ALBERTA CRAFTS COUNCIL ISSN0826-7421
FEBRUARY, 1986
Roland Lavallee - Decoy Carver History reveals that before the colonization of North America, native Indians handmade duck decoys from wildlife skin filled with grassesand woven twigsto lure the wildlife fowl from the skies. The Pioneers found that by using even the crudest decoys, they could fool the plentiful wildfowl. Eventually, these primitive replicas could no longer deceive the growing awareness of the wildfowl and the hunters began carving their decoys and paying more attention to detail and habitat.
Roland Lavallee an ACC member and present day
decoy carver expressed, "The idea is to make your carvings as close to the real thing as possible". The Indians and Pioneers would have been ensured a plentiful haul by luring the wildfowl with Roland's lifelike decoys. But no bird will be stuffed as a result of trickery performed
by his beautiful carvings: "Wild birds are too beautiful
to kill." Roland decided to trade his guns for wood chisels and paintbrushes. Roland was born in 1931 at Vasser, Manitoba. He
became fascinated with wild birds as a young hunter,
growing up near the marshlands of southern Manitoba. He studied drawing and painting at Winnipeg School of
Art, 1943- 1946and at SAIT in Calgary, 1970- 1972. Roland claims his painting and drawingbackground has been a definite advantage in achievingthe levelof realism his lifesize and miniature carvings possess. Roland spends considerable time closely studying the birds he carves at museums and libraries. The mounted stuffed birds (study skins) at the museum, enable the viewer to study not only the structure and anatomyof the birds but also the fine colour detail and patterning of the feathers. Another method of research Roland employsis the study of photographs, sketches and works of other wildlife artists, both painters and carvers. Each carving requires many hours of planning, study and research. Each decoy requires from 30 - 40 hours of
meticulous carving and painting. Selecting the appropriate wood is the first step in creating a decoy. The versatility of bass wood and yellow cedar for carving make them the usual choice for Roland. Second, he makes drawings to ensure the bird will be
as authentic as possible. Finally, he carves and paints the decoy lending particular attention to the details of the feathers. The beak also requires special attention because it will be brittle if
it is not carved to follow the grain. Roland's collection of carvings includes mallards, mergansers, teals, loons, pintails, and canvasbacks. He specializesin NortKAmerican birds. Roland would like to add a series of songbirds to his collection. Songbirds are much smaller and their colouring more intricate. At last years (1985) Sportsman's Show, Roland's carved and painted decoys captured two first, a second and two third place ribbons. He believes competing is a learning experience and is eager to compete in Eastern Canada where he feels there is an even higher level of competition.
Even though Roland's decoys are extremely lifelike and the question of their authenticity would test any aware wildfowl, his decoys are meant for collectors, not hunters. (We wouldn 't want to ruffle any feathers and suggest otherwise.) Good luck in the future Roland!
Handspirits Catalogue Available The catalogue published in conjunction with the ACC's very successfulHandspirits exhibition (still travelling in Alberta) is on sale at the ACC offices. The catalogue ($5.00 each) has been extremely popular as a memento of Handspirits. In addition to be-
ing a high quality, colourful, documentation of a selection of the exhibiting craftspeopleswork, the catalogue includes condensed biographies of all the exhibitors. The biographies make the Handspirits catalogue a valuable resource tool as well. The catalogue is available through the ACC office while quantities last. Alberta Crafts Council No. 509, 10136 100 Street
Edmonton, Alberta T5J OPI Ph. 428-1654
Page 4
NEWSLETTER ISSN 0826-7421
Alberta Crafts Council NOVEMBER
#509 10136 - 100 St.
1984
Edmonton,Alta. T5.J OPI (403)428-1654
'86 ALBERTA CRAFT PARTICIPATION
Alberta s Pavilion ae the World Exposition eo be held In Vancouver , May October 1986, LS fast becoming a tangible, exciting reality. The Alberta Crafts CouncLL has been meeting and be working with the Alberta Expo 86 Co•-ordinaeor and his staff.
Demonstrations of crafts, Alberta PaviIlion decor , an
exhi bi u on of crafts from ALberea , slide presentation, and gifts co special visitors , are some of ehe areas currencLy being explored.
THE
ALBERTA
CRAFTS
COUNCIL
HAS AGREED TO PROVIDE A LIST OF 10 PEOPLE TO BE CONSIDERED TO DOONSTRATE UNUSUAL AND UNIQUE CRA?IS. Whac do you do Chac fun to watch and refleees our Alberea cuLeure?
making?
