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Graham Paradis Quillpocalypse Now Artist Statement This Covid mask is an Indigenous futurism inspired by a nightmare of a post-apocalyptic world where the birch bark population (one of our traditional materials used for quillwork) has been decimated by settler resource extraction and we quill on whatever we can. Return

Celina Loyer Assomption of Survival Artist Statement Our fur trade ancestors used the sash as a tool: a belt, a rope, a tumpline. With this mask, the sash is transformed into our tool of survival during the pandemic. Based on the ancient Assomption ceinture flechée pattern and colours, the unique shape of this mask springs from creativity and necessity. Completely woven by hand, sashes usually remain the same width. Shaping the sash to fit the face requires ingenuity and perseverance. The sash is not perfect – changes in thread tension create imperfections in the weave. As we progress through the stages of the pandemic, tension affects people too, revealing flaws and inspiring adaptation of old ways to a new normal. Our people have faced pandemic before: smallpox, influenza, TB. Yet we persevere. The means to survival can feel heavy or stifling, yet we will continue to do what is necessary to ensure our culture thrives. Just breathe. Return

Christina King Inuvialuit Fortitude Artist Statement My name is Taalrumiq/Christina King. I am an Inuvialuit woman originally from Tuktoyaktuk, Northwest Territories, Canada. Inuvialuit are the Inuit of the Canadian Western Arctic. My home community is in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region on the shores of the Beaufort Sea/Arctic Ocean. Currently, I am living in Prince George, BC the traditional territory of the Lheidli T'enneh. Although I am far from my ancestral homeland and community, my culture is what inspires my work. Inuvialuit Fortitude Covid-19 Masks These masks are my Inuvialuit response to Covid-19. Over half of our people were wiped out during the Spanish Flu epidemic approximately 100 years ago and we were on the brink of extinction. We had no natural immunity to diseases brought over by European Whalers and Fur Traders. My maternal grandparents were young children who helped fetch water for the sick and dying during that time. Today's Inuvialuit descend from those who survived the devastating flu epidemic. We also face the same fear with Covid-19. These masks are a testament to our strength and resilience as Inuvialuit People. We are strong, intelligent, successful, modern people who still live according to traditional values and way of life passed on to us from our ancestors. As Indigenous people, our experiences tell us that we aren't really seen, heard, or valued by mainstream society. Yet we are still here despite years of colonization, systemic racism and injustice, genocide, diseases, starvation, residential schools, and ongoing ill treatment of our people. These masks are a sister set, inspired by the resilience, strength, and fortitude of Inuvialuit people and culture; these masks say "I'm here, I'm real, I have value, I exist." We are still here. Our experiences, our history, our future matters, we matter. Both masks feature traditional design elements of Inuvialuit clothing, such as walrus tusks. Walruses were an important resource for Inuvialuit life in the arctic, providing food, material for tools, rope, waterproof clothing and oil for lamps. Mask 1 is reminiscent of our traditional parka. It is made with seal skin, black leather, fabric, ptarmigan feathers, birchbark, sequins, beads and chainette fringe. This mask features white walrus tusks, enhanced with mini sequins. The geometric design in traditional black, white and red, were made of caribou hide and fur long ago. Ptarmigan feathers and birch bark are two simple things that hold strong memory for me and love for my culture. No matter how insignificant something might seem, everything had a purpose in Inuvialuit life and culture. Ptarmigan, a small arctic bird, provides food and its feathers are useful. Birch bark is found on the shores of the Arctic Ocean, washed up with drift wood, providing another necessity - fire starter, essential for life in the arctic. Return

Brenda Davidson My girl Artist Statement I made this mask for my daughter. I chose the wild rose for it embodies strength, resilience and healing. They were my mother's favourite flower, as well as mine and now my daughters too. The rose petals and rose hips are very medicinal and I harvest the rose hips every year. Julia and I bonded over many cups of rose hip tea in her Great Gramma’s tea cups while we stayed safe at home. I wanted to make a mask that would symbolize hope and healing…physically, emotionally and mentally. As I was making the mask I thought a lot about how fortunate we were that our family had been able to remain healthy and safe and felt deeply for all those who were not so fortunate, who had lost loved ones, been separated from their families, and those who had died alone. I learned to bead just over two years ago when I was fortunate to meet a wonderful artist named Cynthia Boehm who is so open to sharing her knowledge and ensuring this beautiful art form is not lost to future generations. I have been so blessed to reclaim this piece of my culture that was lost over the generations and so happy that I can pass it on to my daughter. I would also like to acknowledge Cree Artist Pat Bruderer (Halfmoon Woman), Carrier of the traditional art of Birch Bark Biting, who so generously shared her knowledge with me and taught me about Birch Bark Biting. While I did not learn the art of silk embroidery my Mother and Grandmother were so talented at, they were with me as I made this mask. My Grandmother left my Mother (her Daughter in Law) her sewing basket when she passed away and when my Mother passed, my Dad gave it to me. It contained my Grandmother's embroidery needle and I used it to finish my mask with the blanket stitch. Return

