PROJECT INFORMATION -----------
Project Title (Maximum 15 words)
* Project Summary
I want to learn indigenous crafting techniques to make 21st century clothes using ancient methods; and intend to make high-end fashion using unique Canadian materials. ARTISTIC MERIT------------

tell us about your (or your group’s) overall artistic work, history and achievements. What is important to you in your work (cultural influences, your identity, geography, community, language, etc.) and why? If you identify with one or more of OAC’s priority groups, or if your ad hoc group/collective or organization is mandated to serve one or more of OAC’s priority groups, you may choose to refer to this here. (Maximum 300 words)

Writing tip: Artists, curators and co-applicants: Answer this question with a brief artist’s statement describing your work, artistic vision and motivation. You may provide information on your approach to technique, process or materials.

I have worked in all media, glass, wood paper, and I just spent a few years doing a lot of painting and playing with wearable art and textiles, and have concluded that sealskin is the definition of Canadian. I would like to explore indigenous methods and materials with the hope of creating something that could be considered de rigeur in Europe and well as respecting indigenous values. my artistic work began as a young adult, when I began crafting beaded leather cuffs. In college, I took part in a Mohawk ceremony, where I was gifted leather pieces, then made medicine pouches, simple and somewhat crude, mine with an eagle burnt on the front. This further inspired me to the indigenous use of leather. In my quest to gain knowledge on this cultural material, I researched many indigenous uses of leather and specific methods to sewing. I became especially fascinated by seal fur and seal leather, which to me is an ideal winter-clothing material. I appreciate these quality especially, being from northern Ontario where its so much colder. I began research of the Inuit lifestyle, how they used leather, and became sympathetic to what happened after seal became unfashionable. A lot of jobs lost, and living standards down. I seek to help end this stigma, raising awareness for traceable, indigenous-sourced materials, for fine quality purses, bags and accessories. With a background of Muslim, Hindu, South American Indian, and Canadian, my cultural history is a melting pot. In my work I explore the parallels between my cultural identity and the one that I understand from indigenous people; while being from different places, both backgrounds historically involve colonization and its long-term effects. I gain part of this insight from my small involvement in the community from volunteering: I curate digitally and document indigenous artists such as Phil Cote III, Norval Morrisseau and Blake Angeconeb. As part of the new generation, I seek to learn from elders through workshops, online lessons and more. This leather craft project is an opportunity for me to learn indigenous crafting.


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* What are you planning to do, and what do you want to achieve with this project? (Maximum 425 words)

expand my artistic repertoire of leathercraft. push the boundaries. synthesis of indigenous art as a synthesis .

create fashionable designs, make my customized patterns open to the public. as an emerging craft artist, i hope to contribute to the craft community in a simple way. i hope to make simple yet beautiful bags and accessories, adorned with special furs and leathers in a way that is contemporary. So, these will be released as patterns aimed at the level of other emerging crafters. simple, elegant items, easy to make, but embellished with unique and breathtaking materials: seal fur, moose hide, antler bones, porcupine quills, and more. what makes my designs different will be the contemporary usage of the embellishments: imagine cubist silvery seal-fur details on a matte black leather bag.

i hope this release of open source patterns will increase the use of such materials. my style of bags and accessories may be part of a new trend toward using indigenous sourced materials. conversations sparked about each piece: what seal fur means, what happens when one is harvested, do they really use the whole animal? (yes!) also each material can be traced back to the person who harvested it, the person who processed it, why this particular material is suitable for winter-proofing, and water-proofing. inciting conversations about traditions, why they used qulliqs and how they can live in the cold. some lessons are more relevant today, for winters can be fierce and people need good quality craftmanship and materials to get through it. relevant b/c we have winter.

raise awareness for the positive impact of supporting indigenous sourced leather and materials.



IMPACT ----------

* How will this project contribute to your development (or to your group’s overall goals)? (Maximum 200 words)

learning new skills. refining old skills. establishing myself as a craft artist. i will learn new skills
i will have expanded my portfolio of craft objects to show i am a versatile maker that can do form and function equally. i will have also added some designs and patterns for myself and other crafters to use. this will expand my availability and usage of patterns. doing this project will sharpen my skills this project i plan to spend hours researching, and i expect to learn and expand my knowledge on traditional customs and materials.

* Who will this project impact (e.g. you, other artists, your audience, community, participants) and how? (Maximum 175 words)



Does this project involve artists, organizations and/or audiences/participants from one or more of OAC's priority groups and their communities (Indigenous peoples, persons of colour, Francophones, people 18 - 30 years old (new generation), Deaf persons and persons with disabilities, and people and organizations located in regions outside Toronto)? If yes, who, how and why? (Maximum 150 words) Writing tip: Describe your relationship to artists, organizations and/or audiences/participants who will be represented, engaged or affected by your project. Talk about how you developed that relationship.

my supply chain of seal materials depend son my contacts in the indigenous community. its the sole Canadian source of sealskin i want to support indigenous. i want to incorporate traditional methods that call for these materials. hanging out on Facebook fro couple years with them.

VIABILITY -----------



Outline your work plan for this project below. Writing tip: Enter key dates for your proposed project activities.

acquire materials - skins, leather, needles, tracing paper, chalk, traditional thread
design patterns - internet research, cutting and drawing
do fesability examples, of stitching, building prototype. build first article based on changes made from prototype.

create works of leather art - renting sewing machines, transportation

How did you determine and estimate expenses including artist fees? (Maximum 150 words) Writing tip: Research/Creation and Development Projects: You may include notes to explain any of the expense items in your budget. Note that this program supports artist fees. They may include fees paid to the applicant artist or curator and to other artists engaged in the project. Artist fees should be calculated based on time dedicated to the project, contributions to the project and/or relevant industry standards. The program does not fund living and personal expenses. Do not provide details of your living and personal expenses as the rationale for the calculation of artist fees. Artist fees may be used at the discretion of the artist. If you do not have any additional notes, enter n/a.

artist fees: approx $22/hr over 80 hours = $1760 how many hours to make purse: 10. I plan to make 6-7 items with my time over a period of 8 weeks. - 80 hours. Minimum 14 hours per week of work. Hours of research, practice, mock ups: 40 hours. Volunteered time.

1st week: research, development, planning of pieces, acquiring materials. allow 1 week for to receive most materials due to shipping.

2nd week:
leatherwork production begins.
finalize designs.
transfer them into leather.
go to sewing shop and create pieces.
finish designs at home.



-- budget:5,000 ---------------------

Support Material -------------

Images (mandatory, minimum 5, maximum 12) Provide examples of artwork as applicable to you and your project category.



Describe how the artistic examples relate to your application. (Maximum 150 words)



CVs, Résumés and Bios (mandatory, 1 document in PDF format, maximum 6 pages) Research/creation and development: Attach an artist’s résumé for the applicant and co-applicant, if applicable. Bios may be submitted instead of a résumé, but not both. If you have a track record of collaborating you may submit a shared artist résumé instead of individual ones.