May 2, 2015 | Honoring Others, Latest Art Projects, Tlingit Culture Accentuated |
A collection of antique fishing lures were hooked into becoming the embellishment to the next button robe designed and created by Clarissa Rizal
I’ve been collecting antique fishing lures from garage sales, antique and 2nd hand stores since 1999. While fishing with my father off shore at Outer Point back in the early 90’s, I had this notion that I would create a button blanket to honor my two older brothers and my father who were all commercial fishermen and also to just honor fish in general, especially salmon! Well 16 years later, my oldest brother and my father are now gone, and the other brother no longer fishes for a living because even that profession has nearly gone by the wayside too.
The salmon are disappearing; when our mother said that years ago, I didn’t want to believe her. Yet, we who are older than 50 have seen it with our own eyes. And the waters are so contaminated, that I will eat salmon maybe once a year because even though I crave our fish, I don’t trust what salmon are carrying.
I plan on creating a series of salmon button robes to mourn the loss of our salmon, however also to inspire faith our salmon will one day return in great numbers — maybe not in our lifetime, but possibly in our grand-children’s lifetime. If you, dear reader, come across antique fishing lures like those above, bring them to my attention so I can fetch them OR better yet, send them my way to my Alaska address or Colorado address – either way they will get to me! Thank you!
Apr 23, 2015 | For Crying Out Loud, Latest Art Projects, Showing Off, Tlingit Culture Accentuated, To Market To Market, Tools-of-the-Trade |
Northwest Coast Tlingit graduation cap designed by Clarissa Rizal painted and modeled by Ursala Hudson at her BA graduation — 2014
I have a new website with a few new tweaks to my blog, just launched last week on April 13th; I HAVE GRADUATED to a simpler, cleaner, and easy-to-navigate format to update: It’s time to celebrate! (Most artists that I know would rather spend their time creating instead of working on the computer, so the easier and faster computer time, the better for us all…!)
This is my fourth website since 1998; the first was created by my friend Cecil Touchon (www.ceciltouchon.com) nearly 20 years ago when there were not very many Native American artists’ websites.
I have been blogging since July 2010, nearly 5 years! Unlike the past blog entries randomly posted when I could fit in the work, I will post new blog entries 3/x weekly with this schedule:
- on Mondays and Thursdays and Saturdays by 12 midnight (Alaska, Pacific or Mountain time — all depends on where my business travel takes me!).
Blog posts will include the usual latest projects, art business travel, tools of the trade, people, classes, health topics, etc., though to continue helping out my fellow weavers in a more efficient manner, I have added a new section to my categories (column on the right) called “Tricks-of-the-Trade.”
All photographs on my website and blog were shot by myself unless otherwise noted.
- For over 20 years, most of the photographs of my button robes and my chilkat weavings were taken by professional photographer Jeff Laydon at www.pagosaphotography.com.
- I make an effort to give credit to any other photographers.
- Thank you to my ceremonial robe models the late Russ Eagle and my grand-daughter Amelie Haas.
- My friend Russ had been modeling for me for nearly 15 years until his passing in 2009.
- Five-year-old Amelie had her debut this past March modelling my “Chilkat Child” 5-piece weaving ensemble.
I have begun formatting my photographs larger; people want to SEE!
- I also will aim towards shooting more interesting shots, maybe at different angles
- maybe I’ll even tweak them too, because I CAN!
- Click photos on my website to enlarge; the blog photos are what they are
- Ursala says I ought to buy myself a SLR camera to produce better photos, though at this time I cannot afford spending $500-$1000.
- Blogs and websites are much more interesting with better photography and golly, shooting from my old iPhone I guess just doesn’t tickle anybody’s fancy does it!
- Hold on, dear readers, the money for a real camera will come some day!