Nathalie Bertin Blueberries Artist Statement “Blueberries”, Nathalie Bertin Here is my first pandemic mask. It’s a concept piece that was inspired by a telephone conversation I had with my mother a week or so ago (late March 2020). She had already been self-isolating alone in her condo for a couple of weeks with only the rare trip out for necessities and some drop offs from my brother. During the conversation, I realized her anxiety levels had increased thanks to too much TV and the snowbirds that were returning from the south, going about their daily lives as if everything was normal. She was so worried about going out even to check the mail box but didn’t have any masks. She went through her recycling, found an empty, plastic blueberry container from the grocery store and cut the lid off. She stuffed tissues in the lid, got some elastic and fashioned herself a mask. Then, with rubber gloves and a couple of q-tips to push the elevator buttons, off she went to check the mail. (I’ve since mailed her some masks.) When she first told me about her make-do solution, I laughed! You have to know my mother. If nothing else, she’s always been resourceful. This was genuinely funny. On the other hand, she’s also very mistrustful thanks to a lifetime of experiences. Just as I wondered at the level of insecurity and paranoia that a person could reach, she recalled how her grandmother – my great grandmother -- had died of “consumption” (aka tuberculosis) at a fairly young age. It caused us to pause for a moment because that wasn’t really that long ago. And then we were hit with the realization that we knew nothing about our common matriarch. We don’t even know where she was buried except she went into a mass grave somewhere in North Bay, ON. Other than a census record showing she lived on Nipissing with my great grandfather, there is no other documentation of her except a general death notice. Without these two records, and some relatives’ memories, she almost would never have existed. I have to wonder how many other people are feeling this same sense of loss…? ABOUT THE MASK: I chose blueberries atop a blueberry flower surrounded with silver beads to represent the container my mother used. Blueberries are also great anti-oxidants. She had noted that after a while it was hard to breathe through that hard plastic with all the tissue and could feel condensation build up by the time she was back in her own space. This is represented by the blue and clear beads. I used moose hide to represent our matriarchal clan. I used fur as edging to symbolize further filtration of air that could get in through the sides. This isn’t what I would have done from a design perspective but my mom definitely would have for the perceived practicality. There are also tiny beads on the moose hide symbolizing the free born particles that float around us all the time. Unless you look carefully, you can’t see the “one” that might just infect you. On the inside, there is a pocket for cedar. Another good medicine used for the prevention of chest infection and irritation. Return

Cheryl Broschell Stronger Together Artist Statement When I saw the Breathe project I was intrigued to try to make a mask out of glass. I placed individual stringers of glass side by side, horizontally and vertically to represent how we are all so tightly weaved together in this. I chose blues and greens to emulate a feeling of the globe. The black stringers are the virus that is spreading across the globe, touching us all in some way. Individual stringers are very fragile, fused together they become stronger, however the finished glass is still weaker than most pieces of glass. COVID showed me this is true in our lives, our normal routines and things we take for granted are so much more fragile than we realize! Return

Janice Patton Rainbow (After the Storm) Artist Statement I’ve always been in awe with the art of beading. Beadwork is considered old form of artwork and has taken on a revitalization in the past few years. I was taught the art of beadwork from my sister in law and a friend of mine approximately 10 yrs ago. After seeing all the beautiful masks that people created on Facebook and Instagram. I felt compelled to create my own mask. I am a nurse and have been taking care of the people in my community for more than 26yrs After the Pandemic hit, everything changed, we now live in a different world where the mask has taken on a new meaning. The mask has become part of our everyday life both at work and leisure. I chose the colours of the rainbow for my mask because a rainbow after a storm(Covid19) brings calming winds, beautiful blue skies and the sun , which to me means a renewed humanity, that there will be days ahead ,that there will be a vaccine in the future BUT until then this is our new normal. Return

File name: fonds: Title: Date: D escription: V439_pd_358_6_001 Moore family fonds Pearl Moore on skis in the snow. [ca. 192?]

File name: fonds: Title: Date: D escription: v654_i_a_pa_016 George Vaux fonds Pearl Moore, Mary J. Vaux, Philip Moore, and Edmée Moore at Yoho. [ca. 192?]

File name: fonds: Title: Date: D escription: m307_41_020 Moore family fonds ​ March 11, 1941 Ford Sedan to be drawn for in aid of Spitfire Fund Would you like a 1941 Ford Sedan? Perhaps you will be the fortunate one to win it! Who knows? The committee of the Banff-Jasper Spitfire Fund are putting up for a draw a 1941 De Luxe Fordor Ford Sedan. Tickets are 50 cents. You need a car. The Fund needs the money, Canada needs the Spitfire. In these dark days through which the Empire is passing the call goes out "Give us the tools and we will finish the job". Spitfire Notes The fun of drawing numbers for the lucky bus ticket to Calgary still continues, and last week Mrs. Hart Bryant won it with No. 6. How do you know you won?t get the next one with a No. 4? Don?t forget the next time you pass the Banff Pharmacy to drop in and draw a number. Our ?mile of pennies? is more than bouncing along. At the end of the week there were 16 1/2 yards of them. At this rate it won't take long for the required mile.

File name: fonds: Title: Date: D escription: v439_pd_360_6_001 Moore family fonds Edmée Moore with three other young men and women in a tent [between 1925 and 1935]

Eliza Firth Delta Rose Artist Statement I hand-made this tanned hide mask adorned with embroidered and tufted flowers, beads and a silver tribute to my Metis heritage. The ear hangings, made of porcupine quills, have colours representing solidarity with all peoples. Return