Athabascan artist to demonstrate beadworking for museum visitors

Submitted by Kerynn Fisher
Phone: 907-474-6941
07/17/08

Visitors to the University of Alaska Museum of the North will have the opportunity to see Alaska art in the making next week when Athabascan artist Kathleen Hildebrand Meckel demonstrates beadworking. The presentation is part of the museum’s Gatherings North program, which brings Alaska Native artists into the museum to share their art and traditions with visitors.

Meckel will demonstrate Athabascan beadworking from 2:30 to 6:30 p.m. daily from Monday, July 21 through Wednesday, July 23 and from noon to 4 p.m. on Thursday, July 24 and Friday, July 25. The demonstrations are free with museum admission.

Meckel creates beaded jewelry and traditional Athabascan regalia pieces. She learned the art at an early age from her grandmother, who lived in Nulato. Meckel currently teaches at the Effie Kokrine Charter School in Fairbanks, where she enjoys sharing basic beadwork techniques with her students.

Inspired by traditional Alaska Native gatherings where people met to exchange ideas, share stories and renew friendships, the museum has offered its Gatherings North demonstrations to visitors since 1990. The demonstrations are funded in part by the City of Fairbanks Hotel-Motel Tax Fund regrant by the Fairbanks Arts Association.

The museum is open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily in summer. Admission is $10 for adults, $9 for seniors, $5 for youth 7-17 and free for children 6 and under. Museum members also receive free admission. Information on the museum’s programs and exhibits is available at 907-474-7505 and online at www.uaf.edu/museum.