Cedar, mother-of-pearl buttons & beads, copper, brass nails, paint
7 ft x 11 ft
©1997 by HudsonHudson

This cedar carving was based on Clarissa's award-winning ceremonial  button blanket robe.  It was commissioned by the Alaska Native Medical Center in Anchorage, Alaska, and hangs on the wall outside the Mediation Room, a circular room intended as a private grieving or prayer space, so the carving is curved to match the curve of the room's outside wall.

The trail that the figures are following is, at the same time, the curved arch of the rising Sun, representing the Great Spirit.  Around the border swim the Salmon People, the main providers of food in most of Alaska.

The sculpture was decorated with hundreds of mother-of-pearl buttons, just like the button blanket robe upon which it was based.  But naturally we couldn't sew the buttons on, so we fastened each one on with two tiny brass nails.  After we got done hanging the sculpture at the Medical Center, we looked and realized that we'd forgotten to nail on the buttons inside the woman's berry basket.  The second photo shows Clarissa adding the "berries" to her basket.

With the sculpture finally installed, we stood back and realized, in surprise, that the sculpture wrapped around the room like a comforting button blanket robe.  We looked at each other and smiled at surprising ourselves.  Definitely one of our all-time favorite pieces.