Oct 11, 2014 | Adventures of Rear-Mirror Rissy, Honoring Others, Tools-of-the-Trade |
“Sharing the Skies: Navajo Astronomy” by Nancy C. Maryboy, PhD and David Begay, PhD
I find these kinds of books fascinating because they provide us another indigenous perspective outside of the western mindset. I see similarities amongst the Navajo and our own people, the Tlingit. The Navajo stories like our own are inspirational; more often than not they lead me to envision a robe or painting or some form of art piece.
This book provides a cross-cultural view of Navajo and Western astronomy. “Sharing the Skies” provides a look at traditional Navajo astronomy, including the constellations and the unique way in which Navajo people view the cosmos and their place within it. In addition, this book offers a comparison of the Navajo astronomy with the Greek (Western) perceptions. Beautifully illustrated with original paintings from a Navajo artist and scientifically enhanced with NASA photography.
The authors are Nancy C. Maryboy and David Begay. Marboy is a Cherokee/Navajo scholar working in the area of Indigenous Science, with a focus on astronomy. she is the President and Executive Director of the Indigenous Education Institute located in Bluff, Utah and Santa Fe, New Mexico. She teaches Indigenous Astronomy at Northern Arizona University. She works with NASA educational outreach projects and with University of California, Berkeley, Space Science Labs on National Science Foundation projects. She lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico and San Juan Island, Washington.
David Begay is a scholar and member of the Navajo Nation, and one of the founders of the Indigenous Education Institute. He works with University of California Berkeley, Space Science Labs in areas of Western and Indigenous science with support from NASA and the National Science Foundation. He lives on the Navajo Nation and works as an independent contractor with federal, state, tribal and corporate entities.
You may purchase a copy of this book for $14.95 from Rio Nuevo Publishers in Tucson, Arizona (www.rionuevo.com) or when you visit the Mesa Verde National Park visitor’s center gift shop, like I did !
Oct 9, 2014 | Adventures of Rear-Mirror Rissy, Honoring Others, Tools-of-the-Trade |
Book cover of Stanton Englehart’s “A Life on Canvas” published by the Spiralbound Studio Publishing in Durango, Colorado — Detail of Stanton’s painting entitled “Season on the Plateau”
Last week, when Dan, his parents and I were in the Toh-Atin Gallery of Native American Art in Durango, I came across this book and said to Dan that I totally admire this guy’s paintings; over the past few years every time I’ve seen this man’s work, just makes my heart pitter-patter…and I know that when I feel that feeling, it’s called love.
And then without even opening the book, I said to Dan “…can you show me what is your favorite piece of art in this gallery…?” (I asked him that because every time Dan and I go to an art show, an art fair, an art market, or to any gallery, anywhere, we always like the same exact piece(s) of art…!” So Dan led me directly to a large painting towards the back of the Toh-Atin gallery above a stairwell. Low and behold, it was a Stanton Englehart—! What did I tell ya!? After checking out the rest of the gallery art works in Navajo rugs, jewelry, pottery, sculpture and other paintings, again, Dan and I like the same exact piece of art picked out of thousands in a gallery! So of course, I had to buy the book because I will study every painting in this book and Stanton’s painting style will influence my next set of paintings!
Stanton’s paintings are not acrylics on canvas; they are oil on canvas. My daughter Ursala, who has been working in oil paintings for the past couple of years since her classes at Ft. Lewis College in Durango, has been encouraging me to drop acrylics and go into oils. I will do so after I use up my $500 worth of acrylic paints; I refuse to let them go to waste!
Who is Stanton Englehart? Stanton is a dedicated prolific artist for over 50 years. He is a celebrated painter of the landscapes of the Colorado Plateau. Englehart’s vision has been carried worldwide. His vividly hued paintings are held in collections in Germany, Canada and across the U.S.
He is known for his passion as an educator. Throughout his thirty-year teaching career at Ft. Lewis College in Durango, Colorado, Engleheart inspired students and faculty alike. Upon his retirement, he was granted the title of Professor Emeritus of Art.
This book project was initiated by the Durango Arts Center and brought into print by Durango-based Spiralbound Studio Publishing in association with the Ft. Lewis College Foundation. Proceeds from book sales will benefit the Stanton Englehart Scholarship Fund for art students at Ft. Lewis College.
Oct 8, 2014 | Adventures of Rear-Mirror Rissy, North Tide |
Clarissa Rizal weaving the “Resilience” Chilkat robe she designed and wove, recently completed in June 2014
LET IT BE KNOWN WORLD-WIDE:
I am willing to do A TRADE for property with a cabin/home off of Mud Bay Road in Haines, Alaska for a Chilkat robe woven by me. Let’s get creative with terms, robe would be on commission basis designed by me OR a reproduction of an old robe. If your property is worth more than a standard-size Chilkat robe, maybe you would consider trading for an entire woven ensemble (robe, apron, leggings, headdress)…like I said, we can be creative with our negotiations.