Saddle
crafts evene.
at this world class With your lecter of Lngness , we would Like brief description of your
If you please
for this major The call—for—entry exhibition of Alberta crafts sponsor— ed by the Alberta Crafts Council will be going out in early 1985. Watch for it! Jurying (by highly qualified craft experts from outside the province) will be on two levels;
Level I
*slide submissions *April 1985 Level Il *actual craft items *June 1985 Entries invited from any craftsperson with one year's residence in Alberta.
Cash awards will be offered for
excellence in all media. For more information contact the Council office 428—1654.
Baskets?
This LS a call eo action for all Al berea craftspeople . Please write eo us by January 31, 1985 and let us know about your willingness eo demons trace
a skills , and slides of che results.
1985 ALBERTA CRAFTS EXHIBITION 3,
or
phocos
need further information, cal L us: 428—1654 Ln
AWARDS
The Alberta Crafts Council is accept— ing nominations for the Sir Frederick Haultain Prize of $25, 000. This award is given to an Alberta individual or group in recognition of except ional achievement in the arts. Please phone the ACC office 428—1654 and offer your suggestions for nominees. Deadline: March 1985.
Edmonton.
Alberta Expo '86 vill be providin
accomodatlon,
travel ,
AWARDS
an honorarium. Our next nevsLeeeer vLLL provide Information on the ocher aspects OE parcLcLpation Ln Expo '86.
The Alberta Crafts Council is accept— ing nominations for The City of If you Edmonton Honours and Awards.
Ln charge of recaLL sales operacLon on the stee and expect further information on chae shortly.
in crafts during the past year, please The phone the ACC office 428—1654. 31, 1984. deadline is
We are Ln couch vich
Bobbi Hoffman
Ex cutLve Mem
c
the person
know of an Edmonton craftsperson who
recognition forachieveaent deserves
ry
azounes
eo
about S i0.5 Ali i ion annually. In Ontario and maebec, each province's annual craets revenue exceeds $100
zillion.
Viewed Canada—wide, crafts
probably eapioy. •ore people than the entire agricultural
sector.
That's the big picture. It's not surprising that few craftspeople realize the connection between their work and the national econoøy. Those big numbers bear little relationship to real incomes.
cotntctL
PUStDEKt
Caren
672-1997
Vice-Presidene r oe
Calgary 246-667'
Each craftsperson — whether a prod— uction potter in a city setting or an occasional weaver in the quiet of Taber — is a vital link in the craft indust
Seer•eary Edxneoa
'32-1109
Think of what would happen if every— Suppliers one stopped making crafts! of raw materials would go out of business. Retail shops and galleries organizations would close. Co—unity would have to seek other forms of fundraising if no craft fairs were held. Millions of dollars would stop moving E rom hand to hand. Although each economic cont ribution to the crafts industry nay see pitifully small — and no one argue that craftspeople are in the game for the money — it is worth reminding ourselves of the important role craftspeople play. We are not outside the context of the We are the or provincial economy.
can
Zd.%neon
'73-1187
Dlr•eeors
Lent Baiaban Edooncon
'71-5082
Raren Cancine
Edmaeoa 452-5615
Sarab•eh Carnac Calga 251-287 ueharine Dickerson
Calgary 282-8089
mainstream.
In recent nonths, travelling around Alberta and talking to members of local crafts organizations, I've encountered a sense of isolation. Whether craftspeople live in rural or ur•ban areas, each one feels that the really important stuff is happening elsewhere. The nature of crafts implies long Thoughts turn hours working alone. Just as a grain farmer plow— inward. ing his fields doesn 't envision the loaves of bread resulting from his labours, craftspeople seldom think Of their products being used and enjoyed. We too often find it difficult to look fencelines. beyond our
Barbara Kreutzer
Calcay
Jean Roberts Volte Edooncon
454-5395
"09
Office McLeod Building
10036 too Screee
Edmonton, Alberta tSJ opt Phone: '28-1654
The Alberta Crafts Council is dedi— cated to developing a co—unications network to overcome this sense of isolation. Lobking at the broad picture, the ACC is working closely with the Canadian Crafts Council to elect ronic link into a Canada—wide
crafts information service. On the
provincial level the Council pub— lishes this nonthly newsletter and offers an information and referral service through its Edmonton office. ACC ts Directors welcome opportunities to meet with crafts groups throughout The Council provides a Alberta. speakers' bureau on a variety of crafts topics as well as profess— ionalism, marketing strategies and business skills. If you or your organization would like to feel more a par•t of the nain— stream, let us hear from you.
