my promise to Jennie; there is a sense of pride with the students knowing they are a major part of that promise.
Thank you, Teahonna; I appreciate you making the time and effort to come over the past couple of weekends to assist me in gettingerdun!