As time permits, I will be adding one more topic to my website: a “Tributes” page to honor mainly Tlingit elders who have helped me on my path as a full-time Tlingit artist for nearly 40 years. My “Tributes” page will include those of have passed including:
- grandparents, Juan and Mary Sarabia
- parents William and Irene Lampe
- very first mentor/teacher Tlingit chief from Yakutat, Harry K. Bremner, Sr. who gave me my very first sewing lessons along with Tlingit song and dance instruction, and
- mentor/teacher of Chilkat weaving, Jennie Thlunaut
- my apprenticeship with Jennie Thlunaut
Thank you to my daughter, Ursala Hudson for working hard last weekend to create and launch my website by my deadline! Check Ursala’s graphic design/web design work on her website at: www.whiterabbitstudio.us
Mar 26, 2015 | Health and Wellness, Poetry Alaskan, Tlingit Culture Accentuated, Tools-of-the-Trade |
Whenever I can, wherever I sleep, I place the foot of the bed at the window, so i awaken to nature and the first crack of dawn — view of Teslin Lake — July 2014
After nearly 40 years of writing my artist statements, and of all the responsibilities I have done in running an artist business, the writing of statements is the most challenging; I’d rather do my IRS taxes or shrinkwrap my prints, or go to the dentist than write an artist statement! I was even challenged a couple of months ago when at the request of one of my students’ assignments from her art instructor had to choose someone who had influenced her to become an artist, I wrote a brief bio explaining when I began to do my art and why. Even THAT was a challenge, although when I had completed the bio, I was somewhat pleased. (Here’s the link to the bio: http://www.clarissarizal.com/blogblog/birthday-bio/ ).
Even now after writing this artist statement, I asked myself why do I have a difficult time with bios and artist statements? Answer: I don’t like WRITING about myself. (Hey now, for those of you who know me and how much I can TALK about myself, that is very different than WRITING about my self!) When I talk about myself, it is easier because I am talking about the present or the past, I can express myself with animation, and I generally have human responses and conversation. When WRITING about self, it’s all about ME. It’s all about what looks good on paper; how I can (or cannot) articulate my process, articulate my inner sanctions, articulate my inspiration, passions, ideas, and remedies to turmoil and celebrations of achievements. It’s all about making the time to articulate. It’s all about how well I can articulate! And what the heck, I have lots of things I want to DO than spend my time ARTICULATING on paper!!! Articulating through conversations, classes, lectures and presentations is no problem; I do it all improvisationally anyway and it’s always accompanied by storytelling and animated movements, and I ENJOY MYSELF. However, writing about myself has yet to become enjoyable. I repeat, I’d rather do my taxes or even go to the dentist.
Anyway, here’s my latest artist statement. Let me tell you, it was a challenge to write this.
“When awakened by the first light of dawn, my mind filters itself slowly back to this reality while catching up to a body already shaking its legs with enthusiasm to start another day of creating, though dares not because spirit is still in that “delicate time in the in-between” where visions reveal themselves more clearly as I lay quietly, these things “await in the eaves” yet to be created. Those close to me come to understand it is best to leave me alone for up to a half-hour first thing in the morning; disturbing this fragile state of spirit will disrupt the visions of new weavings, new button robes, and new paintings yet to come. It is also a time of communing with those that have long passed, those that I know presently, and those that I will come to know. The things that return with me upon awakening have been manifesting themselves in this reality since birth. Yes, I keep a pen and small notepad on my bedside table.
Rainbow Glacier at the mouth of the Chilkat River – Haines, Alaska – July 2014
Creating every day on 6 hours of sleep per night is normal; I’ve been this way all my life. I create from the time I wake up to the time I collapse in bed 18 hours later. My normal is defined as having many things going on at once: there are three weavings on three different looms, a draft for a new Chilkat robe design, a buttonrobe on the sewing table, paintings half complete, and preps for new collages; but wait I still have to respond to an RFP, fish our Alaskan waters and pick the best wild berries in the world to put up for winter, instigate Chilkat gatherings and retreats, conjure up proposals for collaborations with other artists, terrace the driveway, build, draw or sew with my grand-children, draft another artist statement, prepare for storytelling or lectures, rehearse with the band, plant a tree nursery, sew Easter clothing for all the grand-children, etc. These activities “feed” one another, in turn they feed my spirit and I soar. When I soar, it’s contagious; everyone around me soars.
Totemic images in cement, at Svenson’s home in Wrightwood, CA – December 2014
Being a Creator is nothing new; look around at how the Great Creator is in constant state of flux, expansion and chaos. Artists are no different; we are a “chip off the old block.”
Within is a drive where there is no choice but create. If I did not create, little by little I would literally die – ask me how I know. First my spirit would dwindle, then my emotions depressed, subside, and eventually stagnate. Lastly, my body would shrink, the fire light in my eyes would extinguish, and my breath, expire. While in the midst of this decline, we could call this the “walking dead.” Though, as if the drive within would allow this atrocity to happen? No way. I am vision. I am one of millions of visionary vessels from which creation flows, and to add to my blessings, I am born to a landscape, people and culture rich with beauty, diversity, strength and community – gratefully we Tlingit are grounded within the guidance of our ancestral customs, traditions and relations.
