Alaskan Native Artist

Phillip John "Aarnaquq" Charette

NATIVE AMERICAN STYLE WOOD & CLAY FLUTES

BY ALASKAN NATIVE ARTIST PHILLIP JOHN CHARETTE

   VOTE, VOTE, VOTE!!   I've been nominated for Best Flute CD, Best New Artist, and Single of the Year through the Aboriginal Peoples Choice Music Awards, Go to http://www.aboriginalpeopleschoice.com/artist-search?eid1120=597 and please vote for my music.

Yupikmask.com accepts these forms of payment. All artwork by Alaskan Native Artist Phillip John Charette is for sale on this online web site. Artwork is available through this online web site, at Native American Art Markets, through CD Baby, and through work he has available in his studio. His studio is located in beautiful  in Baker City which is located in  Eastern Oregon, 97814. Custom Orders are definitely welcome. To make a special order contact me at my business  541 . 519 . 2635.

"Arctic Voices"

Listen to Arctic Voices songs at:

http://www.myspace.com/phillipcharette

Autographed CD available only if ordered directly from Phillip. Cost is now $15.98 plus shipping and handling.

To order direct from Phillip

Call 541 . 523 . 7563 or email phillipjcharette <at> gmail <dot> com

OR

Non-autographed copies & digital downloads also available through

Thanks to CDbaby, Arctic Voices is now available on 17 different downloadable sites, including:

CD Graphic work by Joe Fritsch

Eastern Oregon Flute Circle

The Eastern Oregon Flute Circle is open to all interested in playing the Native American Style Flute http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Native_American_flute. The Flute Circle will meet at the newly remodled Carnagie Crossroads Community Art Center http://www.crossroads-arts.org/ every 4th Tuesday of the month from 6-8pm.

The Eastern Oregon Flute Circle will focus on Native American flute playing, making Native American style flutes, networking with other Native American style flute players, and preparing for and setting up performances. You will need your own Native American Style flute(s) to participate in flute circle activities.

The first flute circle meeting is scheduled for September 23rd, 2008 at Carnagie Crossroads. If you do not have a Native American Style flute, a local flute maker will be on hand and will have flutes available for purchase. All members of the flute circle are encouraged to become members of the Carnagie Crossroads Community Art Center so that we have access to this beautifully remodled Carnagie facility.

Retail Sale Outlets:

Drop by one of these locations and pick up a copy or drop by my booth during Art Markets and get it autographed by the artist.

Alaska:

Anchorage Art Museum Gift Shop, Anchorage

Arizona:

Drumbeat Indian Arts, Phoenix

Oregon:

Columbia River Trading Company, The Dalles

Four River Cultural Center, Ontario

Oards Indian Art Museum, Burns

New Renaissance Bookstore, Portland

La Grande Stereo and Music, LaGrande

Marilyn's Music, Baker City

Wolfstar Beads, Baker City

Oregon Trail Interpretive Center, Baker City

Crossroads Art Center, Baker City

Washington:

Washington State History Museum Gift Shop, Tacoma

Washington DC:

  Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian Gift Shop

COMMERCIAL USE

California:

Triplescoopmusic.com, Burbank (internet based downloads)

MUSIC REVIEWS

"Aarnaquq 'Arctic Voices' (Sun Valley Recording Co.) features the compositions and work of Phillip John Charette (Yup'ik), better known for his amazing masks. Seven different flutes used on this 11-track CD provide a beautifully and subtly shifting tonal range, as on the traditional Yup'ik healing song 'Tarvarnauramken', performed with a myrtle wood flute" - Native Peoples Magazine, August 2008, pg.15, http://www.nativepeoples.com/

If you have a retail sales outlet or know of one that might be interested in selling the CD, please send a message and we will make a follow up contact.

Quyana, Thanks for your support!

Alaskan Native Artist Phillip John Charette with a large bass eagle flute he made. This flute is made of walnut and measures 33- 1/2" long and is 5" high at the bird. In a private collection.

Digital image by Mitchel Wiencken

Phillip John Charette, "Aarnaquq"

NATIVE AMERICAN STYLE FLUTES

Traditionally, there is little evidence that Yup'ik peoples played  the flute. I have, however, discovered pre-contact Yup'ik animal whistles used for hunting in some of my museum research. This prompted my interest in both whistles and flutes years ago.

I began making wooden flutes in 1997. With the encouragement of other Native American Flute players, I started making and performing with my own flutes.  Since my first crude hand carved flute,  I have mastered the art of making my own style of concert quality Native American flutes in  hardwoods and low fire clays.

