Feb 28, 2011 | Class Act, Tlingit Culture Accentuated |
Nora Dauenhauer files away her weaving notes in her attache' case of;Chilkat weft yarns
For the past year, Della Cheney has been hosting a group of artists every Sunday afternoon at the Fireweed Place here in Juneau, Alaska. Like Della, most of the artists are Ravenstail weavers, cedar bark and/or spruce root basket weavers, although some of them include additional talents like beadworking, and leather work making moccasins and mittens. When Chilkat weavers joined the basket and Ravenstail weavers last Sunday, Fireweed Place’s activity room was packed. There was a lot of fun and excitement. Time flew!
Yoko Kugo explains to Della Cheney the research she is conducting about whether or not there are effects of climate change on the cedar trees.
There are no specified “teachers” in the group, as we are all learning from one another and teaching one another. There are those of us who know how to weave cedar bark hats, yet are learning how to make moccasins; those that know how to weave Ravenstail and are learning how to weave cedar; those teaching Chilkat who are learning Ravenstail. The combination of learning and teaching goes on and on.
Lorraine DeAsis reinforces her children's knowledge of weaving cedar bark headbands and hats by weaving right along side all four. L to R: Patrice, Joshua, Lorraine, Armondo & Antonio
Leandrea Makaily works diligently on her Chilkat headband
Mary Ebona Miller is weaving three Ravenstail projects on her loom
Shgen George is spinning Chilkat warp on her thigh
Kendra Makaily is learning cross-stitching from Debra O'Gara
Lily Hudson is refreshing Nora's memory about weaving her "bear claw" pattern
A bowl of cedar bark soaks while Patrice DeAsis weaves a cedar bark hat
Eileen is one of Della’s basket weaving students; she has learned enough to pass on her knowledge to others in the group. Although I started my cedar bark hat with Della almost two years ago in a class in Teslin, Yukon Territory, Eileen is helping me complete the very edge of the hat. Both Della and Eileen are wonderful teachers. I’m enjoying the comraderie of these women and all those who are attending the Sunday gatherings.
Eileen Wagner shows Dorothy Owen the 6-strand finishing row of her cedar bark hat
Of course, there are some of us who bring food to share. Eileen is one of those follks. She has been co-hosting this gathering of weavers every Sunday with Della Cheney providing some sort of a hot dish of salmon with rice, snacks and vanilla wafers. She takes really good care of us “kids!” We wanna come back every Sunday for more of everything!
Feb 27, 2011 | Class Act, Latest Art Projects, To See or Not to See |
Brother Rick lights candles for Tim's 53rd birthday - the composition of this photo fell into the "3rds" category
A point-and-shoot kind of gal, I’m stepping into a whole nuther ball of wax taking this online course through the University of Alaska Southeast, and I tell ya, it is so much fun. Sure I have to learn to read my new camera manual, sure I have to read instructions on how-to techniques that I never learned before in Photoshop, sure I’m frustrated with all the gizmos, icons and settings that I gotta figure out in this digital world; these are things that I have resisted doing most of my life. I don’t want to read manuals and instructions; I just want to get out there and shoot. Who’s got time to mess around with instructions!? Gee, believe it or not, I do. I want to learn; i want to expand my horizons, and have fun!
Two Brothers and Mom; this composition also falls into the "3rds" category - this was a powerfully emotional moment for all of us
What is this composition called “3rds?” In my simple definition, it is a composition where the imagery is divided in thirds, which could include diagonal, vertical, horizontal, or curved “lines.” In our on-line class, we can only submit one image per assignment. It is sometimes difficult which one to submit. So I am posting some of the images I chose for the assignment but did not submit along with the one I did submit.
South Franklin Street, Juneau, Alaska - last night - another 3rds composition
"Jennie Weaves An Apprentice" Chilkat robe that I am presently weaving. This was the "3rds" composition that I submitted for my class assignment.
