Artist's Resume

Teri Rofkar (Tlingit name: Chas' Koowu Tla'a) from the T'ak dein taan (Raven) Clan, from the Snail House.

Artist's Statement:
I am following the steps of my Ancestors, striving to recapture the woven arts of an indigenous people. The ancient ways of gathering spruce root, with respect for the tree's life and spirit, are a rich lesson in today's world. Traditional methods of gathering and weaving natural materials help me link past, present, and future.---Links with a time when things were slower paced, a time when even a child's berry basket was decorated with care. It is through sharing and exploring that this old art form shall take on new life.

Employment & Experience:

2006:                       
National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI): Demonstration, Washington, D.C.
University of Pennsylvania Museum: Demonstration and Lecture, Philadelphia, PA.
Smithsonian 2006 Folk Life Festival: Consultant and Participant, Washington, D.C.
“Carrier’s of Culture” Native Basketry exhibit: Exhibit consultant, Michigan State Univ.
Basketry Technical Manual: Sealaska Heritage Corporation, Juneau, AK.

2001-2006:           
Artist in Residence: Southeast Alaska Indian  Cultural Center, Sitka, AK.

2005:                       
Alaska Native Art Festival: NMAI, and Natural History Museum, Washington, D.C.
Internet II: Univ. of Penn., Univ. of AK collaborator, and demonstrator. Anchorage, AK.
Solo Exhibit: Anchorage Museum of Art and History, Anchorage, AK.
Spruce Root Harvesting Classes: Yakutat, AK and Cordova, AK.
Basketry Technical Manual: Sealaska Heritage Corporation, Juneau, AK.

2004:                       
Spruce Root Harvesting Class: Co-Teaching with Erin Rofkar, Cordova, AK
Basket Technical Manual: Sealaska Heritage Corporation, Juneau, AK.
                         
2003:                       
Fellowship: National Museum of the American Indian, Smithsonian Institute, Washington, D.C.
Artist in Residence: Peabody Essex Museum, Salem, MA

2002:                       
Commissioned to Weave Baskets for “2002 Governor’s Art Awards”
Instructor: “Sustainable Harvest”  Master’s class; Grand Maris, Minn.
Speaker: “Sustainable Harvest” University of Minn.; Marcell, and Grand Rapids, Minn.

2001:                       
Instructor-Basketry: Sitka Fine Arts Camp, Sheldon Jackson Campus, Sitka, AK.
Speaker: “Western Museum Association” Palm Springs, CA.
Speaker: “Hidden Forest Values” USFS- Anchorage, AK.
           
2000:                       
Basketry/ Raven’s Tail Demonstration for the Public: Sheldon Jackson Museum, Sitka, AK.

1999-2000:               
Instructor- Basketry: Artist-in-the-Schools… K-12 in Yakutat, AK.
Instructor- Raven’s Tail/ Basketry Workshop: Humboldt State Acadia, CA.
Basketry/ Raven’s Tail Lecture and Demo.: Holland America Cruise Line.
                       
1999:           
Instructor-“Passport in Time”: National Forest Service- Yakutat, AK.
Instructor- Raven’s Tail Workshop: SEAICC- Sheldon Jackson College, Sitka, AK
Raven’s Tail Demonstrations for the Public: AK Native Heritage Center- Anchorage, AK.

1995-1999:
Basketry/ Raven’s Tail Lecture and Demo.: Alaska Elderhostel Program

1998:                       
Instructor- Raven’s Tail Workshop: Totem Heritage Center- Univ. of Alaska, Ketchikan, AK.

1993-1998:           
Sitka Rose Gallery Owner: Featuring Native Alaskan Art as well as my own, Sitka, AK.
Lecture and Demonstration: Peabody Museum; Yale- New Haven, Conn.

1997:           
Instructor-Tradition Bearer: Spruce Root Gathering and Weaving on the Kenai Peninsula; Homer, Seldovia, Port Graham, and Nanwalik, Alaska. 
“Talking Circles”: National Museum of the American Indian- Smithsonian, NYC., NY.
Basketry/Raven’s Tail Lecture and Demo.: American Museum of Natural History, NYC., NY.           

