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Traditional creativity

Published on February 17th, 2010

By TAMMY JUDD

Alaska Native artists come from around the state to participate in the Native Arts Market, one of the "cornerstone" events of the Anchorage Fur Rendezvous. They bring with them baleen, ivory carvings, ivory jewelry, dolls from many regions, grass baskets, baleen baskets, basket earrings, traditional paintings of Native life, visors, hats, beadwork, seal skin ornaments, masks, soapstone and whalebone carvings.

The artisans, each of Alaska Native heritage, hail from communities such as Mekoryuk, Togiak, Quinhagak, Aleknagik, Shishmaref, Twin Hills, Chevak, Bethel, Manokotak, Savoonga, Barrow, Kotzebue, Copper Center, Anchorage, Valdez, Fairbanks, Juneau, Kodiak, Sitka, Anchor Point, Soldotna, Wasilla, Kenai, Homer, Point Hope, North Pole, Pelican, Wrangell and Galena.

They gather to sell their art at the Native Arts Market and to catch up with each other and family for five days in Anchorage.

The annual Native Arts Market, which has been going on since 1987, runs this year from March 3 through 7 at the Dimond Center, where it's been located since about 1990. The artwork is representative of each artist's particular cultures.

"What's exciting about the show is that it's all handmade by the artist, you get to talk to the artist about how he or she made the item, and it just has a lot more meaning that way," said Charlotte Jensen, the show coordinator. "It's just a wonderful show. We have some, of course, that are not quite as good, but most of the art is just very, very good quality. I've been impressed, in the last couple of years I think the quality has improved tremendously."

Requirements to join

The show is not juried. To participate in the show, the vendor must have been born in Alaska with Alaska Native heritage, hold a BIA card and/or have the Alaska Silver Hand seal (an Alaska State Council on the Arts program which authenticates artwork was made by an Alaska Native artist living in Alaska). The artwork has to be a traditional handmade thing, no food items.

Last year the Native Arts Market had about 200 vendors, Jensen said.

This year the Dimond Center has rented kiosks which displaced some of the hall space previously used for the Native Arts Market. So in addition to vendor booths being in the main hall and down by the Old Navy store, the tables will continue into a new section near the GNC store and then down the hall to the atrium.

Jensen said some of her "regulars" who request to be located in the same place so their customers can find them, may have to be moved to different places. She is going to try to keep them close to their usual location, when possible.

Those who wind up in the atrium and the hall leading to the ice rink may benefit from it being a busier traffic location, she said, and signage will direct people to the new locations. With the addition of the new hall space, Jensen expected she could accommodate at least 250 vendors.

In addition to being a venue to sell their wares, the Native Arts Market also becomes a social event for the participants.

"They get to see their cousins or their family members who they haven't seen in awhile because they may live in a different part of the state. It becomes a very social period for the Natives, and for us, because you get so that you know so many of the people, and I love it," Jensen said. "It's a great show. There's a lot of opportunities to buy gifts for yourself or gifts for others for throughout the year, for Christmas, birthdays, etc. I always get my Christmas gifts there. It is an early start, but you can find something for that special person."

Vendor costs, benefits

The market costs the vendors $125 for a table, or if the vendor is older than 65, it's $100 for the five days. Jensen said they are able to keep the vendor cost down because the Dimond Center donates the space for the show.

"We just really appreciate that. That's the only way we could do it at this price. Because if it were downtown, prices would be at least $300 per table, and that eliminates a lot of them, some of the more elderly people don't always sell as much," Jensen said.

For vendors who come in from villages, the location is a benefit because it is close to the big shopping areas such as Sam's, Costco and Wal-Mart. Many vendors stay at the Dimond Hotel, Jensen said.

Other benefits to having the sale at the Dimond Center are the bus service is right there and there is plenty of free parking.

"That makes it easier for the participants as well as the visitors," Jensen said.