Resumé
WORK EXPERIENCE
Clarissa Rizal, LLC
1977-present
Owner: Full-time multi-media artist, instructor, cultural facilitator, lecturer
Design and implement traditional and contemporary art for tribes, collectors, private institutions, businesses, museums & galleries. Specialize in design and creation of Tlingit ceremonial regalia including button robes, Ravenstail and Chilkat weavings. Conduct workshops, apprenticeships, retreats, lectures. Attend and promote sales at art markets. Draft RFPs, contracts, and grant applications. Manage budget, perform bookkeeping duties, update website, post blog entries. Design brochures, rack cards, other marketing materials. Prepare state and federal tax returns.
Pagosa Daily Post
(online news source) Pagosa Springs, CO • 2004-2009
Co-owner, office manager, marketing manager, sales associate, photographer, writer
Remodeled and designed office, created work flow charts and managed office operations including filing, and bookkeeping; directed public and sales inquiries, selected and ordered supplies, daily/weekly upkeep of office. Posted articles, managed marketing and advertising sales, shot and processed photographs, occasional writer for cultural and community events.
Holland America Lines Tours
Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska • Summer 2007
Cultural Interpreter on board tour ships
Designed and created live, daily one-woman performance and lectures of Tlingit Native history, culture and arts
Kahtahah Landscape Gardeners
Juneau, AK • 1981-1993
Owner/designer/landscaper/gardener
Designed and implemented the creation of landscaped grounds for commercial buildings and private homes, combining indigenous and domestic plants, shrubs, trees. Maintained established grounds. Employed, directed and taught seasonal workers. Managed bookkeeping and filing, selected and ordered supplies, nursery stock and equipment, responded to RFPs. Prepared state and federal taxes.
NaaKahidi Theatre
Juneau, AK • 1989-1993
Set, costume and props designer, stage and tour manager, actress, musician
Designed and created set, costumes and props, stage manager, tour manager locally, regionally and nationally, performed as actress and musician
Sealaska Heritage Institute
Juneau, AK 1980-1981
Scholarship Coordinator
Maintained all scholarship records, collected and analyzed application data, designed and maintained data base, coordinated meetings with scholarship selection committee, dispersed payments, communicated with all scholarship applicants
Office of the Governor
Juneau, AK 1976-79
Administrative assistant/Clerk typist
Assisted with office managing, typed all Governor’s speeches, proposals, contracts, outlines, etc., answered phone, directed public inquiries
SELECT EXHIBITS
“Adaka Native Art Exhibit”, Kwanlin Dun Cultural Center, Whitehorse, Yukon 2012 & 2013
“The Language of Tlingit Robes” First solo exhibit, Stonington Gallery, Seattle 2011
“Time Warp” Northwest Coast Weavers, Bill Reid Gallery, Vancouver, B.C 2010
“Eyes for Glass”, Bellevue Arts Museum, Bellevue, Washington 2010
“Parallel Worlds” Ainu & NWC Weavers, Japanese Tea Garden, Portland 2009
“Raven & Hundred-Pace Viper” Commission on Indigenous Affairs, Kaohsiung, Taiwan 2006
“Changing Hands: Art Without Reservation: Part 2” Museum of Art and Design, NYC 2005
“Sealaska Juried Native Art Show”, Sealaska Plaza, Juneau, AK 2002, 2004, 2006
“Fusing Traditions” Native Americans in Glass, Ft. Marcy Center, San Francisco, CA 2002
“Alaska Native Art Show & Sale”, Alaska Native Heritage Center, Anchorage, AK 2001
Institute of American Indian Art Contemporary Show, Santa Fe, NM 2001-2005
“Blanket Statements”, Walter Phillips Gallery, Banff, Alberta 1999
