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Show - ' " ' 'x ' - t : : t - ' r-- ; if m . - i. ' :.: . Ji . . . . . - . . . , - V-' - ? - - - - f y -' i . . ,. ., . - , - . v ; " ---..,., ' - i.. J ILLA HENDRICKS CHIVERS is a Uintah Basin artist, professional profes-sional in the fields of animal hide sculpturing, acrylics, water colors, pencil, charcoal, oils, and chalks. Pictured are three of her hide sculptures. Top row, left to right, Spirit Bull and Hunter; bottom row, New Day and seated is Ilia. Ilia Hendricks Chivers animal hide sculptor Ilia Hendricks Chivers has been doing do-ing art work for the bigger part of her life. She started out in elementary school doing extra work at home until by the time she was in junior high school, art drawing in all of its areas was holding her interest and her extra time. Ilia is a professional artist in the field of acrylics, oils, pencil drawing, chalk work and water colors. Nine years ago she began doing hide sculpturing. Ilia's work with animal hides is unique in that through her research, she is the only person in the U.S. and possibly the world that uses dyes of different colors to bring her art form to life. Hide sculpturing is usually done in a silhouette layout. Ilia tans her own hides. Generally she will tan a hide twice to give the hide added insurance that the deterioration of the hair and skin is at a minimal level. It takes about one year to complete one hide from the tanning process through to the end of the sculpturing. Ilia indicates, "One slip of the knife and weeks of work are over, ruined." It was Ilia's love of working work-ing with hides that made her first become involved with her dye invention, inven-tion, she stated, "I want to add life to the silhouette style of carving. I just could not see why it could not be done, so I began to experiment." Ilia's work is a rare one of a kind art form. Born in the Ft. Duchesne Indian Hospital, March 25, 1937, Ilia is a member of the Uintah Indian Nation. Her adopted parents are her aunt, Lillie Reed Wash and her step-father, Chalmers Wash. She is the only lady trick rider to come out of the Uintah Basin and perform as such on a professional profes-sional level with the Rodeo Cowboy Association. Ilia received her seven year ' old childhood dream of an invitation to rodeo at Madison Square Garden at the age of 22. Ilia is one of the 285 Uintah Indians In-dians Jeft from the U.S. Government termination policy through the Indian Referral Act. Ilia is married to W.T. "Gabby" Chivers and is the mother of five children. Through Ilia's travels with her race horse hobby, she has investigated art forms on may Indian reservations and through U.S. art listings and has yet to find anyone who dyes their hides when sculpturing. Ilia will have her hides as well as other art work on exhibit in the Uinta Potters Guild craftsfair, Dec. 13, at the National Guard Armory. i |