I have rarely seen photo images of Chilkat robes and weavings captured with this type of composition; this is why I submitted this for my “3rds” assignment. I realized that most photo images of Chilkat weavings are straight on shots of the entire robe or close-ups. From now on, I will begin including these kinds of compositions when taking photos of my work. It just makes things more interesting for the viewer, as well as more challenging for the photographer!
On a walk out Auke Bay Recreation area, we saw this pair of underwear, soaked and just hanging out - this was an image that I almost submitted for the "doesn't belong" class assignment
Eagle River Beach skies are always spectacular no matter what time of day, month or year - these hearts (one that is obvious and the other forming) were directly above us - this composition fit under the "doesn't belong" class assignment too. Like how often do you see hearts in the sky, huh? I didn't submit this one because I didn't want my classmates to naturally assume that I Photoshoped that heart in the sky - I swear to God, I did not. And I have a witness that i didn't because there were two of us sitting directly underneath!
A banana washed ashore on Auke Bay beach! This is the image I submitted to my online class for the "doesn't belong" assignment. Why? Because it was dang obvious that this banana just did not belong. If the beach were white, hot sands, the sun were blazing and there were coconut trees with lots of tropical foliage, then I could understand. But, when I saw this banana on the beach, I thought, man what is a nice, ripe banana doing in a place like this!?
The next few images are compositions that I submitted for the various assignments in our online photography class where I did not have other images that I shot for these categories.
This composition fell under the class assignment category "RUBI - a photo that is Relevant, Unusual, Beautiful & Important" - Really? This Photo? Why?
Grand-daughter Violet is a doll; just look at that expression as she checks out the one that is most relevant and considered beautiful (by American standards), while the “foreigners” watch in anticipation and shock saying to themselves “She could have chosen any of us as her baby doll…but how is it she chose THAT one when the girl is only three years old!?” Of course this is my RUBI choice, check it out: A Barbie doll is something we can all RELATE to, my Violet is BEAUTIFUL, the company is UNUSUAL, and it is very IMPORTANT to scrutinize the quality of each doll if you’re paying big money!
The underground train in either Vancouver, B.C. or Seattle - I forget which one; this image I submitted for the class assignment entitled "best represents my concept of photography." I generally use photography for documenting my art progress and work, events, travels, people, places and things - I consider myself a "drive-by-shooter." This image represents my "quick-on-the-draw" method while documenting my travel.
The sound and anticipated taste of fresh, untainted wild water! Nothing like it. We are fortunate to be one of the few places on earth with pure wild water. Nugget Falls, Mendenhall Glacier, Juneau - This photo fell under the assignment of "a photo that appeals to a sense other than sight (touch, hearing, taste or smell)...
My imagination got away with me when I turned around and saw an extended arm reaching out of the fireplace! - This image I chose for the assignment of "disturbing."
Clothespin photo by my son, Kahlil Hudson. The class assignment was to find a photograph (taken by someone else) that was one of the most powerful and riveting images I'd ever seen and explain why the picture was so meaningful.
She never lined her drawers with scented liner sheets, incense or sachets of fragrant dried flowers. Mom loved the smell of fresh air in her clothing. A clothesline in winter didn’t stop her from hanging out the laundry; by golly, they were freeze-dried if it took capturing that fresh, natural scent! How many of us make the time to hang our laundry outside on even the sunny days to capture the wind, sun and predicted rain? When Mom first came to Colorado for a visit the first time years ago in 1993, I had discovered how she was always eager to do the laundry and hang it out to dry (probably because it was always sunny in the town we lived). I didn’t know this about my mother because we didn’t have a clothesline when we were growing up (because we didn’t have any land to make a clothesline post). When I first laid eyes on this photograph, I cried. It brought up the firm reality that I will never see my mother hang my (or her) laundry again, as I no longer live in Colorado and she has become too fragile to reach for a clothesline. This image also reminds me of a time not so long ago in our own home town of Juneau where we weren’t constantly rushing about and actually took time to “smell the roses…” When’s the last time you saw clothing swinging in the breeze?