I now specialize in larger bass flutes.  I like the deep sound, the challenge presented in making larger flutes, and the presence these wonderful instruments have. These larger bass flutes have deeper tones and sound wonderful with a good sound system. However, if you are interested in playing a flute outdoors, you may want to look around for a good higher pitched flute which is smaller and better for open air playing.

Smaller flutes like the Bedoni style flute are great for open air playing as the higher pitch carries well if you are playing out doors (listen to sample below).

If you are interested in flutes or purchasing an authentic Native American flute, I would highy recommend going to Pow-wow's or Native American Art Markets. A good Native American flute can be purchased at a pow-wow directly from the Native Artist. This is beneficial because you get to meet the artist who sometimes will have a CD, play the instrument, and get to support an artist and their work. I buy or trade all my personal performance flutes directly from Native flute makers.

If  you are not able to find a pow-wow, you can go to the The Oregon Flute Store, Native American Flutes and Accessories  or you can check with the International Native American Flute Association. Another good source for flutes is Ebay however, if it is important to you, check to make sure that your Native American Flute is actually made by a Native American.

Detail of concert quality clay Raku fired bear flute by Alaskan Native Artist Phillip John Charette, "Aarnaquq". This flute was part of my first Raku series of flutes and is an award winning flute. 

Digital image by Dick Brown.

Clay flutes made by Alaskan Native Artist Phillip John Charette are two piece instruments which are all low fired which is consistent with other traditional low fired flutes found in the Southwestern U.S. I made my first clay flute in a beginning pottery class in 1999 and have been making them since. Flutes by Alaskan Native Artist Phillip John Charette, "Aarnaquq" are low fired, smoke fired, or Raku fired. Because of the toxic nature of Raku and smoke fired flutes, additional steps are taken to treat the flutes to make them safe for playing. All flutes are wrapped in deerskin as a decorative element,  to protect the flute when handling, and improve the  tonal quality of the instrument.

PRICE: Generally run from around $300.00 - $600.00 depending on the style, sound quality, and attachments.

Large custom Bass Native American Purple Heart eagle flute by Alaskan Native Artist Phillip John Charette in the key of Low A with walnut stand. This concert quality flute is over 30" long and is tied with Alaskan Caribou hide. The stand has traditional Yup'ik symbols burned into it and is padded with caribou to protect the flute. The face of the eagle is darkened by burning.

Digital image by Dick Brown.

Wooden flutes made by Alaskan Native Artist Phillip Charette are generally all two piece bass flutes. They are made from a variety of hardwoods and come with or without a stand. If a softer wood is used for making flutes, the splitter is inlaid and generally made of a harder wood or other hard bone materials.

PRICE: Generally run from around $500.00 - $2,000.00 depending on the style, sound quality, and attachments. Since I am Alaskan Native, I sometimes use Ivory as part of my attachments hence the higher price. Please note that I ony use ivory harvested by my family who live a subsistence lifestyle and hunt walrus for food.

2001 Photo of  Alaskan Native Artist Phillip john Charette playing RAKU clay   flute he made. Photo  by Dick Brown.

Alaskan Native Artist Phillip John Charette playing a concert quality Native American clay RAKU  flute (seen left and above). This particular flute won honorable mention at the Season's Faire 2001 at Eastern Oregon University.  This flute was being played by Phillip at the end of the OPB's Oregon Art Beat segment (episode # 523). This piece was gifted to a very special friend who resides near Baker City in Eastern Oregon.

Phillip John Charette, "Aarnaquq"

FLUTE PERFORMANCES

Flute performances are done using a high quality digital stereo sound system with built in effects processor. Flute music is run through high end Shure microphones, a Xenyx 1204fx Beringer mixing board powered by a 450 watt RMX 1450 QFC amp with crisp sound delivered through 800 watt EVP Warfdale speakers.

FLUTE PERFORMANCE, SINGING, AND STORY TELLING

• ARRANGED ONLY THOUGH ARTIST
• $250.00 FIRST HOUR
• $150.00 EACH ADDITIONAL HOUR
• Plus travel for locations over 100 miles @ $0.50/mile
• Plus Lodging

LECTURE FEES

• Up to 50 PARTICIPANTS  - minimum $250.00 per hour.
• 51-100 PARTICIPANTS -   $500.00 per hour.
• 101 - 500 PARTICIPANTS - $1,000.00 per hour.
• Plus travel for locations over 100 miles @ $0.50/mile
• Plus Lodging

See bottom of Show & Gallery page for lecture topics. http://www.yupikmask.com/showsgalleries.htm#TOPICS & FEES

All images on the website are the property of Phillip John Charette "Aarnaquq" and are not to be reproduced or used without the permission of the artist.