We were lucky to catch up with Kaachgóon (Rochelle) Smallwood recently and have shared our conversation below.
Kaachgóon (Rochelle), thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Do you think your parents have had a meaningful impact on you and your journey?
My mom is an artist, and I am always inspired by the ideas that ripple through her. It’s as if we speak the same unspoken language, and she has always encouraged me to pursue art and follow my heart. When I am feeling stuck, she gives me feedback and suggestions to make sure the vision is as sharp when I’m feeling cloudy. I love bouncing ideas off of her, and her mind is always blooming with brilliant ideas and seeds. She said once my grandma was watching me as a small child, and when she came back, I was covered head to toe in red paint and deep in the zone painting. She said it was at that moment that she knew I was born to be an artist. My grandmother is a storyteller and has also been a huge supporter of pursuing art as a path for my life. She has lived with me since I was pregnant with my daughter and helped me raise her in a home steeped with love, culture, art, adventure, and laughter.
The best advice my dad gave me was when I was studying fashion design in London, and I called him after a hard day at school. There were many snobby students and teachers, and it felt like I was living in a stereotypical version of what it meant to be living in the fashion world. I told him that perhaps photography was my true calling instead of pursuing my childhood dream of being a fashion designer. His response is something I think of often and have carried with me ever since. He said you don’t have to limit yourself to one thing, you can do it all. Not limiting my storytelling to one discipline has shaped me into a multidisciplinary artist. There are so many mediums to explore and stories to share.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
I am a Lingít and Aztec visual storyteller and artist living in my maternal homeland, Áakʼw Ḵwáan, Juneau, Alaska. Making art is a sacred practice for my people and like an umbilical cord connects me to another realm of my ancestors much like how a child is connected, protected, and nourished in the womb. Art is a language that transcends worlds, allowing me to express truths and perspectives that words alone cannot convey. It holds the power to unearth hidden narratives, share our stories, and ignite change in the world.
My artwork is a continuation of the visual and oral languages of my ancestors. It resists being confined by preconceived notions of what it means to be an Indigenous artist through the eyes of colonization. Instead, I embrace the fluidity of identity and the limitless possibilities of artistic expression as an Indigenous artist as we reclaim our land, languages, and way of life.
Just as Raven released the stars, the moon, and the sun into the world, my art open boxes to share light with the world. Illuminating issues that demand attention and transformation, and guiding others to discover the light within themselves. My practice transcends any singular medium or technique, as I allow the materials and tools to flow through me, shaping the message that needs to be shared with the world as a force for healing.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
As a creative, the most rewarding thing about my work is connection and community. I love connecting with people and getting into a flow, like a dance of trust between the subjects and myself. Being able to document our Indigenous communities, artists, musicians, and events as an Indigenous storyteller is empowering because I am continuing to share stories and pass them down to future generations, just as my ancestors did. I love that my child gets to grow up surrounded and immersed in our culture. It makes my heart sing when I see her create and share her unique vision with the world through her own art.
Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
The things that drive me to create are to amplify voices, challenge stereotypes, and reclaim our sovereignty and ways of life. As a future ancestor, I feel a calling to share our stories from today carved in truth and keep them alive for future generations. I aim to help inspire others to create as soon as the idea appears to them with whatever materials are available to them before it disappears or the flame goes out. Creativity is a powerful tool for change, allowing us to challenge the dominant narratives that have been imposed upon us,
Contact Info:
- Website: https://ravenstalestudio.mypixieset.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tlingit.witch/ & https://www.instagram.com/ravens_tale_studio/
Image Credits
Image 3 of K̲aachgóon’s wearable art pice & image 5 of K̲aachgóon wearing her designs taken by Shak’shaani Éesh Konrad Frank. All other images taken by, K̲aachgóon Rochelle Smallwood of Raven’s Tale Studio. Image 4 taken of band members of Ya Tseen, from left to right, Zak Dylan Wass, Yéil Ya-Tseen Nicholas Galanin, and Qacung Stephen Blanchett. Image 6 taken of Alaĝum Ayagaa Haliehana Stepetin. Image 9 taken of Quannah Rose Chasinghorse-Potts wearing a hat by K̲aachgóon.