Feb 4, 2011 | Class Act, Latest Art Projects, Showing Off, Tlingit Culture Accentuated |
Martine Reid introduces Clarissa to an audience enthusiastic about Chilkat weaving in the great hall of the Bill Reid Gallery in downtown Vancouver, B.C.
There are several weavers who are scheduled to do presentations during the Time Warp exhibit on contemporary Northwest Coast weavers at the Bill Reid Gallery in Vancouver, B.C. Canada. Since the exhibit opened in July 2010, 18,000 visitors viewed the beautiful weavings; you have a couple of weeks to visit the show – it closes at the end of this month. Haida weavers Delores Churchill, Evelyn Vanderhoop and Lisa Telford will be doing presentations during the closing weekend. If you are in the Vancouver area within this next month, you still have time to visit this fabulous exhibit.
A few of the beautiful handwoven textiles at the "Time Warp" Northwest Coast Indigenous Weavers Exhibit
Last weekend I demonstrated Chilkat and Ravenstail techniques at the gallery on Saturday and Sunday afternoons. Other than the usual demonstration on the techniques of Chilkat weaving (i.e. two-strand twining, 3-strand braids, interlock and the magical use of the drawstring), I spoke of my perspectives and theories on specific personality traits of the various clans, leading to the specifics on each moiety, the Ravens and the Eagles and how I noticed certain patterns in our clan system, patterns I was once oblivious to and now seem obvious. Like what? Well,… that in a class of 10 students, generally one of them will be an Eagle, all the rest are Ravens. Why is that? I brought up the subject of the Killerwhale women, those who are inquiring about learning Chilkat weaving from me. I know not these women, yet after a few emails and phone calls I have an inkling they are from the Killerwhale clan. How can I decipher that they are from the Killerwhale clan just by a few phone calls? I also answered several political questions, they included:
1). How do I feel about robes being auctioned off (there was a man from a local auction company in the audience who had a Chilkat robe with him inquiring about its age)? How do I feel about robes that are in collections and museums around the world that are not in our presence being used for ceremony?
2). Do I teach non-Natives? If not, why?
3). How do I feel about men weaving Chilkat?
(What were my answers? You’ll have to come to my next presentation! – Check out my calendar on my website to see if I am doing a Chilkat weaving presentation in your area at: Clarissa’s 2011 Calendar) Note: If you are in the Juneau area, I will be doing a two-hour presentation at the University of Alaska Southeast at 10am-noon in the Glacier View Room on Thursday, February 24th).
When I answered each question, I had a story to tell from my own personal experiences as a weaver, a member of my clan, a comrade to fellow weavers, and as a teacher of Chilkat. As you can imagine, these questions are touchy subjects. Yet to my own surprise, I answered each with a level of grace. I bet the audience probably thought I had answered these questions all the time. Not! The presentations that I gave this weekend were nothing like I had done in the past.
The presentations were supposed to be 2-hours; I had no idea I went over another hour to two hours and the audience still wanted more. What more did they want as most of my presentation was storytelling? They wanted more of that!
(Now, bear with me as I tell a story that might sound like I am bragging about myself, but continue, as in our custom, we tell the story full circle before we get to the point.)
Since 1989 I have given public presentations and demonstrations to as few as 25 people up to 2000, in diverse venues including Clan Conferences, the U.S. Forest Service, Holland America Lines tour ships, the Smithsonian, the National Museum of the American Indian, Toadlena Trading Post near Shiprock, N.M., the Anchorage Museum of History and Art, the University of Alaska Southeast, the Alaska State Museum and the Teslin Cultural Center. After that many years, you would think that I’ve got my presentation down pat (i.e. an outline, a power point presentation, handouts, brochures, business cards, and basic answers to the all-time questions). I don’t. I improvise every time. No notes. No nervousness. No worries. I do a presentation depending on the “feel” of the audience, the “feel” of the space, and what the hosts expect (or don’t expect) from me. I hadn’t even realized how “unprofessional” I was until most of the audience flocked about me when our time was up and I just carried on continuing to talk about personal experiences related to my life as a Chilkat weaver as if I had known these people all my life! (Like what is up with that!?)
