2021 began with the death of my 27-year old daughter, Emily. Emily died on January 1st, 2021 as a result of complications from her 2019 heart transplant. I can already see a transformation in my textile artwork directly related to grief, mourning + navigating new trajectory. Emily was a brilliant writer + she will continue to show up in my artwork, as will my son, Evan + my husband, Gary.
Family is the reason for my maker career. I needed work that would afford me the time to drop everything to be in hospital with Emily, or on a school field trip with Evan
+ be portable + meaningful. Family will always be woven into my artwork.
Emily’s fearless writing influences my artwork with words embroidered on upcycled clothing + reclaimed books for button making.
This is Craftivism.
Craft + Activism = Craftivism.
There will always be a “before Emily died” and “after Emily died” divide in my artwork. I see that clearly.
Before Emily died my artwork was influenced by mathematics, nature + history. Knitting a Fibonacci Sequence, crocheting a hyperbolic plane, or designing a fractal weave filled my creative time + energy.
Nature became a huge influence after we bought an off-the-grid cabin in the woods near Algonquin Park in 2010.
History + story in general influences us all whether we are aware of that or not. When I teach art + art business I bring that awareness to the forefront.
“After Emily died” my artwork elevated the importance of craftivism in my work.
As a craftivist, I use quiet, visual protest in creating art pieces with words that teach + invoke thought. Using reclaimed materials + traditional craft applications, I repair clothing with visible mending + thought provoking quotes, words + references. Slow fashion, or the fast fashion rebellion is present in all my wearable, or re-wearable pieces. Framed craftivism art using vintage + upcycled frames + embroidery hoops will be my 2021 + beyond focus. There is beauty in awareness.
Connection.
Connecting the before + after divide is important to me.
As I move forward as an artist, educator, maker + craftivist, I will use “connection” + all its definitions.
I will connect the past to present, thought to action, strength to softness + idea to voice.
Connection will come in many forms including hashtags #
The pandemic moved us all into Zoom + Zoom-esque spaces + classrooms.
When teaching mature art students, I noticed the confusion over using hashtags #
Hashtags # are connections.
I will use hashtags # that connect us + I will teach art students to connect using hashtags #
We are artists because that’s how we communicate with the world.
And communication is more important than ever.
Communication connects us.

Maker + Teacher, Sandra Clarke, has been untangling skeins of yarn and making useful shiny things for over 30 years. Born in the colourful, celtic, west-end Montreal neighbourhood of Griffintown, and educated in Montreal, New York, Winnipeg, Vancouver and Toronto, helped Sandra developed her eclectic style. Her textile + fibre arts and courses include; weaving, spinning, macrame, felting and knitting. And on the shiny arts side, she creates and teaches; fused glass, beaded trees of life, jewelry and button making, Her art can be seen regularly in boutiques, galleries, and online. Sandra's ecology themed colouring books can be found on Amazon an in her courses. Nature themes are also explored in Sandra's illustrations, both graphic and by hand. She teaches art + art business courses online and in galleries + schools. Sandra gives traditional arts a contemporary life while still retaining practicality + function. Sandra lives with her husband + children dividing her time between her home in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada and her off-grid cabin-in-the-woods near Algonquin Park in Highlands East, Ontario.

Email: Sandra@SandraClarke.ca

Sandra Clarke

artist • educator • maker • craftivist

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