I am serious about doing this trade; I ain’t getting any younger and it’s time for me to get my act together in our beloved Haines! If you are interested in this trade or you know of someone who may be interested, contact me on Facebook (under Clarissa Rizal), or email me here at: clarissa@www.clarissarizal.com or call my cell at: 970-903-8386 (and yes, 970 is indeed the correct area code).
Thank you very much for your keeping me and this trade in mind!
Oct 6, 2014 | Tools-of-the-Trade |
One of my weaving apprentices recently turned me on to the best lamp for weaving…the V-Light!
I appreciate the fact that the best light in the world for weaving Chilkat and Ravenstail weaving is this lamp: the V-Light ! I was turned on to this lamp via one of my students this past Summer; holy moly, this light makes ALL THE DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD!!! I purchased this lamp at Office Max. Every time I go into any store that sells lamps, I am always check to see if they carry this particular brand and model, nothing else comes close! If there were two or three of these lamps at Office Max, i would have bought all of them!
Oct 5, 2014 | Class Act, Latest Art Projects, Relationship Overdrive, Showing Off, Tlingit Culture Accentuated, Tools-of-the-Trade |
4-year-old Amelie Soleil Haas spins Chilkat warp on her thigh for the first time
For the past two days, Amelie has come into Grandma Rissy’s studio and has seen me splitting cedar bark, getting it all ready to begin spinning yards of warp for my next projects. Amelie tried her hand at splitting bark last week, and to my surprise she was darn good adept at it. Today, she surprised me even more when she asked if she could spin the warp, to which of course I said “sure, why not?” and I only had to show her one time and gave her all the pointers like I do my weaving students, and voile’ she was a natural ! She spun like she had been doing it all her life (only 4 years!). I don’t know if I felt so much pride in my life…! Then again, she IS my grand-daughter and I suppose that’s what Grandmas are supposed to feel like!
Clarissa is touching the large coil of cedar bark BEFORE it is split into the thin strips as shown
After I cook all the sap out of the cedar bark, I split the coils of cedar into very fine strips. Each fine strip is then spun with the wool on our thighs to create the warp (the verticle-hanging yarns on the weaving loom). It took me 26 hours to split about a pound of cedar bark; I did it in 2.5 days…(while watching a Netflix television series, of course!). Watching a movie or television series, helps me to “getterdun!”
Oct 4, 2014 | Honoring Others, Tlingit Culture Accentuated |
Chilkat and Raventail weaver Lily Hope, and carver silversmith Wayne Price – Adaka Festival – Whitehorse, Yukon– June 2014
My daughter Lily Hope did a wonderful presentation on Chilkat and Ravenstail weaving at the Clan Conference in Juneau, Alaska in November 2013. Watch the 45-minute youtube video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4x-BcKuMwPI
Oct 2, 2014 | Adventures of Rear-Mirror Rissy, To See or Not to See |
Our shadows inside the house walls at Mesa Verde, Colorado
Yesterday, Dan, his parents and I took a day trip to Mesa Verde National Park in the Four Corners area of Southwest Colorado. We had a pleasant afternoon drive with a picnic interrupted by a band of black clouds backed by cold winds at the highest point of the Mesa at about 8,700 feet. We resumed our picnic at lower elevation in amongst the pinon and juniper trees.
The village ruins are tucked under a massive cliff…!
I hadn’t been to Mesa Verda since the first time in Summer 1989 on my return move back to Alaska from spending a couple of years in New Mexico. About 10 years ago there were many major fires that swept through the Four Corners region; Mesa Verde was not immune. Though as we drove through the 20-mile drive up to the “Spruce Tree” ruins (which are pictured here), it was amazing how the landscape had been making a come-back; how forgiving is our Earth — the forest continued to grow regardless of the skeletal remains of the burnt trees. Because I am a natural-born harvester, I kept thinking about how much the dead trees were just going to rot; there was so much firewood to collect!
The switch-back path leading down to the “Spruce Tree” mesa is just as interesting and well-engineered as the ancient ruins…!
A park ranger’s shadow during sunset…
A restored kiva — place of ceremony…
Sep 26, 2014 | Latest Art Projects, Showing Off, Tlingit Culture Accentuated, To Market To Market |
Child-size Chilkat headband in progress — Clarissa Rizal — 2014
I have been weaving a Child-size Chilkat dance ensemble which includes a robe, apron, leggings and headdress. These two photos show the progress of the headdress above and one of a pair of leggings below…stay tuned for images of the completed ensemble this November!
The beginnings of the blue curlique in the child-size Chilkat dance leggings — Clarissa Rizal 2014
Sep 24, 2014 | Adventures of Rear-Mirror Rissy, Honoring Others, Relationship Overdrive |
![PaversFinished]](http://www.clarissarizal.com/blogblog/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/PaversFinished.jpg)
I finished laying the paving stones at Jeannette’s! —
How many of you have lived in the American Southwest? (Utah, Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico? If you have lived in the SW, then you know all about the mud sticking to the bottom of your feet after a drenching rain! And how many of you remember when I had a landscaping company in Juneau back in 1981 through 1993? It was called Kahtahah Landscape Company; it was mainly just me the designer/boss/landscaper who hired a different crew of workers every year. Kahtahah in our Tlingit language translates as: “She who plants” or “planting time” (depending on how you use it in a sentence). Although I landscaped here and there in Juneau, I was the gardener/landscaper for Sealaska Corporation 1981-1993. With the exception of the birch trees, I planted all the trees and shrubs down at the Plaza — they have gotten so big now — though sadly some of the bestest, healthiest trees were removed because of technological stuff replacing them (i.e. ATM machine, the energy tower, etc.).