Luckily, gracious Martine Reid reminded everyone that the Gallery was closing for the day else we probably would have had a slumber party staying up all night talking about art and spirituality, leaving out all business and politics.
In the next couple of days following my presentations, I received several emails from audience members who commented on how moved they were. They mentioned being taken all over the board with humor, contemplation, wonderment, grief, satisfaction and inspiration. The interesting thing was I was moved as well. I hadn’t ever done a presentation where I felt a sense of comraderie with the audience, a sense of peace and excitement all at once, and I carried on as if I were a talk-show host, in fact I even FELT like one – like that host Craig Ferguson! I think I even imitated some of his gestures and stances! I kid you not! – There were also times where I was almost in tears as I spoke about various subject matters including my apprenticeship with Jennie Thlunaut, the stories behind the robes, and just being a full-time, self-employed artist living on the edge where most of us dwell, including recent major life-changing events happening all at once.
On the flight returning to Juneau, I was reflecting back upon all the folks I met over the past weekend. I thought about my gracious hosts, Martine Reid, who is the widow of the famed Haida artist Bill Reid, and her companion, Allan Badger, a retired Chemistry professor. I thought about Megan Smetzer who had come to see my presentation; Megan, who was born and bred in Fairbanks, Alaska had done a presentation on octopus bags of the Northwest Coast at the Sitka Clan Conference back in 2007, which is where we first met. I thought about some of the audience members who introduced themselves and talked a little about their lives. I too wanted to spend more time with these folks. It felt good to see Megan, spend some quality time with Martine and Alan, and meet all these people. I wished that my family were in the audience. I wished all my weaving students were there too. I wished Jennie and all her Wolf Clan relatives were there too. Reflecting back upon these things, I am reminded about how it has been a good experience to be a part of this big picture in the world of Chilkat. When Jenny Thlunaut chose me to be her apprentice in 1986 just two months before she passed, I had no idea the life I would lead because of her choice combined with my choice of having accepted; I’ve had humbling experiences. It’s been an honor.
I also thought about my actual presentations at the gallery; why was I so “on” and full of high energy? I was flying high. Why did I not demonstrate more weaving techniques to the audience; isn’t that what they really came for? And how come I’ve neglected giving thought to presenting myself professionally: the product, the presentation, even my own appearance (generally wearing black sweat pants the past 8 years!).
I’ve been doing this work for over 20 years; why haven’t I “gotten with the program” and been more professional.
Now, I’m getting to the point; it is very simple.
I’m passionate about all the aspects of Chilkat weaving – the spirituality, the design and its meaning, the culture, and the actual finished robe. I’m passionate about sharing the information about this art form. I’m passionate about others who are carrying on this tradition and those who are learning about it. I’m passionate about teaching my students, and in turn they teach me. I’m passionate about my life. Those of us who live an artistic life will most likely understand what I am saying and relate! So of course, my passion would show during my presentations regardless of whether or not I appear “professional!” I’m not really passionate about APPEARING to be professional! OMG, what a revelation!
Martine Reid, Co-curator of "Time Warp" exhibit and widow of the late Haida artist Bill Reid - Photo by Alan Badger
Alan Badger, a retired Chemist, and the woodworker for my Chilkat headboard he made to display my Chilkat robe for my presentation - photo by Martine Reid
Many thanks to Martine and Evelyn for all the work in producing this exhibit and inviting me to do a presentation, as well as including my daughter, Lily Hudson and I be a part of this exhibit with our collaborative piece, “Copper Child.” Many thanks to Anthea Mallinson, a tapestry weaver from the Vancouver area, for loaning the Bill Reid Gallery the frame of her loom to host my Chilkat robe. Many thanks to Alan Badger for making the headboard (strapped to Anthea’s loom) for me to display my Chilkat robe for this presentation, and also for posting some photographs of the presentation on Flickr. Many thanks to the staff and volunteers at the Bill Reid Gallery. And many thanks to all those who came out to this event and exhibit.
