Charlotte Jensen Native Arts Market 2019, Anchorage

http://firstamericanartmagazine.com/charlotte-jensen/A year ago at this time, end of February/start of March 2019, I was heading home from Anchorage, Alaska and the 84th Annual Fur Rendezvous. What began as a fur trading event has morphed into Rondy, a ten-day celebration of all things Anchorage and Native Alaska, including the ceremonial start of the Iditarod Sled Dog Race.  What had drawn me northward was the Charlotte Jensen Native Arts Market, where I would eventually chat with about two dozen artists.  Most were weavers, as the primary reason for the trip was to research Alaska Native basketry.

John Jensen, Mathew Skaga Dewitt, Bryn, Marilyn Skau

Market co-chairs John Jensen and Marilyn Skau gave me a warm welcome on Thursday morning, day two of the five-day Market. Then Marilyn proceeded to walk me through the maze of tables at the Dimond Center, introducing me to various artists and all of the basket weavers who were at their tables when we passed by. All but one were happy to be interviewed; the one apologized because her eyesight was going and she no longer wove, so she did not feel that she could contribute. Of course she could have! It would have been wonderful to hear her stories, but she was reluctant and I was not pushy.  The next three days were spent talking with as many weavers as I could, sharing tangerines and Sunkist candies which I had brought from California. Regrettably, I was not able to spend time with all of the weavers, and hope to some day return to this event, which is a very important sales venue for Native Alaskan artists.

Marilyn Skau sits on Jeff Swan's carved wooden chair, "The Throne."

Sadly, Marilyn passed later in 2019. She was a well-respected powerhouse, always on the move, cheerfully dealing with the artists' registrations and making sure the Market flowed smoothly. In honor of Marilyn, John, and the Ashlock family who provide the Dimond Center as a service to Native artists, I'd like to share my "Charlotte Jensen Native Arts Market Report" from First American Art Magazine Blog:

http://firstamericanartmagazine.com/charlotte-jensen/