FELLOWSHIPS, RESIDENCIES, GRANTS and AWARDS
“Lifetime Achievement Award”, National Endowment for the Arts, Washington, D.C. 2016
Tulsa Artist Residency, George KaiserFoundation, Tulsa, OK 2016
“Creative Capital” Grant, 1st People’s Fund, Rapid City, SD 2016
Artist Fellowship, Native Arts & Culture Foundation, Vancouver, WA 2015
Artist Fellowship, Rasmuson Foundation, Anchorage, AK 2013
“Artist-In-Business Leadership” Award, First People’s Fund, Rapid City, SD 2011
HAIL Award (Honoring Alaskan Indigenous Literature), Juneau, AK 2008
Artist-Teaching-Artists 2008 & Individual Artists 2012, Evergreen Longhouse, Olympia, WA
Documentary Award 2006/Chilkat Class 2009, Alaska Humanities Forum, Anchorage, AK
Visiting Artist Fellowship, NMAI, Smithsonian, Wash., D.C. 2006
Residency Fellowship, Vermont Studio Center, Johnson, Vermont 2001
Residency Fellowship, Pilchuck School of Glass, Stanwood, Washington 2001
Best of Class, Cherokee Art Market, Tulsa, OK 2015
“Best of Show,” 2001 & “Best of Class,” 2015, Heard Museum Indian Art Fair, Phoenix, AZ
“Best of Show,” 2004 & 2006, Sealaska Juried Native Art Show, Juneau, AK
“Best of Show” & “Peoples’ Choice,” 2003, All Alaska Juried Art Show, Anchorage Museum
“Best of Show” 1992 & “Best of Class,” 2000, SWAIA Santa Fe Indian Market, NM
“Best of Show,” 1992 & 1994, Lawrence Indian Art Show, Lawrence, KS
PUBLICATIONS and FILMS
“Mary’s Wild Winter Feast” by Hannah Lindoff,children’s book illustrator, Juneau, AK 2014
“Sealaska Annual report” contemporary collages throughout report, Juneau, AK 2008
“Climatic Changes” conference art image, SACNAS, Inc., Santa Rosa, CA 2008
“Woman of the Cloth” article by Suzette Brewer, Native People’s Magazine 2002
“Clarissa Hudson” article by Dottie Indyke, Southwest Art magazine 2001
“Trail of Pained Ponies” coffee-table book, 100 life-size ponies, editor Rod Barker 2001
“1999-2001 Biennial Report” Univ. of Washington, Dept. of Environmental Health 2001
“Gwishalaaty—The Spirit Wraps Around You” documentary film by Barb Cranmer, Nimpkish Wind Productions, Vancouver, B.C., Canada 2001
“Traditional Native American Artists & Activities” by Arlette Braman,Worcester,MA 2000
“Art Textbook for High school Students” by Nancy Bedau, Boston 1999
“Keeping the Spirit Alive” documentary film, Mimbres Productions, Los Angeles, CA 1998
EDUCATION (Indigenous)
Ravenstail Weaving Workshop
with artist/scholar/writer, Cheryl Samuel
Ketchikan, Alaska • November 1989
Chilkat Weaving Apprenticeship
with Tlingit artist and elder, the late Jennie Thunaut
Juneau, Alaska • April & May 1986
Cedar & Spruce root Weaving
with Tlingit artist and elder, the late Jennie Thlunaut & Haida artist and elder, the late Selina Peratrovich
Haines, Alaska • May 1983
Tlingit Native Songs & Dance Apprenticeship
with Tlingit artist and elder, the late Harry K. Bremner, Sr.
Juneau and Yakutat, Alaska • March 1973 – March 1977
EDUCATION (Western)
Institute of American Indian Arts
BFA and Business Certificate
Santa Fe, NM
Juneau-Douglas High School
High School Graduate
Juneau, AK 1974
COMMISSIONED PUBLIC ART & MAJOR PRIVATE COLLECTIONS
“Egyptian Thunderbird” Chilkat robe, Private Collection, Juneau, AK
“Resilience” Chilkat robe, Portland Art Museum, Portland, OR
“Diving Whale Lovebirds” Chilkat robe, Private Collection, New York
“Sailing With Our Ancestors’ Future” Buttonblanket wall mural, Huna Totem Corp, Juneau, AK
“Jennie Weaves An Apprentice” Chilkat robe, Private Collection, Los Angeles, CA
“Copper Man” Six-piece Chilkat & Ravenstail woven ensemble, Private Collection, Seattle, WA
“Northern Migration” 30’ beaded aerial sculpture, Anchorage Senior Center, Anchorage, AK
“Spirit of Music” 6’ Button robe wall mural, Smithsonian, Washington, D.C.
