GILBERT, Clara

Arizona Silver Belt, Globe, Arizona, Tuesday, April 07, 2015 Clara Early Gilbert, age 45, was born in Cottonwood, Ariz. on Nov. 6, 1969, the daughter of the late Valencia Cutter and Allen Early Sr. She spent most of her life in the Flagstaff area. She loved Flagstaff, making most of her childhood memories. While moving back to the San Carlos area, she attended Globe High School, from which she graduated. Clara met her husband, Dale Gilbert, in the later part of the 1990s and they were married. They had been married for 25 years. They raised three boys; Monacco Allen, Keanu Cliff and Micah Gilbert. Clara leaves behind three granddaughters, Alley, Kris and Mia, whom she dearly loved. Clara enjoyed reading, spending time in bookstores, watching movies and listening to Powwow music. She really enjoyed sitting near a Southern Drum and singing. She also was a seamstress, Apache singer and a bead artist. Her beaded bags, pillows, moccasins, other bags, jewelry, dresses and crowns are all in private galleries and museum collections. On the day of her death, she still called and requested for her bead work to still be made. Clara always informed collectors that “my time is very valuable because it takes away from my family, especially my children. So my main concern is my children first, then my art. It may take some time, but when I make a piece, it will have a part of me also.” Every piece Clara made was original, just like the owner wanted; there was never a duplicate copy. Her work has been shown at the Heard Museum, Juried Show Litchfield and Santa Fe Art show. Her work has been seen and featured in Cowboy and Indian Magazines, Southwest Art and Nature Peoples Magazine. Clara has shown her work to many celebrities, such as Forrest Whitaker, Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Dan Johnson and Kirstie Alley. She has been called to do private shows for Diplomatic Heads of State of foreign countries. One call she remembers was when the Queen of the Ukraine was passing through Arizona. The Queen requested for her to come and show her bead work. Her work has been seen on actress and singer Vanessa Williams, and has also been seen in movies such as “Geronimo.” Universal Studios requested for her to design pieces for natives in T.V. shows. As quoted by a private collector, “Clara is truly a living treasure that will be missed. She leaves a path of her foot-steps behind in the way of her beadwork.” Wake was held Friday, April 3, 2015 at 4 p.m. at the Allen Early residence in San Carlos, Ariz. Funeral services were on Saturday, April 4, 2015 at 10 a.m. at Apache Independent Church. Interment will be at Lower Peridot Cemetery in San Carlos, Ariz. Assisting the family; Lamont Mortuary of Globe.