Cedar, wool fabric, mother-of-pearl buttons, beads, paint
4 ft x 11 ft
©1998 by Hudson Hudson

We designed this piece for the MV Kennicott, a new ferry commissioned by the Alaska Marine Highway.  The main center panel shows a canoe headed from its home village to the site of the potlatch, being paddled by (from left to right) Eagle, Frog, Bear, Beaver, and Raven.  Below the canoe we see sea creatures such as Seal, Halibut, Dogfish and Killerwhale, escorting the crew on its journey.  At the end of the trip, the Animals will join the dancing and singing at the potlatch, where we see people circling around the fire.
 
 
 
 
 

The second photo shows a close-up of one of the canoe, with Bear and Beaver paddling hard. Inside of each figure is a human face, indicating that the Animals are actually humans of different clans.  In the water swim Dogfish, Halibut and Salmon.  The sculpture is a relief carving, echoing the carving styles of the Northwest Coast Indians of Alaska and British Columbia.  The border of the piece is made of red wool fabric such as Clarissa uses for her button blanket robes, with mother-of-pearl buttons nailed on. 

The two smaller end panels have, additionally, flowers beaded into the fabric (by our daughter Lily,) in the style of the Alaskan Native bead artists.  The flowers represent the abundant vegetation of the Northwest Coast rain forest.