“Raven’s Collages” Eight collages for Alaska Railroad, Anchorage to Fairbanks, AK
“Dancing Northern Lights” 26’ beaded aerial sculpture, Anchorage Elder Housing, Alaska
“Salmon Run” 24’ beaded aerial sculpture, Mt. Juneau Tramway, Juneau, AK
“Going to the Potlatch” 15’x4’ carved/painted/beaded wall panel, MV Kennicott, Bellingham, WA
“Shaman With Spirit Guides” 15’x4’ carved wall mural, SEARHC, Sitka, AK
“Following Our Ancestors’ Trail” 11’x9’ carved mural, Alaska Native Medical Center, Anchorage
“Wrestling With Angels” 7’ x 9’ carved wall mural, Univ. of Alaska, Fairbanks
“Copper Woman” Five-piece Chilkat/Ravenstail woven ensemble, Anchorage Museum, AK
“Raven” Chilkat robe, private collection, Seattle, WA
“The Diamonds Robe” Ravenstail woven robe, private collection, Sitka, AK
“Sea Grizzly” Chilkat robe, private collection, Vancouver, B.C.
“Thunderbird Sun II” Buttonblanket robe, Highsmith, Inc., Ft. Adkinson, WI
“Blind Uncle Bear Learns to See” Buttonblanket, private collection, Boston, MA
“Having To Look Closely” Buttonblanket, private collection, New York, NY
“Athapaskan Fiddler’s Festival” Buttonblanket wall mural, Doyon, Ltd., Fairbanks, AK
“Emergence II” Buttonblanket healing robe, private collection, Paris, France
ADMINISTRATIVE/LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE
Artstream Alaska (formerly Artstream Cultural Resources)
www.artstreamalaska.org • Non-profit arts organization in Alaska (no longer includes Colorado).A founding board member • 2000 – present
Initiated, produced and directed events on Artstream’s website including:
- Dance Regalia Documentary Project – Partnership with Donna Pizzarelli – Ongoing research of Northwest Coast Native regalia – the history behind the imagery and the artists – Edited 10-minute video clip on Vimeo at: https://vimeo.com/62665426 Password: regalia1
- Northwest Coast Artists’ Gathering – Biennial gathering of Northwest Coast artists
- Navajo & Chilkat Weavers Cross-cultural Exchange – Annual Navajo “Spinning & Carding Day” hosted by Toadlena Trading Post, third week in September
- Whistlepig House Concerts – Hosts Nationwide, professional musician/singer-songwriters
Chilkat & Ravenstail Artist Instructor, Lecturer and Author
1983 – present
Independently conducts Chilkat weaving workshops throughout the Northwest Coast and apprenticeships at home; instigates and leads Chilkat Weavers’ Gatherings since 1992 in Southeast Alaska, Yukon Territory, British Columbia and Colorado.
“Jennie Weaves An Apprentice – A Chilkat Weavers’ Handbook” received the HAIL (Honoring Alaska’s Indigenous Literature) Award in 2008
Presentations, Lectures and Demonstrations
- Portland Art Museum, Portland, OR 2014
- Bill Reid Gallery, Vancouver, B.C. 2011
- Institute of American Indian Arts, Marketing Class, Santa Fe, NM 2011
- University of Alaska Southeast, Juneau, AK 2011
- Juneau-Douglas High School Class of 2011, Juneau, AK 2011
- Clan Conferences, Juneau 2009 & in Sitka 2007
- Sealaska Heritage Institute “Celebration,” Regalia Documentary Project, Juneau, AK 2008
- NMAI, Smithsonian “Listening to Our Ancestors” Exhibit, Washington, D.C. 2006 & 2008
- NMAI Grand Opening of Museum & “Folklife Festival”, Washington, D.C. 2005