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Curriculum Resources for the Alaskan Environment
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Subject Areas: art,
business (marketing, public
relations)
Timeline:
ongoing
Grade Levels: all grades
and the community
Purpose: to establish a
carving and jewelry making business within the
community using local resources
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K. Harbeson and
Nancy Stringham Buck
Carving and
Jewelry
Co-Op
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Activities
- Make the objects, then display and
market them.
- Determine the best place for
carving; while some carvers will work in their homes,
others will prefer a central location with perhaps the
use of power tools. The school shop is one possibility-if
you choose it, set up hours for working.
- Acquire a place within the
community to display the carvings and jewelry pieces. If
a separate building is not available, a store or
someone's home are alternatives.
- Elect a board of directors from
the community to establish price controls and quality
controls on products sold through the co-op.
- Acquire a business license for the
co-op and decide upon a name for the
business.
- Market the products through direct
sales and mail orders. Have business listed in Source
Directory, a directory of Native-owned and -operated
arts and crafts businesses.
Resources
- carvers and jewelry makers in the
community
- local resources: bone, baleen,
ivory, shells, stones, soapstone, feathers,
etc.
- The Source
Directory
- Cross-Cultural Arts in
Alaska
- Sculpture of the
Eskimos
- booklets from craft stores and
lapidary shops
- Alaska Native Arts and Crafts
Board
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Variations
- If jade is available, gather it
cut and polish gems.
- Purchase silver/gold chains;
include in cost assessment.
- Work can be sold through arts and
crafts stores in major Alaskan cities-look up addresses
in phone book-however, these stores usually expect a
50% markup on profit.
- Work can be sold to independent
buyers who will also make a profit when the work is
resold.
- Sell work at regional or urban
bazaars, or hold a sale at the end of each school
quarter.
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