Masks + Makers

All over the world, artists have been playing with the idea and form of the mask. Manitoba’s artists and craftspeople are no exception. As masks become commonplace in our communities, makers are using them as a way to express personal and cultural identity, make a political statement, reflect on the pandemic experience, or just have fun. The mask, so closely tied to ideas of caution and care, has become emblematic of these strange and difficult pandemic times we’re living in.

Locally, Manitoba Craft Council members and friends have been creating masks and mask-inspired artworks that reflect our current moment. Craftspeople have volunteered hundreds of hours making masks to protect and encourage others. Like so many, craftspeople have been hit hard financially by COVID-19 and the necessary restrictions that have been put in place to control its spread. Craft sales, teaching opportunities, and exhibitions have been cancelled and retail outlets closed, resulting in significant economic losses.

With this in mind, the Manitoba Craft Council (MCC) is excited to present Masks + Makers, an online fundraising auction in support of craft and craftspeople in Manitoba.

We now invite YOU to support craft and craftspeople in your community by bidding generously on some amazing masks and artworks.

Masks + Makers will take place in three lots:
Lot 1 closes August 7
Lot 2 closes August 21
Lot 3 closes September 4

The Manitoba Craft Council is for people who love contemporary craft: professional artists and artisans, collectors and connoisseurs, DIYers and armchair enthusiasts. It’s for people who value the originality and quality of the handmade, who find meaning in making. It’s for the dreamers and schemers who seek to reinterpret the material and cultural traditions of the past through a contemporary lens. It’s for people who have to forge, carve, weave, fold, sculpt, knit. And for their friends and supporters. It’s for you. See, smell, touch, explore the myriad expressions of contemporary craft in Manitoba and be part of a community that is shaped, motivated, and defined by its love of craft.