Opening Act: Juneau Dance Theater

Piece Title: Turbid View
Choreography by Catherine Fowle
Dancers: Adara Allen, Mya Baird, Viktor Bell, Grace Bultez, Elizabeth Eriksen, Ainsley Mallott, Electra Morley, Abigail Portiles

1 - To Know, Water 

Artist/Model: Georgia Post
Materials: Flowy organza, LED lights, fiber optics, moldable plastic and foam

This  piece is inspired by the sea angel. I would like to thank my parents for always supporting me, my brothers, Noatak and Shea, for giving ideas and feedback, Carol Hughey, for brainstorming and advice, Mary DeSmit, for the support, and Austin Wintory for the amazing music.

2 - Ex Oceano 

Artist/Model: Jen Dillon
Materials: Filament made of recycled plastics and nylon recovered from fishing gear, tulle, optical fiber, LEDS 

Half a lifetime ago I put on headphones and fell in love with the voices in the oceans. Spectrograms and sound wave patterns help us visual humans detect and better understand the complexities of an ocean world that’s illuminated primarily by sound. On this skirt are the abstracted, radial waveforms of calls from orca, beluga, walrus, narwhal, southern right whales, and bowhead whales. Thank You to Rob Mayer for technical assistance and generally nerding out with me. 

3 - Phoenix Rising…Again

Artist/Model: Mary-Lou Gervais
Materials: Scarves and feathers 

This piece is inspired by the trickery and intelligence of the RAVENS I encounter everyday, as well as by my 33 years of hiking the land and challenging myself to paddle to some of Alaska’s most remote, pristine spots. I would like to thank Alan and Connie Munro, longtime educators and cultured Juneau citizens. This piece was heavily inspired by Alan’s love of the outdoors and Connie’s love of scarves!!! Gunalchéesh to Lingít Aaní  and to the BEARS, the humpbacks, the orcas, the sea lions and especially the baby sea otters. Thanks for keeping me safe and guiding me on MY journey. Merci Beaucoup!!!

4 - Turn the Tide 

Artists: Kirsa & Alicia Hughes Skandijis, Adrienne Scott
Model: Alicia Hughes-Skandijis
Materials: Spray Foam, Styrofoam, Plastic Mesh 

This piece contrasts a healthy coral reef with the skeletons that remain after bleaching events. These events are increasing due to human impact on our environment. A better world is possible, if we create change in time. Thanks to coral.org and all of the researchers seeking to avert disaster.

Siren of the Sea: Taylor Vidic

Saxophonist:  Tim Powers
Cajon: Kelsey Riker
Song: Cat and Mouse

Taylor is ecstatic to be back in Centennial Hall and back on the Wearable Arts Stage, this time with guitar in hand and playing alongside Tim Powers on Sax. Taking turns producing and performing, this is Taylor's preferred way of expression - playing original music, with friends, for friends. Find her on Instagram @taylordallasv and Facebook @taylorvidicmusic

5 - Cocktails! 

Artists/Models: Nic DeHart & Amy Dressel
Materials: Life Jackets, Foam, Felt, Pantyhose, Sea monkeys, 20 years of saved address labels  

Thanks to Nicolas’s sewing skills and Amy’s hot glue desires we transformed these life jackets into imitations of our favorite childhood pets- brine shrimp (aka sea monkeys!) Thanks to the JAHC and staff, Ron Gile, JOANN Fabrics’  app and our families and friends.  Get some popcorn and enjoy our Cocktail!!

6 - Ya Héen Áwé Ya K̲usteeyi

Layéxhi: K̲aachgóon
Ak'iyee shaawát: Ts'eeg̱éeni
L’aak shagóon: Néegwáli xén

Yées atx̱ has agux̱layéix̱ dleit ḵaa aayi teen. Xén tín awliyéx̱ yaat’aa l’aak, K̲aachgóon ji.eetí. Du toowáa sigóo Lingít at nané yaxh uwayaa.

Gunalchéesh:  Ax̱ shuká, Naawéiyaa, Ts'eeg̱éeni, Saaní, Aantú, Aak’w Da Sháa, Gudáang'láa, Qacung, Koolyéik, Ts’áak KaJúu, Joonilix̱éilt, Jestoni, Lily, Betsy, Margeaux, Richard, and Sarah.

