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Artworks
ISABEL RORICK (1955-) & MERLE ANDERSEN, HAIDA, OLD MASSET, HAIDA GWAII
Rain Hat with Hat Box, 1998 / 1999the hat: red cedar bark, 6.25 x 16.25 x 16.25 in (15.9 x 41.3 x 41.3 cm),
with artist's signature "three skip stitch pattern concentric circles";
the hat box: cedar and yellow cedar bark, with shell and button closures, cedar bark rope, and 8.5 x 17 x 17 in (21.6 x 43.2 x 43.2 cm)$ 22,500.00Further images
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The cedar bark hat, woven by Isabel Rorick in 1998, represents a significant milestone as the first cedar hat she ever created for sale [1]. Commissioned for the Spirit Wrestler...The cedar bark hat, woven by Isabel Rorick in 1998, represents a significant milestone as the first cedar hat she ever created for sale [1]. Commissioned for the Spirit Wrestler Gallery’s exhibition Premonitions: Artists Exploring the Possibilities, the piece exemplifies Rorick’s early mastery of traditional Haida weaving techniques. The hat features a twining technique, with a single row of three-strand twining elegantly separating the band from the brim. The brim itself is crafted in a skip-stitch twining pattern, producing a vertical zig-zag, or “snail’s track,” design, and is finished with an intricate three-strand braided edge. The crown bears Rorick’s signature design of three concentric circles in a skip-stitch pattern, adding a distinctive touch to the work.
The accompanying hat box, created in 1999 by Rorick’s aunt, Merle Andersen, is a testament to the deep artistry and lineage of Haida weaving [2]. Andersen’s craft is informed by a remarkable heritage—her grandparents were the renowned master carver Charles Edenshaw and the celebrated weaver Isabella Edenshaw. Her parents, Florence Edenshaw Davidson and Robert Davidson Sr., upheld this legacy as a weaver and carver, respectively. Andersen began weaving in 1994 under the guidance of her sisters Virginia Hunter and Agnes Davis, embracing traditional Haida methods that emphasize harvesting and preparing natural materials like cedar bark and spruce root.
The hat box, woven from cedar bark and spruce root, features an intricate “eye holes” pattern achieved through a crossed-warp twining technique on the sides. The lid and base are crafted in an open twined weave. Inside, the box is lined with royal purple satin, providing both security and elegance for the hat during storage or travel. Four shell buttons and strands of string adorned with carnelian beads secure the box, combining functionality with aesthetic refinement. Together, the hat and its box reflect the enduring artistry and innovation of Haida weaving traditions.
1. First Arts Correspondence with Isabel Rorick, 5 Dec 2024.
2. Ibid.–Sarah Raven with First Arts
Provenance
Spirit Wrestler Gallery, Vancouver, BC;
Acquired from the above by John & Joyce Price, Seattle.Exhibitions
Vancouver, BC, Premonitions: Artists Exploring the Possibilities, 21 November - 15 December 1998, cat. no. 16Publications
Spirit Wrestler Gallery, Premonitions: Artists Exploring the Possibilities, (Vancouver: Spirit Wrestler Gallery, 1998), cat. no. 16, reproduced, unpaginated, as "Red Cedar Bark Hat".7of 7 -
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