Ounalashka Corp - The Eider Pointer Newsletter_September2019 | Page 5

TRADITIONAL TEXTILES TO
WEARABLE ART
Carlene-Renee Thayer is recycling an unusual item: sea otter fur. Using hides harvested
by her father a decade ago, she creates unique jewelry that appeals to a broad array of
wearers while paying homage to traditional practices.
Carlene grew up in Juneau, where her parents
- John and Jennifer Moller - moved to from
Unalaska. She left to attend college, where she
majored in Biology, and then came home for good
with husband Jake Thayer.
In high school, her father had purchased her a fur
sewing machine, and she had used some of the
sea otter skins he harvested years before to make
pillows and other items. Once back home, she
revisited the hobby, bringing out the same furs
she had worked with as a teen. She started with
pillows and other small items at first but realized
the cost of a fur item of that size was prohibitive
to many people. Carlene began to experiment with
jewelry, earrings, necklaces and other wearables.
Using smaller amounts of the precious fur, but still
showcasing its natural beauty, offered more people
the opportunity to enjoy it.
Her first large show was at the Juneau Public
Market, an event that draws people from around
the state. It was a huge success, and Carlene
sold out of almost everything. Today, her designs
are sold in several stores in Juneau, as well as
online through her boutique Bering Sea Designs.
She plans to expand in the future but is focused
currently on a new addition to their family –
2-month old Ivan Thayer.
There have been other changes as well. While still
using those original furs, she and her family went
sea otter hunting this winter, where her father
taught them how to harvest and process the
animals. Carlene has eight furs being tanned and
looks forward to incorporating the material into
future creations.
Carleen’s goal is to create unique pieces from
natural and sustainable elements, and the use of
furs harvested in different decades by both she
and her father shows how traditions span the
generations and unite families. Now, as a mother
herself, she has created a career that allows her to
put family first, while maintaining a connection to
her Unangan culture.
Interested in Carleen’s jewelry?
Visit beringseadesigns.com to see the collection!
OC’S SEPTEMBER 2019 NEWSLETTER 5