Chilkat and Ravenstail weaving class, under the “sun” in the Elder’s Room of the Kwaanlin Dun Cultural Center, Whitehorse, Yukon – June 2014
Chilkat weaving offers a meditative, spiritual practice similar to repetitive movements in Tai Chi. Woven from mountain goat wool and cedar bark, Chilkat weaving allows me to bring order in creative chaos as if the supple, compact twine of the yarns gliding through my fingertips were the pattern of a spider’s web, weaving new paths within the web of the brain, ever expanding to new horizons, new ways of thinking, and new ways of being, which in turn brings internal strength to the weaver; this naturally and gradually affects every relationship she has with others and self in good ways. Ask me how I know. This process and outcome is one of the main reasons why I teach our traditional Chilkat weaving to our women. For nearly 30 years, periodically, I have left my family and the comforts of home to gather, teach and support our generations of weavers. I remind and inspire our women to use their feminine intuition to converge with the realms beyond our seeing eye; in goodness, we help bring the past into the present, and present into future. When our women are healthy and strong, our world within and without, moves towards peace and happiness.
A circle of clan leaders, carved and painted totems just outside the Cape Fox Hotel in Ketchikan, AK – November 201
It is as though the warp yarns that hang down on our looms is our “veil between the worlds.” We understand the weaving of a Chilkat face puts us in touch with our ancestors. In a conversation with my friend and Chilkat weaver, Suzi Williams: “…when we weave the eyebrows, expressions are shared; when we weave the eyes, suddenly, we can see into their world and they can see into our world; when we weave the nose, lives breathe into our own keeping us alive and vice versa; and when we weave the mouth, we are able to finally communicate fully.” While we are weaving a Chilkat robe, many of us have expressed the uncanny feeling there is a presence standing invisibly behind us, ever supporting us. It is not until a weaver weaves the ultimate, a Chilkat robe, that she understands and feels the spiritual connection and some of our weavers may begin to understand a large aspect of her life’s purpose.
The many braids in weaving the “Resilience” Chilkat robe by Clarissa Rizal – April 2014
A Chilkat robe is a year in the making. Most of us no longer have the patience to devote this length of time to anything. We live in an instant-gratification world; we are no longer conditioned to sit quietly for 2000 hours as we contemplate our lives, let alone our livelihood. Before Chilkat came to me, I had very little patience. I would not create anything unless I knew I could do it in a day. After learning Chilkat, I gained the art of patience, the way of gratitude, and the act of compassion. The universe opened its doors with a flood of information; the kind of information not definable, yet powerfully written in our Native art, in the ways of our people, and in our commune with nature. When a Chilkat robe is completed, a totem pole raised, or a canoe on its virgin sail, new and old songs are sung with a celebration of dancers and a feast to commemorate the story “written” in our art. Our way is an holistic approach to creating art while documenting our history.”— Clarissa Rizal, March 2015
Mar 11, 2015 | Adventures of Rear-Mirror Rissy, Showing Off, Tlingit Culture Accentuated, To Market To Market |
Sue and Israel Shotridge enjoy one another; Clarissa Rizal’s “Chilkat Child” won Best of Class at the Heard Museum Juried Art Show, Phoenix, AZ – March 2015
Doing art markets alone is not as much fun, however if you get along with other artists who may want to do the show alongside with you, like Sue and Israel Shotridge, it’s so much more fun! We had a blast! This was their first year at the market; this is my third year. We were two of 600+ Native American artists featured at the Heard Museum Native Art Fair and Market usually held the first weekend in March; this was the Heard’s 57th year. Sue and I were not quite a year old when they first started this fair! There were also a few other Northwest Coast Native artists at the Fair, though not many of us: Dolly Garza, Diane Douglas-Willard, and Zoe Urness.
