November 1, 2022
Selected NWT artists are showcasing their creations at Winnipeg’s foremost arts festival this week.
2022 marks the third year (second in-person) that NWT Arts (administered by the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment) has partnered with the Winnipeg Art Gallery to enable NWT artists to participate at their annual CRAFTED Show + Sale.
CRAFTED NWT Exhibit and Sale Launched
CRAFTED Show + Sale provides strong results for NWT Participants
Northern Artists Featured at 7th Annual CRAFTED: Show + Sale
The two-part event boasts an evening Fashion Show on November 2, followed by a three-day Show + Sale from November 3-5.
12 NWT artists from across the NWT are attending. Seven of them are showing designs on the runway.
The NWT Arts Program uses both financial and in-kind supports to ensure that NWT artists get the most from their experience.
Chosen artists work with the NWT Arts team in advance, to develop their business skills and ensure that they are positioned to achieve their marketing goals in a southern market.
NWT Arts also supports the development of marketing materials such as promotional art cards and business cards; and assists in the creation of event materials including professional photographs, artist biographies and written descriptions of their creations.
At the Show + Sale, NWT Arts branded tablecloths, banners and marketing materials ensure the NWT Arts community is recognizable to the estimated 3,500 - 5,000 that will attend the show.
The GNWT’s NWT Arts Strategy 2021-2031 sets out a vision for how government organizations, commercial ventures, individual creators, and various supporters will support the creative sector for the next 10 years.
In its mandate (2019-2023), the GNWT has also committed to pursuing initiatives designed to increase economic diversification by supporting growth in non-extractive sectors.
Thanks to the partnership between NWT Arts and the Winnipeg Art Gallery, NWT artists are getting an opportunity to share the story of their work and sell their work directly to new customers, while also networking and fostering future sales and spin-off opportunities.
NWT Artists Participating in CRAFTED this Week include:
Bambi Amos - makes seal skins products, such as mitts, mukluks, vests, iPad cases, and ookpik.
Cheryl Fennell – uses leather and furs to make jewelry, bags and even some furniture, and also contemporary materials to make dresses.
Delia Cepoi - draws inspiration for her beadwork from contemporary architecture, landscape, textures, materials, symbols, shapes and colours and more.
Kim Ruben – makes jackets, mitts and other pieces of clothing as well as dolls with traditional materials and styles.
Loretta Wiley – works with traditional materials and techniques to create contemporary jewellery and fashions.
Taalrumiq – works with traditional Inuvialuit design elements and organic materials like sealskin, fur, hide, feathers and antler in combination with modern materials like sequins, beads and metallic leather, to create contemporary Inuit adornment such as jewelry, garments and fine art pieces.
Ashley Okrainec - makes jewelry with traditional materials such as porcupine quills, moosehide, and fur.
Rory Voudrach - makes traditional style ulus and knives.
Catherine Blondin - uses traditional mediums such as beads, hides, quills and tufting, to make jewelry.
Debbie Dillon - beadwork artists drawing on tradition for her designs.
Suzanne Hanna - makes art or jewelry pieces using beads, moose hide, stroud, canvas.
Leanne Niziol - Self-taught in jewelry making using antler and precious stones.