Kadusné by Ursala Hudson

“Kadusné” is the Tlingit name given to me by my mother. It is a verb, translating as “they are weaving.”

“As a pre-teen, I began teaching myself web and graphic design, the learned skills which supported and carried my family and me through my twenties. In the midst of that, I received a BA in Art from Fort Lewis College in 2014. I especially loved printmaking and oil painting, but those mediums were always mere glimmers of delight amongst a full life of mothering and the capitalist hustle. In 2016, my sister and mother submerged me into the tantalizing waters of Chilkat and Ravenstail weaving during one of my annual visits to the Northwest. Drenched in its all-consuming power, I now dedicate my attention to curating a rich life revolving around my weaving loom, tending to all the many, many things that support that spiritual practice.

Learning to weave has offered me a sense of place and purpose. Entering into the practice of Northwest Coast Art is awakening parts that I’ve suppressed due to feelings of inadequacy and fear of being an imposter. Growing up in a mixed-race household with constant criticism of conflicting cultural values, I avoided adopting a condemned identity. I lacked a sense of value or contribution. As regalia began unfolding at my fingertips, from the very essence of all my life’s experiences and knowledge — from all the teachings that have come before — I understood first-hand how intertwined we all are, each of us essential threads to the collective forces. Every day I am blessed with the gift of weaving.

I currently reside in Southwest Colorado with my partner, Chris Haas, and our two daughters, Amélie and Simone. We are a handful amongst a long lineage of creators, a few of which have websites: Clarissa (late mother), Bill (father), Lily (sister), & Kahlil (brother).” - Ursala Hudson