Shotridges and Rizal combine their “gallery space” in each of their 10′ x 10′ booths at the Heard Museum Indian Art Fair and Market, March 7 & 8 – Phoenix, AZ, 2015
To be a part of the fair, the application process starts each year in July. To qualify, you must be at least 1/4 Native American with proof of your CIB (Certificate of Indian Blood), there’s a $25 application fee, the largest, 10’x10′ booths are $500, you must provide a resume’, and 10 images of your best work within the last 3 years. It’s easy for myself because I have established a large body of work over the past 39 years, though for emerging artists, the application process may be intimidating; however, keep your faith in yourself, put your best foot forward, and if you have nothing major to show for yourself, then get on the ball and produce some work before the Heard Museum deadline for application! Get it together, step up to your plate that’s waiting to “feed” you! It’s up to you!
Israel Shotridge drums and sings a clan song to an audience in his booth at the Heard Museum Native Art Fair & Market, Phoenix, AZ – March 2015
A select group of the booths at the Heard are 10′ x 10′. The Shotridges and I took down the canvas wall that divided our booths; we wanted to be able to converse and especially have more light AND give buyers and opportunity to “step into our gallery.” —- These shows can be a lot of work. It took three hours to set up my simple booth below. It took three hours for the Shotridges to do the same. Yet there is a simple pleasure in the accomplishment of making our space look inviting, and in our opinion, it really is like setting up a temporary outdoor “gallery.”
Clarissa Rizal’s “little gallery” art booth at the Heard Museum Native Art Fair & Market, Phoenix, AZ – March 2015
Outside of winning ribbons and with the intent you will sell some work to help offset not only your costs but pay some of your bills for the next few months, one of the best parts (for me) about doing shows are the variety of people we meet from all walks of life and the invites to other shows and events, or invites to artist retreats or residencies, and not to mention the up-and-coming artists who look to you for guidance and advice. Generally speaking, I think people like to be needed; it gives us another sense of self-worth!
Recent glassblown pieces by Tlingit glassblower Preston Singletary at his annual art show held the same week as the Heard Art Market, at the Blue Rain Gallery in Scottsdale, AZ
Jeremy Frey won Best of Show for his magnificent basket, Heard Museum Juried Art Show, March 2015
Carver Israel Shotridge and Glassblower Preston Singletary
Sue Shotridge takes a photo of the award-winning bentwood box carved by her husband, Israel Shotridge — Heard Museum Juried Art Show and Market – March 2015
Clarissa Rizal and Sue Shotridge sport their cedar bark hats woven by Haida artist Merle Anderson – March 2015
Beadwork close-up by beadwork artist Marcus Amerman – (I am partial to the Chilkat emblem in dead center!); Heard Museum Juried Art Show & Market, March 2015
Marcus Amerman’s beaded “Smithsonian” piece at the Heard Museum Native Art Fair Juried Art Show, Phoenix, AZ – March 2015
Adrian Wall’s sculptures in blown glass and stone at the Heard Museum Native Art Fair & Market, Phoenix, AZ – March 2015
Feb 3, 2015 | Honoring Others, Poetry Alaskan, Relationship Overdrive |
Clarissa and her children, Ursala, Lily and Kahlil – July 2011
A couple of weeks ago, one of my apprentices asked me if I would write a bio of myself that explained when I began to do my art and why. She said she had to choose someone who had influenced her life to become an artist; she choose me. This was an assignment she needed to present at her art class. My initial response was “Gee, I inspired her to become an artist? But I don’t want to write about me, it is so boring to go back that far and talk about who, what where when and why…” However, I gave her my word that I would do this for her that night. So, I “set the stage” with low lighting and a cup of tea; I do this whenever I have to write about my personal life to help me focus with very little struggle – then with very little editing, the words just flowed from my head down through to the keyboard onto the computer screen. Here’s what came…
19 January 2015
Sitting in the direct heat of the fake firelight of the electric Amish heater in my studio, always bundled in my sheepskin coat, sheepskin boots and hat because the heating device is not large enough to heat this one room where I work and sleep, I am never quite warm in Winter, though it’s better than being outside right now with 0 degree starlit snow. I reflect upon my life as an artist and wonder where it all started and if living the life of a full-time artist, especially now in a place without running water, without sewer, and without sufficient heat, was and continues to be, worth it.
No matter what age, for the past 59 years, I’ve always been a child of creativity, with a drive that is endless. I exist on 6 hours sleep a night; from the time my eyes are awakened by the early dawn until I suddenly stagger to my bed 18 hours later; like I am going-going-going, then gone! It’s only in the past couple of years that I realized that not everyone is like this; where have I been?
