Cedar, mother-of-pearl buttons & beads, copper, brass nails, paint
7 ft x 11 ft
©1997 by Bill & Clarissa Hudson

This design is based on the original poster I desgined commissioned by Sealaska Heritage Institute for their biennial event “Celebration (92)”. I also created a buttonblanket wall mural, now in a private collection in Texas.

The large face is the rising Sun, another day of life, life everlasting. The people are, in a spiritual sense, like the rays of the Sun, each of us has a bright Light within us. The People are following a Path; like the path of the Sun, our Ancestors’ Trail:
• The Person with the Spear represents gathering from the Sea
• The Person with Basket of berries; gathering from the Land
• The Person with T’Naa (ceremonial copper shield); represents History, Arts, Culture & Wealth
• The Person with Child on back; represents Families, Generations, Clans
• The Person with Staff; represents our Elders, leading the Way, on the Path of our Ancestors' Trail

Around the border are Salmon, going in the same direction as the People; they represent subsistence, living with the seasons, with the Circle of Life.

This wall panel was commissioned by the Alaska Native Medical Center in Anchorage, Alaska, and hangs on the wall outside the Mediation Room, a circular room intended as a private grieving or prayer space, so the carving is curved to match the curve of the room's outside wall.

The sculpture was decorated with hundreds of mother-of-pearl buttons, just like the button blanket robe upon which it was based.  But naturally we couldn't sew the buttons on, so we fastened each one on with two tiny brass nails.  After we got done hanging the sculpture at the Medical Center, we looked and realized that we'd forgotten to nail on the buttons inside the woman's berry basket.  The second photo shows Clarissa adding the "berries" to her basket.

With the sculpture finally installed, we stood back and realized, in surprise, that the sculpture wrapped around the room like a comforting button blanket robe.  We looked at each other and smiled at surprising ourselves.  Definitely one of our all-time favorite pieces.