Introduction:
Take a look behind the scenes at the Canadian Crafts Federation! The CCF/FCMA team is small but mighty, dedicated to our mission of enriching, empowering, and celebrating the professional contemporary craft sector in Canada and beyond. Despite working remotely nationwide, we are united by our passion for fine craft. Get to know us a little bit better!
Dr. Jennifer Wicks: Executive Director, Ceramicist, Art Educator
Jennifer Wicks is the Executive Director of the Canadian Crafts Federation, a lecturer in art education at the Université du Québec en Outaouais, and a professional ceramic artist. She resides in Tiohtià:ke/Montreal.
Jennifer, with over 25 years of experience working in art and educational institutions, completed her Ph.D. in Art Education in 2021. Her expertise lies in mentorship, program development, outreach, and advocacy. She builds practical ties within the creative community to address challenges faced by the craft sector.
Her current ceramics work is research-based. She creates multisensory orbs filled with electro-acoustic sound compositions and distilled nostalgic scents such as coffee, wine, seaweed, and rosemary, amongst others. Each piece explores a theme, a feeling, an understanding – a means to think through new knowledge and how it has been produced. The works read as a collection, multiple chapters to a story, and a rhizomatic pathway to discuss research, it is always in becoming through re/configuring the arrangement of the installation, the addition of sound, perfumes, and the engagement of participants.
Heather Steinhagen: Director of Operations and Digital Strategist, Multidisciplinary Artist, Arts Administrator
Heather “Von” Steinhagen is a practicing artist and cultural advocate based in Whitehorse, Yukon. Her work is a playful and surreal exploration of real and imaginative landscapes. Heather holds a Visual Arts Diploma from Vancouver Island University and a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Concordia University, specializing in Community Arts Education.
Currently, Heather is the Director of Operations and Digital Strategist for the Canadian Crafts Federation, where she combines her artistic practice with significant roles in arts administration. Her career has been marked by impactful contributions, including serving as the former Executive Director of the Yukon Art Society and holding various positions at the Yukon Arts Centre and Government of Yukon Tourism and Culture. Heather is also a facilitator for “The Art of Managing Your Career” for Indigenous Arts, extending her work beyond creation to empowering fellow artists through educational initiatives and strategic career planning.
Although Heather is an acrylic painter, she enjoys creating felted creatures, walnut ornaments, and mini dioramas from found objects and has recently been making Kokum dolls. She describes the significance of making Kokum dolls, writing: “Kokum dolls are handmade, sewn dolls I created while living with my grandma during her cancer treatment in Cowessess First Nation. They symbolize my journey of reconnecting with my roots and incorporating sewing tools, quilting squares, and the guidance she gifted me. Infused with medicinal herbs like sweetgrass and yarrow, the dolls embody our shared experiences and lessons, created as a tool for comfort during challenging times.”
Heather’s commitment to craft is evident in her involvement with various artistic collectives and her continuous fusion of cultural, family, and personal history with contemporary craft. Her works are a testament to the narratives of the north, her expansive imagination, and her connections with the supernatural.
Lauren Polchies: Digital Content Developer, Graphic Designer, Illustrator
Lauren Polchies is an Indigenous (Wolastoqey) woman from New Brunswick. She is the Digital Content Developer for the Canadian Crafts Federation and a graphic designer for Design De Plume. Lauren attended the New Brunswick College of Craft and Design, starting in Wabanaki visual arts, where she learned about the traditional crafts of the Mi’kmaq, Wolastoqey, and Passamaquoddy Peoples. Lauren then went on to major in graphic design.
Besides design work, Lauren also creates digital illustrations. She illustrated the children’s book Wind Down Time Lullaby, written by Shirley Downey. Loren’s magical illustrations were inspired by the New Brunswick landscape: the shores of the Wolastoq, also known as the Saint John River, the sea, and the coastal areas of the province.
Inclusivity and culture are important elements in Lauren’s pieces.
Shannon Stride: Craft Content Developer, Writer, Fibre Artist
The newest addition to the team, Shannon Stride joined the CCF/FCMA in the Winter of 2024. Shannon, a fibre artist, curator, and historian, recently completed her Art History MA at Concordia University. She lives in Montreal and has worked in research roles at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, Jarislowsky Institute for Studies in Canadian Art, and the Museum of Jewish Montreal.
She is passionate about accessibility in the arts and feminist art histories, culminating in her work as editor of the online publication: “Guide to Studying the Visual Arts in Canada” (Jarislowsky Institute for Studies in Canadian Art). She brings her keen editorial eye and her commitment to uplifting arts practices traditionally deemed “feminine” to her work writing for the CCF/FCMA.
Last year, Shannon received funding from the Museum of Jewish Montreal to purchase a rigid heddle loom and has been enjoying learning to weave tapestries, passementerie and other decorative chords. After a six-month period of research-creation, Shannon displayed her tapestries at the Museum and led an introductory weaving workshop.