38 years ago today, my first child Kahlil was born, named after Kahlil Gibran who wrote many inspiring books including The Prophet, Spirits Rebellious, and my favorite The Broken Wings. Spiritually-inclined at a very young age, anything written about Christ had to be read; any paintings, prints and photos of Jesus had to be studied, so natural it was to read all of Gibran’s works when I was a young adult. And even though in the western way of living having a child at 20 was considered young, it was natural for me to think it normal because our Tlingit culture had the wisdom to know children are a gift of God.
My parents guided me into the way they were conditioned to get a “real job” to secure a pension plan to retire in 40 years. This worked for a little while. From the age of 14 to 20 I had real jobs working as a librarian assistant, a home-health aid for the elderly, a clerk typist for the Governor and for the Bureau of Indian Affairs Division of Contracting, until of course Kahlil was born. Being a new mother was challenging; I was not a natural-born mother because I was such a tom-boy and it was next to impossible to stay indoors day in and day out while the baby napped, I had to keep up with the diaper changes and laundry, and he had to be nursed every 2 hours 24-7! Holy cow!
To keep my sanity I turned to gardening; it got me outdoors yet close to home! I turned to drawing, crocheting and sewing. While he took his naps, and directly after putting the entire household to bed each night, I’d stay awake ‘till at least midnight, creating; it was my therapy! During the raising of my three children, I made a living over the next decades in a variety of ways: besides designing and making Tlingit ceremonial regalia in button blanket, Chilkat and Ravenstail weavings, I was an entrepreneur before I knew what that meant. I made hats, I sewed custom-made clothing, created costumes for local theatre companies, owned a landscape gardening company, and was co-owner of an online newspaper. In the 70s and early 80s, I took up learning our traditional arts from some of the best artists of their time: carving, regalia-making, traditional song and dance, metal-smithing, basketry, Chilkat and Ravenstail weaving. Just before my children were grown up and gone I had created a name for myself as one of the few, if not the only, Tlingit women who has been a full-time artist working in all of the above mediums for nearly 40 years, all in the name of keeping my sanity and being a stay-at-home-self-employed-mother because I did what my mother recommended I do: stay home with my children.
In a few years I will be 65; do I see myself retiring soon? No way. I have no pension plan; I have no savings; and I surely do not have an inheritance. I cannot afford to retire. And what would I retire to!? Would I retire to taking vacations? What for?…vacations are boring; I don’t want to relax – relaxing is a lot of work! Would I retire to volunteering at something? I been there done that volunteering all my life with the house concerts I used to produce in my own home; with the children’s theatre I used to co-produce; with the art shows and classes I used to teach, just to name a few. Would I retire to what most people retire to? Watching TV from the couch. What for? Is that really fun, is it productive, is it creative, does it do anyone any good? The only results I see from watching TV is weight gain—too much potato chips!
Would I retire to what some of us retire to? Art and music.
Hello? I am already there; I have been creating art and playing music all my adult life. Does this mean I’ve been retired all my life? Hmmm…an interesting perspective.
It looks like I will continue doing what I have been doing for almost 40 years. Why change now? I’m in the groove.
My children now have families of their own. Each of my children and their spouses are self-employed artists. I have watched them struggle with making ends meet like the way their father and I made ends meet never knowing where our next paycheck would come from and if next month’s bills would get paid. I watch them live like I have, not afford brand new cars, not take any vacations, not have the latest styles of clothing, all the while living with tension about the ability to keep a roof over their heads, mouths fed, and clothing clean. However, there’s a sense of pride and awe that I feel when I see the fact that they stay at home with their children, making wholesome meals from scratch, tending to a flourishing garden, doing their “art” and their little kids “working” right alongside them: happy. These are values I did not realize were taught to them by my own example, someone who has passionate creativity, a drive that has always been driven, at the edge.
Kahlil is a professional film-maker/director who also teaches film a couple of days a week at the Institute of American Indian Arts; his wife Miki is a counselor at the Santa Fe Arts Academy; their 7-year-old Violet enjoys chess tournaments, sewing, ice-skating, gymnastics and basketball. Lily is an award-winning, professional storyteller/actress and also a Ravenstail/Chilkat weaver and teacher; her husband Ishmael is also a professional storyteller/actor, excellent writer who recently published his first book of poetry. They have four children who are being home-schooled. Ursala is an oil painter, block-print maker, graphic artist/web designer, and is president of a local Charter school she is starting; her husband Chris is a lead singer/songwriter in his band, a sculptor and a house painter. Their two daughters are obviously following their footsteps! My children and grandchildren live fully.