Paula Gustaf son, President Alberta Crafts Council #509, 10136 — 100 Street Edmonton, Alberta T 5J OPI 428—1654
ACC CONTRACT POSITIONS
The Alberta Crafts Council is seek— ing an EXHIBITION CO-ORDINATOR for the 1985 crafts exhibition and an ADMINISTRATIVE MANAGER for Both of these Edmonton office. positions are on a paid contract January 1985• basis co—encing
If you are interested in either
position, please phone the Council for infonation. office 428—1654
Applications
due: December 14, 1984.
Because the standard plastic sheet for slides is rather utilitarian
HOW TO PRESENT YOUR WORK
by Brian Baxter Vancouver
are professional graphic
writers who have developed their skills v{th
glass artist
same sense of integrity you have, and
The day of the standard black leather portfolio
vith• carefully
mounted
colour
photos seems to be rapidly disappearing.
That format no longer lends itself
easily to the media demands o? the
modern world. This article, then, is a discourse on the attitude you should take in presenting yourself and your work. In the eye of the collector or buyer, a piece of your work is a piece of you the artist. Therefore the manner in which you present yourself and your work plays heavily on the way the viewer appreciates what you do. The more professional your package is, the more seriously you will
be taken.
If you take the same care or esthetic
concern about presenting your work as you do making your work, then the presentation tells much about you. It's similar to the study of body language; everything you do
is a clue to who you are. Most viewers
are aware or subconsciously aware of those signals, just as they are- aware of contrived images. Their response to you vill be a direct response to the image you have present ed. Try to discover your own unique way of presenting your work that fulfills the needs of the view but also presents a strong image of you. What is the best medium to present your work in? Slides? Photographs?
and unattractive
package the design of your presentation I? you ?eel becomes even more important. yourself, there unable to create the package designers and
Videos ?
The traditional portfolio still works in a one—to—one presentation when the viewer has the time to look, question and understand your wo rk. That situation sell' his allows the artist to verbally
work, explaining the criteria and how
wonderfully he solved them. (No matter how truthful you are, it always seems as if you are toverselling' yourself. )
For the experienced viewer, photographs if they are well done will speak for themselves. In a situation where the artist is not present, it is more important that the portfolio reflect the
artist ts approach.
Galleries, slide registries, designers, architects and buyers all often request slides. When you start photographing your work on slide film then the whole process of photos in a portfolio tends to fall to the wayside because of the cost and quality of transferring from slide to photo. (There is a notion picture film used for both slide and print work but the quality is inferior. )
the seriously. therefore ought to be taken ag worth what you Their services are generally pay. It Is very important to f ind someone who you feel confident can produce the image that best suits you. Remember, it is you who is responsible for conveying to them who you are and what you do. Your presentation
package •should contain:
* photos or slides
* letterhead * business card * presentation folder * postcards * a short, concise, clear statement of your esthetic concerns * a statement about your technical handling of your work * a brief biography with a resume. Another consideration for the use of slides is that it becomes much easier to change, update and manipulate the- images you present Duplicating for each different situation. slides allows you to have portfolios of your work all around the country instead of being trapped in an expensive leather folder. You shouldn tt have laughed when I mentioned videos. Theatre people, architects and artists have all used this approach to their advantage. The initial cost can be overwhelming, but the reproduction costs of copies for dist ribut ion across the continent and As well, beyond are very attractive. video can be far more in formative and than a resume with attention—conanding slides. The video master can also be The stored, added to and manipulated. mind boggles at all the possibilities! I haven't given you a step—by—step method Nor did I of how to •present yourself. intend to. (After all, one could write a book.. ) 1 think that attitude and A little thought awareness come f and then let creativity and care take over. You will develop a better under— standing about the process and power of presentation, as well as of your own abilit les. Of course there is a humorous (or perhaps I tn just realistic) side to everything. a glass artist with •ore broken windows
in ny studio than one could care to
repair. Mypo
(a potpourri of
photos and slides) is in desperate shape; at least a year and a half out of date! C reprinted
with permission
CABC CRAFT CONTACTS)
from