Anyway, back to the American Southwest. Last weekend I drove down to my friend’s home 20 miles south of Gallup, NM, to a her homeland called Vanderwagon. Yes, she’s Navajo. She is preparing her house for whenever she moves back after 40+ years in Alaska; she is going to move back whether it be full time or part-time. I wanted to see her homeland, meet her family members and welcome her home by bring her some household goods I had been collecting to help start her off. And because I love to garden and landscape, my favorite part was setting the paving stones! When I arrived, it had just rained so we were tracking in all the mud! And the remedy was sitting right outside her door, so I got to work!
Jeanette was given about 80 stones from a sister-in-law who didn’t need them. They sat outside her front door for a year…until I came along! I just finished laying the pavers yesterday! Now I want to lay paving stones set like this for my outdoor fire pit; I’ve been wanting to do this for the past 20 years, but I have to wait until I have the extra cash to pay for the pavers! Doggone, how long must I wait!?
After a couple of days work on setting the pavers, I relaxed in Jeannette’s truck on our way to order washed 3/4″ gravel for the driveway and to lay in between the pavers…I kinda look like Yoko Ono in this shot, don’t I ?
Pendleton Blanket purchased from the Navajo Shopping Center, Gallup, NM
So while on our way to order gravel, the truck started to act up badly. We took it into the nearby car repair shop. While waiting for the truck to be repaired, we went to the “Navajo Shopping Center” in business for 50 years — wow, what a place! It is like a general store that provides most everything that Navajo people are used to buying for every day life, special occasions and the arts. They have gently-used Pendleton blankets for half off the normal price of the new robes. I bought one. As some of you know, I have designed and sewn button robes using these Pendleton blankets as the body of the robe. I am excited about the design I will do for this robe!
Sep 11, 2014 | Latest Art Projects, Showing Off, Tlingit Culture Accentuated |
A woven Curlique using Chilkat weaving techniques — by Clarissa Rizal
I am weaving a child-size Chilkat apron as part of a 5-piece Chilkat woven ensemble which will also include a headdress, robe, and leggings. My goal is to complete the ensemble by end of October; I will have the entire ensemble shown at the Alaska-Juneau Public Market during Thanksgiving weekend at the Centennial Hall in Juneau, Alaska. Above is a semi-completed image of my first curlique using the Chilkat weaving techniques. The merino yarns were hand-dyed by a yarn company out of Homer, Alaska. Stay tuned for updates on the “Chilkat Child” ensemble.
Sep 2, 2014 | Honoring Others, Latest Art Projects, Poetry Alaskan, Showing Off, Tlingit Culture Accentuated, To Market To Market |
The back and front cover of Juneauite author Hannah Lindoff’s “Mary’s Wild Winter Feast” co-illustrated by Nobu Koch and Clarissa Rizal
Hot off the press, you may purchase this book at the Alaska-Juneau Public Market at Centennial Hall in Juneau during Thanksgiving weekend at my booth #P-15 in the main hall OR you can purchase directly from Hannah OR you can order a copy from a couple of sources below:
Here is the book’s page on UAF: http://www.alaska.edu/uapress/browse/detail/index.xml?id=511
Here’s the Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/Marys-Winter-Feast-Hannah-Lindoff/dp/1602232326/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1409341461&sr=8-1&keywords=Mary%27s+Wild+Winter+Feast
You want a signed copy? Come by my booth P-15 at the Alaska-Juneau Public Market! We’ll see you there!
Aug 23, 2014 | Honoring Others, Relationship Overdrive |
Two of my favorite friends who are excellent artists, Preston Singletary (L), Cecil Touchon and I — @ Preston’s annual show during Santa Fe Indian Market, Blue Rain Gallery, Santa Fe, NM — Friday, August 22, 2014– photo by Nisa Touchon
I don’t know why, but I always wanted these two people to meet. Maybe it’s because they are “famous” — maybe it’s because they are almost like two peas in a pod — maybe it’s because one is an Aquarian and the other a Leo…! Guess which is which. Whatever the case, I think I wanted them to meet because they are a couple of my favorite people and this evening during Preston’s annual show opening at the Blue Rain Gallery in Santa Fe, Cecil and his wife, Rosalia and daughter Nisa, showed up! I forgot I had told them about the show opening; I am so happy they came, so happy for these two guys to meet — (don’t ask me why I wanted them to meet, all I know is that I was happy for them to finally meet one another; you ever feel that way about two of your favorite buddies meeting?)…
You may check out Cecil’s paintings and collages at his website: www.ceciltouchon.com
You may check out Preston’s glassblowing at: www.prestonsingletary.com