To my best of my ability, I live a life of integrity. I keep watch of what I do to see what I believe. My offspring and my work is love made visible. I follow my heart because my heart follows the source of creativity that inspires me and continues to drive me. I am old enough to look back upon my life and enjoy it a second time around. All my relations, my parents, my children and their children are proof of the legacy that I co-created and will leave. And when I leave, my conscious will be clear and free, knowing all that I loved and lived, was worth it.
Dec 9, 2014 | Ravens & Eagles, Tlingit Culture Accentuated |
The Curator of Native American Art at the Portland Art Museum, Deana Dartt with her unique staff Mike Murawski, Alex Mar, Todd Clark – They stand next to Clarissa’s recently completed Chilkat robe “Resilience” now part of the permanent collection of Portland Art Museum – December 2014
Surprises come in all sizes and shapes, some pleasant and unpleasant. Learning how to keep the emotions in check is, I have discovered during my mid-life “learning curve”, the best way to stay off the emotional roller coaster. I used to respond fully at everything, whether positive or negative; I have come to realize that was a lot of energy to expend especially now as I am getting older, it is best for me to conserve that energy for myself, to myself, as I am needing to keep any energy I have if I want to continue doing what I do and all the things yet that I intend to do before I go. So,…the surprise of seeing the Chilkat weavings collection at the Portland Art Museum was indeed pleasant that will last the rest of my lifetime. Why?
The double-headed Raven “Two Door” Chilkat dance tunic and its wooden pattern board – the tunic was woven by my weaver teacher/mentor Jennie Thlunaut
Though there were a couple of other weavings and button blankets etc., I focused on these two tunics I show herein: one is a “Grizzly Bear” tunic woven by Mrs. Benson, the paternal aunt and weaving teacher to my teacher/mentor Jennie Thlunaut, and the other tunic, the double-headed Raven “Two Door” tunic was woven by Jennie Thlunaut. Mrs. Benson was born in the mid-1800s and died in the early 1900’s; Jennie was born in 1895 and died in 1986. Jennie’s mother died when Jennie was 12; her mother had just started weaving another robe. With the help of Jennie’s 4 paternal aunts, Jennie completed the Chilkat robe her mother started. Mrs. Benson was one of those aunties.
Full view of the double-headed Raven “Two Door” Chilkat dance tunic by Jennie Thlunaut
The Portland Art Museum has in its collection a “weavers lineage” most likely, unlike any other museum anywhere else in the world. How is that possible? The “Grizzly Bear” tunic was woven my Mrs. Benson, the “Two Door” tunic woven by Jennie Thlunaut, and now the “Resilience” Chilkat robe woven by me! There is no other museum or cultural institution that owns a Chilkat weaving by me, so in this case, P.A.M. owns a weaving lineage of three generations! — Now how cool is THAT!?
Jennie wove two of the double raven “Two Door” tunics. Long time ago, I was told the story of why she ended up weaving two identical tunics, but now I don’t remember. And like anything, if I don’t TELL the story enough times, either verbally or at least written down, the story gets lost, so let this be a lesson to us! However, the Pennsylvania Museum in Philadelphia owns the other identical tunic and I KNOW they have the story!
Full view of the double headed Raven “Two Door” tunic pattern board
This hand-painted pattern board hosts two designs; on one side is the “Two Door” double raven, on the other side is the “Grizzly Bear”. Of course, It be sensible that this large piece of wood, which is cut the width of the tree, be used efficiently!
Close up of a Chilkat tunic neckline and sleeve woven by Jennie Thlunaut’s auntie “Mrs. Benson”
This particular Chilkat weaving tunic woven by Mrs. Benson is my ALL TIME FAVORITE woven piece since I first laid eyes on Chilkat weavings nearly 40 years ago! The design, the workmanship, and the colors which have yet to fade terribly are all fabulous – such an inspiration. In fact, back in 2000 I did a limited edition of only 40 silkscreened prints using a photograph of this tunic as my inspiration to portray Jennie Thlunaut’s lineage of weavers titled “ShaaxSaaniKeek Weavers Circle.”