To view more images of my demonstration, and the opening of the fabulous Time Warp exhibit, visit the Bill Reid Flickr site at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/billreidgallery
Nov 30, 2010 | Health and Wellness, Honoring Others, Tlingit Culture Accentuated |
Juneauite Connie Hamann won 1st Place: the Chilkat "Ghost Face" leather bag
Thank you to all who donated towards the cancer fundraiser for my brother, Robert Lampe! The winners are as follows:
1st Place: Connie Hamann, Juneau — 2nd Place: Eileen McDargh, Dana Pt., CA — 3rd Place: Atricia Makaily, Juneau — 4th Place: Jan Parrish, Juneau
The drawing was held at 4pm, Sunday, November 28th at Clarissa Rizal’s Public Market booth at Centennial Hall in Juneau. 10 minutes before the drawing, silversmith and friend, Ria (Swanson) Larson donated a pair of her silver “Forget-me-not” earrings; thank you Ria! You may visit Ria’s website at www.riaswanson.com
2nd Place winner, Eileen McDargh lives in Dana Point, California – I am sorry I cannot provide a photo of her being thrilled at accepting her gift. However, you may enjoy the smiling faces of Atricia and Jan.
Juneauite Trisha Makaily won 3rd Place of "Gray Wolves" Limited Edition Giclee reproduction
Juneauite Jan Parrish won a pair of "Forget-Me-Not" silver earrings donated and made by Ria (Swanson) Larson
We raised a total of $1375.00. Robert (Bunny) and his wife, Sarah arrived from Anchorage yesterday from his first round of chemotherapy. Perfect timing – just 15 minutes after Clarissa walked in the door from closing at the Public Market, Bunny and Sarah arrived. They were quite surprised, honored and humbled to receive this kind of support from (most of the) folks they don’t even know.
As many of us know, there are all kinds of “hidden” expenses for families undergoing cancer treatments (i.e. travel, food, household bills, etc.). Any funds a family receives is always a blessing. Again, thank you very much to all of you who contributed towards this fundraiser. In our Tlingit language: Gunalcheesh!
Nov 16, 2010 | For Crying Out Loud, Honoring Others, Relationship Overdrive, Tlingit Culture Accentuated |
My Mamma's Mother: Mary Wilson Sarabia, T'akDeinTaan (black-legged Kittywake) Clan from Hoonah, Alaska (circa 1920's)
In 1988, while living in Santa Fe, I attended the Institute of American Indian Arts and took a Creative Writing class from professor/poet Arthur Zhe. After submitting a few short poems, he asked if I could write a longer one – of course, I replied. When I got home, I set the stage. It was a stormy night with thunder and lightning blasting about the wind. The kids and man were asleep. Between 10pm and 3am was my usual time all to myself, and I was enjoying the storm. I lit candles and curled up on the couch wrapped in woolens and a spiral-bound notebook. The curtains were open and I could hear the bushes slap against the window glistening with wet, shocks of light in this exciting night. I’m not sure why the image of my Grandmother Mary came to mind, but I began to write without much thought – like the pen led the way into a page of timelessness.
