CHANGE MAKERS / MAKERS for CHANGE

Family Values series of photographs. North Bay, Ontario.

My research and policy development exploration project “CHANGE MAKERS / MAKERS for CHANGE” was a lot of fun allowing me to engage peers that I would not have had the ability to engage at this level. My attempt was to take an evaluative look at Indigenous and Non-Indigenous craft environments exploring intersection points between communities and practices. I did this by engaging multiple craft peers through online communications and face-to-face meetings including major development meetings in Saskatoon, Regina, Halifax, Toronto, Montreal and my home region of Nipissing. In the spirit of activism and making statements that inform, educate and influence; CHANGE MAKERS / MAKERS for CHANGE researched craft as a vehicle for making messages. I feel that Craft is the most accessible art form within any community as it is often produced in multiples and serves a function within everyday life. Considering all craft forms, be it textile, jewelry, paper, ceramic and many multiples; craft as the arts genre able to reach many peoples and bring many peoples together.

The 6-months of research from summer to winter 2018 empowered me to interview craft artists and craft organization representatives beginning the formation of a major shift in my life-path. This work revealed to me how much I care about the craft sector, the people involved and the work itself as it holds special meaning for me. I postponed the creation of resource materials until further exploration and research can be conducted as the subject is too large to handle in such a brief period of time. Entering 2019, I have made plans to leave my day-job and work towards a large-scale research initiative entitled COHABITATION PROJECT which is a continuation of CHANGE MAKERS / MAKERS for CHANGE working with voicED radio and Stephen Hurley to expand the project after working closely with him and the Canadian Conference for the Arts this past year.

Family Values series of photographs. North Bay, Ontario.