1996:                   
Basketry/ Raven’s Tail Demonstration for the Public: Sheldon Jackson Museum; Sitka, AK.
Basketry/ Raven’s Tail Lecture and Demo.: Field Museum of Natural History; Chicago, IL.
Keynote Speaker: “Conference for the Elderly” Sitka, AK.

1995:
“Art & Ceremony of the Northwest Rain Forest”: Instructor- Teachers Workshop Denver Museum of Natural History, Denver, CO.
Basketry/Raven’s Tail Lecture and Demo.: Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO.
Raven’s Tail Demonstration for the Public: at both Denver Art Museum and Denver Museum of Natural History, Denver, CO.
                       
Public Installations:
Spruce Root Cooking Basket: Anchorage Museum of History and Art, Anchorage, AK.
Raven’s Tail Robe “Ice Walker” University of Alaska Museum, Fairbanks, AK.
Raven’s Tail Robe “Hinchinbrook Island” Ilanka Cultural Center, Cordova, AK.  
Raven’s Tail Robe “1964 Earthquake” Ted Stevens International Airport, Anchorage, AK.
Raven’s Tail Robe “Herring Robe” Sitka High School, Sitka, AK
Raven’s Tail Robe “Gathering of Tradition”: AK Native Heritage Center, Anchorage, AK.
Basket “Large Rattle-Top” SEAICC, Sitka, AK.
Raven’s Tail Wall Hangings (5) Fairbanks Courthouse, Fairbanks, AK.
Raven’s Tail “Waist Robe”: Doyon Corporation, Fairbanks, AK.
Shaman’s Regalia: Elmendorf Air Force Base Hospital, Anchorage, AK.
Spruce Root Basket Denver Museum of Natural History, Denver, CO.
Raven’s Tail Regalia: Denver Art Museum, Denver, CO.
Spruce Root Basket Sitka National Historic Park, Sitka, AK.
Basket and Drum: Anchorage International Airport, Anchorage, AK.
Cedar Bark Basket “Large Berry” USDA Forest Service Visitor’s Center, Ketchikan, AK.
Spruce Root Basket “Tobacco” National Museum of the American Indian, New York, NY.

Awards:
2006: United States Artists Fellow – Inaugural class
2005: 1st Place Twinned Miniatures- TOCA National Basketweaver’s conference
2004: Governor’s Award for Alaska Native Art
2004: Buffet Award finalist (1 of 5) for Indigenous Leadership
2003: Native Arts “Smithsonian Visiting Scholar” National Museum of the American Indian
2002: 3rd Place Overall Sealaska Juried Art Show- Large Spruce Root Cooking Basket

Apprentices:
Erin Rofkar                    Robbie Littlefield               Dolly Garza
Jennie Wheeler              Helen Dangel                     Darlene Nichols            
Michelle Kennedy          Joyce MacDonald

Education:  I graduated from A.J. Dimond High School in Anchorage, AK. In the years after High School, I took a variety of College courses offered in my Art Form. I have also received tremendous encouragement and help from regional Elders… 1984 to present.
 
Organizations:                       
Sealaska Native Corp. Shareholder
Southeast AK. Indian Cultural Center Inc.; Artist-in-Residence, Member
Sitka Tribes of Alaska; Member
Silver Hand Task Force

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Web site ©copyright 2002-2007 by Teri Rofkar | Web design by Hudson Hudson

This site was created to share information about Alaskan Native arts and artists, Alaskan Native basketry and basketweaving, Ravenstail weaving, Northwest Coast spruce root baskets, Northwest Coast cedar bark baskets, pine needle basketry, American Indian crafts, and the work of Tlingit Indian artist Teri Rofkar from Southeast Alaska. Please feel free to print out any of the information on this web site for your personal use. We welcome links to Teri's web site.

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