This poem was written as if my grandmother were to come back to a life-long dream of a home and lifestyle I have wanted since my first child was born (now almost 34 years ago);; the dream was to build a hand-built, custom-designed home, with a flourishing flower and vegetable garden, including fruit trees, living a subsistence life-style embellished with the making of traditional and contemporary art. (Cannot say I’ve lived that life – just yet!). My grandmother passed away 12 years prior to the writing of this poem. I wondered what she would see if this dream were an actual reality. Also, while writing this poem, I imagined another clan relative narrating this perspective, telling my Grandmother about me as her elderly footsteps walked silently about my home and life:
“Say you were to come back knocking at her Painted Door, a clan design you know as T’akDeinTaan
She would welcome you in to her large, dark one-room lodge lit by a couple of kerosene wall lamps from L.L. Bean
where at first you did not notice the smoke from the fire in the center of the room trailing up to the smoke hole above
where White Raven tried to fly out but became blackened forever
And you did not notice the carved alder wood mask smiling with one gold tooth flickering by candlelight propped next to the cedar bark basket
on that driftwood shelf to your right and in its shadow below, the carved bentwood boxes that held our clan’s button dance blankets,
each made of wool bought from House of Fabrics with 2,115 mother-of-pearl buttons from Winona’s and 649 turquoise beads
bargained from the stateside Indians who sat in the sun she hardly ever got
and what about the sealskin boots parked near your feet and the sealskin coat embellished with brass beads, feathers and leather fringe
and the sealskin and wolf-fur hat and matching mittens hanging right up next to you on brass hooks screwed in to the cedar-planked wall –
Mind you, did yid you smell cedar when you walked in, for how could you miss it with every plank and beam she’s made of
And did you not see the soapstone puffin bird carved by your great-grandson when he was nine,
and the small bentwood box that used to be yours stuffed with glass beads for the beading loom projects of your great-granddaughter?
How about the Chilkat dance blanket hanging on the loom over there in the corner, away from the mud, ashes and crumbs;
the only weaving in the where you can weave the perfect circle, therefore perfect for our style of design,
and she learned it from Jennie, last of the traditional weavers two months before she died, and they say it takes a year to weave a robe,
but how would you know; you didn’t know how to weave, or did you?
Through clan inheritance only a select few knew then when you were alive, and it was almost a dying art they say,
except the ones outside of tribal boundaries who quickly learned what they could, weaving together bits of the dangling knowledge
and she was one to help weave pieces of the heritage back so she could earn prestige, recognition and thirty thousand dollars a robe,
so she can buy pretty clothes, new shoes, new dishes, towels, computer, stereo, sewing machine, lawn mower, food processor, pasta machine;
so she could buy a piece of land where her ancestors once fished, to build her cedar home, and buy a brand new Toyota truck
to haul all of her new possessions and firewood in, and bury a septic tank for a flushing commode and install a generator for the color T.V.
and CD player sitting on the oak cabinet beside the stack of American Indian art books and magazines surrounded by masks, looms, boxes,
skins, beads and stones; surrounded by what she strives to make as art, what the art can sell for, what the money she makes from selling
the art can buy, what the buying of anything she desires she has discovered has eventually sold pieces of her soul, where the selling of her soul
has left but a faint light in her life.
Say you were to come back
Knocking at her painted door
You would not even notice the dim world behind her
Full of smokey objects casting shadows
Drifting upwards through a blackened hole;
you would look into her eyes only
and know that the faint light had held on
For you
And the next time you were ready
You would take her with you
When you went.”
Aug 11, 2010 | Latest Art Projects, To Market To Market |
I am presently working on a portfolio of my first fifty Chilkat & Ravenstail weaving robes and button blanket ceremonial robes. My goal is to have this book available for sale at the “Alaska-Juneau Public Market” held in Juneau at Centennial Hall during Thanksgiving Day weekend.
Between 1983 and 2010, I designed and created 50 Tlingit ceremonial robes in the button blanket style, Ravenstail dance robes and the Chilkat dance robes. Keeping with the Tlingit tradition, each robe conveys a message, story or clan identity. The first 25 robe photos were snapshots before I got the idea I would document the latter half of her robes by a professional photographer! Like Duh!?