“Bear” wooden pattern board for the Chilkat tunic woven by “Mrs. Benson”
Traditionally, because men were the artists who carved and painted the form line art of the Northwest Coast, they were the ones who designed the Chilkat. The form line of Chilkat is “translated” from the traditional form line so that the weaver can more easily weave the shapes. So in order to create a successful Chilkat pattern, the designer must understand how the weaving process is done. Very few artists know how the weaving process is done; in fact, there are many of our people who have never seen the weaving process, and when they do, they are shocked at the intricate amount of work and the numerous hours to create even a small weaving. They then understand why the Chilkat weavings are “expensive.”
The “Bear” Chilkat tunic woven by Jennie Thlunaut’s auntie, Mrs. Benson – trimmed with sea otter fur on neckline, cuffs and the sides
Nov 15, 2014 | Adventures of Rear-Mirror Rissy, Showing Off, Tlingit Culture Accentuated, To Market To Market |
6 of 9 Button blanket robe designs by Clarissa Rizal on greeting cards
The greeting cards above will be some of the items available for sale at the Alaska-Juneau Public Market held Friday, Saturday and Sunday of Thanksgiving weekend in Juneau, Alaska.
I invite you to visit my Booth #P-15 right across the isle from Tony Tengs “Chilkat Cones” in the main hall of Centennial Hall. And please note: I will be sharing the booth with Tlingit carving artist & silversmith, Israel and Sue Shotridge (www.shotridgestudios.com).
The following is an inventory of items for sale; they include (but are not limited to):
A limited supply of Chilkat weaving and spinning supplies: Cedar bark without the sap (both whole and split), Chilkat warp, Chilkat weft yarns in golden yellow, turquoise, black and cream, spinning pads, etc.
Books for sale that I wrote, made or co-illustrated include: “Chilkat Pattern Templates”, the “Chilkat Weavers’ Handbook”; Juneauite author Hannah Lindoff children’s book “Mary’s Wild Winter Feast” — and books that I highly recommend: “The Intenders” by Tony Burroughs and “Go Pro – Becoming A Network Marketing Professional” by Eric Worre.
Miscellaneous items include: hand-caste paper feathers, limited edition Giclee prints, hand-sewn, beaded, felt Russian Sailor hats, and gumboot shell earrings made by daughter Lily and sister Dee Lampe.
Come check out my latest 5-piece Chilkat woven ensemble called “Chilkat Child” which will be on display next to my daughter Lily’s 4-piece Ravenstail woven ensemble “Little Watchman.”
We’ll see you in a couple of weeks during the weekend of Thanksgiving at the Public Market in Juneau (Friday, Saturday and Sunday)!
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!
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
Feb 4, 2014 | Adventures of Rear-Mirror Rissy, Honoring Others, Relationship Overdrive |
Clarissa’s four grandchildren, Bette, Louis Violet and Amelie – with another on its way due at end of July 2014
When we are young, we don’t think about the things middle-agedness and old-age may bring us. We are thinking about getting through the day-by-day stuff and we may plan a little bit into the future maybe 5 years down the road. The thoughts about preparing for being middle-aged and old-aged are the farthest things from our minds let alone taking action to prepare for it. That’s like doing everything you can now to prepare for having the perfect experiences in having a baby and raising that kid! uh-huh. Live is an ever-changing, ever-learning experience as we grow up, plateau and then “grow-down.” We learn as we go.
I thought that possibly I would have grandchildren but I really didn’t know what that would look like, nor did I know how I would feel once these kids came into being. With the addition of these young souls in my life, I’m doing things right now to help provide me with the feeling that I have the time to truly be with my kids. I say “feeling” because much of the time, when I am with them, I might be there in person, but because I am a full-time artist and the income I make is entirely from my art business, I’m always thinking of my work. (And all of you who have been a full-time, self-employed artist know exactly what I am talking about—-we do not have the luxury of leaving the office and the rest of the night or weekend is free—-that’s because we ARE the office and we carry our business mind-set wherever we go!).
So for me to FEEL the freedom of truly hanging out with my grandchildren, I’ve got to know that every month my bills will be paid. That is hard to do with sporadic income. So I am making attempts to diversify my income. Diversification doesn’t mean that I will quit doing art for income; it means that I am adding other ways to make income.
Like I said, I am making additions to my life so that I can feel the freedom of truly being with the greatest of all my additions: my grandchildren!