7 - Mythical Creatures 

Artists: Mandee Collins, Chloe Benc & Anna Orendorff
Models: Mandee Collins & Chloe Benc
Materials: Metal cans, paper mache 

Inspired by past pieces and a love of mythical creatures. Thank you to our family and friends who drank all the weird, canned beverages Mandee bought home and then stockpiling them for our use - special thank you to my Randal for not complaining about the bags and bags of empty cans in our apartment for the last six months and to Auntie Brooke for the five dozen eggs she is going to be eating for the next six months so we could have octo suction cups.

8 - Goddess Sea Dee Captured in a CD world 

Artist: Caryn Kraft
Model: Kristi Kraft
Materials: CDs, Glass, an Old Fish Net 

Illuminating.  Enchanting. Reflective. I was inspired by the theme Oceanic Overtures and how the CD’s resemble scales.  A big thank you to model Kristi Kraft who brings this mermaid to life.

9 - An Eternity 

Artist: Jessica Hood
Model: Ashia Skaflestad
Materials: Trash bags, Plastic bags 

This piece was inspired by my love for nature, especially the ocean. It is made with trash bags and plastic bags to bring awareness to plastic pollution. Thank you to Jay Hood for all his help making the dress, Ashia Skaflestad for modeling and Katelyn Savland for her help backstage. 

10 - Ghost

Artist/Model: Alisha Falberg
Materials: Alisha's dress is made from the most common types of ghost gear: pots, traps, buoys, longline gear, and trawl netting actually recovered from oceans off the coast of Alaska by organizations helping to remove ghost gear and prevent future gear from being left in our oceans (other materials include: fishing hooks, ropes, and wire, tulle, chicken wire, wood, wheels, and mussel shells). 

Ghost: to appear or become manifest. Fishing gear that has been lost or discarded in our oceans manifests as "ghost gear," trapping, entangling, or killing marine wildlife, like whales, turtles, fish, and birds. This piece’s purpose is to raise awareness of this harmful marine debris issue. Alisha would like to thank NOAA's Stranding and Entanglement Response Network, NOAA NMFS Office of Law Enforcement, Chris McDowell, Lanie McCarry, Shelly Wright, Juneau Makerspace, and her husband Adam.

Welcome, and thank you for supporting Wearable Art this year. This event helps make so much possible for our whole community. Through the creative endeavors and hard work that goes into Wearable Art, so many lives are enriched: 

• Every school-age child benefits from the many education programs The Council is a part of, from Artists in the Schools, to after-school art programs at Cedar Park and Geneva Woods (sadly on hiatus during Covid), Poetry Out Loud, Artful Teaching. Much of the arts education programming comes with no outside funding.
• Local artists exhibit their artwork in the Gallery, many for the first time, and receive grants to take classes and grow professionally. Several hundred artists benefit from this support each year.
• Students are able to go to art camps, take lessons, buy instruments, or art supplies - as many as 30 students each year can receive scholarships to encourage their growth as young artists
• Families enjoy free concerts and events in the summer, travelers enjoy live music at the airport (resuming when Covid and renovations are completed), people receive awards for their service to the community through the arts. There is local poetry on the city buses. We have an online community calendar so everyone knows what is happening, First Friday is organized, and there is a box office service for the community.
• New projects, Artists of All Nations, Juneau Piano Series, and more, are nurtured by the Council, serving as their fiscal sponsor so that these grassroots groups can bring joy to Juneau. The Council coordinates advocacy efforts and re-grants city funds to other nonprofits. These administrative services are added to the operating budget too.
• The Juneau Arts & Culture Center and Centennial Hall are operated by The Council, and are available for gatherings of all kinds - celebrations, meetings, exhibits, performances, even roller girl practice.The rent is reasonable, the staff is capable and welcoming, and the venues strive to make everyone welcome, usually bursting with activity - even in these pandemic times!

The Council provides all of these things out of its operating budget. Wearable Art makes all of this, and more, possible. These things happen because of the amazing contributions of our artists and community members each year at the annual Wearable Art Extravaganza. Your efforts support all that the Council brings to the community, which means that YOU bring these things to the community. 

Juneau was previously named to the list of the Top 10 Most Culturally Vibrant Small Arts Communities in the United States. This event is in the forefront of that vibrancy - creative people doing creative things, sharing their talents to build a magical place to live. 

Thank you again, please enjoy the show. 

Nancy DeCherney, JAHC Executive Director

Mark your calendars for the Wearable Art Living Gallery on Friday, March 4 from 4:30-7 PM at the JACC. This is your chance to see the pieces from Oceanic Overtures in person, speak with the artist(s) and model(s), and continue to support our fundraising efforts. Suggested donation of $10 to attend.