You will find the copy of this book available for sale on my “Shop and Buy” page of my website; check in with me periodically through this blog or my website. Or better yet, email me your email address so I may may put you on my list to send you the announcement of this book when it comes hot off the press! My email address is: clarissa@www.clarissarizal.com
Aug 11, 2010 | Latest Art Projects, To Market To Market |
Clarissa inspects the final version of her Chilkat robe design "Jennie Weaves An Apprentice"
I am working on several Chilkat designs at once. Some of the designs are just “generic” Chilkat patterns I’m drafting up for my students and folks who just want a new pattern to weave; some of the designs are for actual Chilkat robes. I am designing a series of robes called “a robe-within-a-robe.” It’s obviously a Chilkat robe within a Chilkat robe. I presently am working on one that I’ve wanted to weave for the past 24 years, and am finally doing it! The story of the robe is based on my apprenticeship with Jennie Thlunaut back in 1986 called “Jennie Weaves An Apprentice”, the same name given to the handbook I wrote.
Traditionally, a male artist painted the pattern board on wood and the weaver used wooden templates for the given shapes that she would hold up to the robe as a guide. Of course, we now create the actual robe image onto paper and most of us use paper templates as a guide. Yet, being the innovative people that we are in our modern times using resources at hand, I conjured up a simpler step. Several years ago, I developed the use of clear transparencies as the guiding template. The template has all the design elements (i.e. eyebrows, eye, nose, mouth, etc) within an 8″ x 11″ sheet of paper. Below is an image of Chilkat pattern transparencies; the one I am holding in my hand is a headband pattern I have used in my most recent Chilkat weaving class for beginning Chilkat students:
Clarissa holds a Chilkat pattern transparency; a modern adaptation used as a guide in Chilkat weaving.
I am both a Northwest Coast designer AND a weaver, which puts me in a unique category amongst Northwest Coast Native artists. As a weaver, I understands the intricate, Chilkat design elements that are workable and weavable in the unique Chilkat design style; as a Northwest Coast designer, I understand the form line elements – both are required to create a Chilkat design successfully. I would not say that I am an excellent designer of Chilkat, because I am still learning (in the words of Jennie Thlunaut), yet there are very few of us who understand how to design Chilkat and feel confident enough to create original designs. It is not as easy as it looks.
As I mentioned earlier, I am weaving the robe “Jennie Weaves An Apprentice.” I always base my designs on a historical/personal event or clan emblem. It is a commissioned robe where my clients and I got create with a payment plan suited to their pocketbook. I am open to doing trades or partial trades depending on whether or not the client has something to offer that I cannot do without! We set the deadline for the end of September or October. Based on the various things going on in my life, it looks like end of October. I must complete it by the end of October because I want to finish up the manuscript and photos for my robe book in time for publication and distribution by Thanksgiving!
Aug 11, 2010 | Class Act, Honoring Others, Latest Art Projects, To Market To Market |
I am in the process of editing this handbook that I wrote and self-printed for a class I taught at the University of Alaska Juneau back in the Summer of 2005; and I’ve had this handbook available to my students since. I hope to have the edited version completed by this Winter 2010.
This practical guide provides Chilkat 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 a teacher of this traditional art form since the mid-80’s; topped with additional information from Jennie’s daughter, Agnes Bellinger. Most of the information in this handbook can also be applied to Ravenstail weaving. With black & white, color photos and drawings, some of the information includes: Jennie’s astounding fingering technique (for speed, accuracy and tension), her philosophies, traditions, values and tricks-of-the-trade; including my apprenticeship with Jennie, preparation of materials and supplies, natural & commercial dyeing, weft color samples, list of suppliers, a traveler’s weaving loom pattern; designs and descriptions; and, keeping with traditions, some of the information is shared with a touch of storytelling. This handbook is intended for use by either an experienced weaver who is seeking some additional information in Chilkat weaving, or utilized as a supplemental guide with a weaving instructor.
You will find the copy of this handbook available for sale on my “Shop and Buy” page of my website; check in with me periodically through this blog or my website. Or better yet, email me your email address so I may may put you on my list to send you the announcement of this book when it comes hot off the press!
Aug 10, 2010 | North Tide |
A big salmon berry on a big hand! - last of the crop is still out for picking' - pick 'em while you can!
