by Clarissa | Apr 11, 2015 |
“Copper Woman” Chilkat & Ravenstail 5-piece ensemble Collection of the Anchorage Museum of History and Art, Alaska Wool, cedar bark, copper thread, copper cones, abalone shell, ermine skins. leather, Copper chain. ©2002 Clarissa Rizal This dance regalia was inspired by a range of international influences: the Hawaiian dancers (long “hula” fringe on the dance apron), the Seminole Indian women’s capelets, and the dreadlocks” worn by the Jamaican people. I drew up the initial sketch for this dance regalia in 1992. In between all my other commitments, family and projects, this entire Chilkat and Ravenstail ensemble was 10 years in the making, finally completed in 2002. “Copper Woman” won the Best of Show award at both the 2001 Indian Market at the Heard Museum in Phoenix Arizona, and at the first Sealaska Juried Art Show in 2002. In 2003, “Copper Woman” became the collection of the Anchorage Museum of History and...
by Clarissa | Apr 11, 2015 |
“Copper Man” Private Collection, Mercer Island, WA 6-piece Ravenstail & Chilkat Ceremonial Regalia: includes robe, apron, headdress, leggings & octopus bag. Merino wool, cedarbark, ermine, copper cones and small copper T’naa, leather, cotton fabric. ©2006 Clarissa Rizal “Copper Man” is the mate to “Copper Woman”. All six of the Copper Man regalia pieces are Ravenstail weavings with the exception of the leggings with the upper half being Chilkat and the bottom half Ravenstail. Copper cones trim all the fringe. Copper Man’s robe is called “The Lyme’s Disease” robe because it was designed and woven during my personal episode with battling the disease. There are a few “mistakes” I hadn’t noticed until weeks later; I decided to leave the mistakes in the robe to remind me of a time in my life where I was “out of it” and then took my own initiative and responsibility to heal myself of a debilitating disease. The dance apron is backed with leather and the bottom border is trimmed with small, hand-stamped, copper T’naa. The leggings are woven in the shape of a copper T’naa, lined with fringed leather and trimmed with black mink fur. I wove the headdress during the round trip flight to Hawaii/Colorado; it is lined with cotton, trimmed in black velvet and three small copper T’naa on the forehead. In February 2006, I wove the main body of the octopus bag while traveling to, and attending, Agnes’ Bellinger’s memorial service and funeral; the octopus bag is lined with cotton, has eight legs and two round eyes. The black leather strap and the bag opening are trimmed with copper chain....
Recent Comments