Juneau resident Crystal Kaakeeyáa Worl was one of five Native artists honored at a reception in Washington, D.C. late last month hosted by Vice President Joe Biden and his wife, Jill. The event represented a collaboration between the U.S. Department of State’s Office of Art in Embassies and the Institute of American Indian Arts, according to a state department release.
The five honorees — Tlingit Athabascan artist Worl, Navajo artist Tony Abeyta of Sante Fe N.M. and Berkeley Calif.; Plains Cree artist Jeff Kahm of Santa Fe; Shinnecock artist Courtney Leonard of New York; and Tewa-Hopi artist Dan Namingha of Sante Fe — were commissioned to create 10 works of art for exhibition in diplomatic facilities around the world. All five artists attended the Institute of American Indian Arts in Sante Fe.
“Your artwork represents rich and vibrant cultures that have thrived on this continent for a millennium, every color, shape and stroke on the canvas brings to life a connection with your roots and your ancestors,” said Jill Biden at the reception.
Worl — a Raven of the Sockeye Clan — works in many different media, including jewelry, metals, printmaking, kiln-cast glass, and painting. She earned a bachelor’s of fine arts in studio arts and an associate’s degree in moving images from IAIA.
In Juneau she co-owns Trickster Gallery with her brother, Rico Worl, where she also exhibits her work.
Read the full release here: http://art.state.gov/newsdetail.aspx?perm=10384 and http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2015/10/28/dr-jill-biden-and-vice-president-biden-honor-5-native-artists-vps-home-162250
Crystal Worl