We have a bumper crop of berries this Summer here in Juneau! The first of the berries to ripen at the end of June are the Salmonberry, of course, yet they are still around for the harvest, along with the raspberries, blueberries and huckleberries!
Summer is here on Salmonberry Land!
A fine sight to see a pair of Chilkat boots in a nagoon-berry patch!
Berry-picking Amongst the Sitka (Rugosa) Rose and Fireweed
Occasionally, there's a fellow berry-lover in the raspberry patch: a young porcupine
Jul 29, 2010 | Showing Off |
Time Warp is an exciting, exhibit of contemporary textiles of the Northwest Coast hosted by the Bill Reid Gallery in Vancouver, B.C. The exhibit opened on Thursday, July 16th with most of the 20 featured Aboriginal artists in attendance from Alaska, Yukon, British Columbia and Washington State. The Tlingit, Haida and Tsimpshian artists included in the exhibit were: Tracy Auchter, Carrie Anne Vanderhoop Bellis, Delores Churchill, Janice Criswell, Sherri Dick, Lisa Hageman, Lani Hotch, Lily Hudson, Shelly Laws, Victoria Moody, Marie Oldfield, Susan Pavel, Clarissa Rizal, Isabel Rorick, Ann Smith, Debra Sparrow, Lisa Telford, Evelyn Vanderhoop and William White. Many thanks to the curators of the exhibit, Martine Reid (wife to the late, Bill Reid) and Evelyn Vanderhoop, with exhibit coordinator, Kwiaahwah Jones, and much appreciation to all the organizations, foundations and individual’s monetary and voluntary contributions to make this exhibit happen.
I felt this exhibit was quite astounding. I think it is the very first exhibit of contemporary works by prolific and innovative weavers. All of us were fortunate to be a part of this show. While most of the exquisite weavings are Chilkat and Ravenstail ceremonial robes, there are a couple of cedar bark weavings: a Ravenstail cedar robe by Victoria Moody (image used for back cover of exhibit catalogue) and a cedar dress by Lisa Telford (which is the front cover image for the exhibit catalogue), and a perfect spruce root hat by Isabel Rorick. I am allowed to say what my favorite piece in the entire exhibit is because this is my blog: “Berries on Sunshine Mountain” by Lani Hotch – a Ravenstail robe in hand-dyed colors of green, brown, yellow, burgundy and burnt orange, with appliqued “leaves” and hand-made glass beads by John Svenson. I keep an eye out for Lani’s work; she’s an excellent, innovative weaver, with an eye for color, detail and storytelling.
As part of this exhibit, my daughter, Lily Hudson and I, collaborated on a Ravenstail ensemble called “Copper Child”, the offspring of two Chilkat/Ravenstail ensembles I had woven called “Copper Woman” in 2002, and “Copper Man” in 2006. Copper Child’s headdress, robe, and apron was woven by Lily; the tunic was woven my me.
Lily says: “Copper Child shares the story of our upcoming generation of healers scaling mountains for inspiration, while embracing traditions and carving new paths. The healers are symbolized by the black “Shaman’s Eyes” (an original design by Lily) along the top, mountains represented by eight “topographical maps”, and new paths by the single green “map”.
During the opening, David Boxley, Sr.’s dance group, Git Hoan, performed. I had never seen Git Hoan dancers up close until this evening, wow! From afar, I had only seen glimpses of their performances during Celebration in Juneau; I was always too busy to take time to watch. After watching their performances with real hand-carved masks, regalia and accessories, I wished I had made time to watch them before. In the Tsimpshian tradition, they of course, will steal any show! Here’s a video clip of one of their dances:
Time Warp exhibit dates are July 16, 2010 through January 16, 2011. When you are in the Vancouver area during this time period, please stop by the Bill Reid Gallery for this wonderful opportunity to see these fabulous weavings. Obtain your copy of the Time Warp exhibit catalogue at $20; it’s well worth the investment!
