Emerging Craftsperson Award, sponsored by Lexus
Crafting Tomorrow
The Emerging Craftsperson Award, sponsored by Lexus Canada, celebrates an emerging craftsperson in the Canadian craft sector whose innovative spirit and fresh perspective are reshaping our cultural landscape and redefining traditional craftsmanship. Members of the Canadian Crafts Federation (CCF/FCMA) can nominate candidates for this distinguished $10,000 CAD award.
By providing essential financial support, the award empowers the recipient to explore new techniques, experiment with innovative materials, and push creative boundaries. With its focus on contemporary methods and sustainable practices, this initiative not only fuels artistic development but also recognizes the critical role craft plays in building a better future for the environment and for society. It reflects the commitment Lexus makes towards excellence, precision, and building an electrified future while ensuring the next generation of craft innovators is well-equipped to make a lasting impact on the craft community.
2026 Emerging Craftsperson of the Year
Gordon Sparks (New Brunswick)
Gordon Sparks is a Mi’kmaw hand-carved wooden mask artist. His practice is rooted with attention and care for the lands that surround him and his practice is strongly influenced by the environment fulfilling his practice. Spiritually guided, he is breathing life into Mi’kmaw characters through collaborations with dancers, drummers, and regalia makers. As he is celebrated today for his wood-carving prowess, Gordon Sparks is also a tattoo artist with 30 years of practice behind him which he infuses into his carvings . Gordon Sparks has been exhibited across Atlantic Canada as well as internationally, notoriously at London’s prestigious Collect Art Fair. His work stands as a commitment to mentorship and cultural preservation where the artist continues to lead other Indigenous artists and communities across Mi’kma’ki.
Shortlist
Vi Houssin (Manitoba)
Vi Houssin is a Two-Spirit transgender beadwork artist based in Winnipeg, on Treaty 1 territory, where she was born and raised. Her family is of white settler and Red River Métis ancestry. Drawing on traditional Métis techniques and extensive mentorship, Houssin creates works that honour her cultural traditions while engaging with urgent contemporary issues, including environmental change, identity, grief, and resilience. Her work has been supported by the Canada Council for the Arts.
Charlie Larouche-Potvin (Quebec)
Charlie Larouche-Potvin is a Montreal-based glassblower and artist-designer trained in Murano, Italy, under Maestro Davide Fuin. His practice reinterprets Venetian glassmaking techniques through a contemporary lens. A graduate of Espace VERRE in 2020, he received both the Prix François-Houdé from the City of Montréal and the RBC Glass Award from the Canadian Clay and Glass Gallery in 2024. His work has been presented at the Révélations Biennial in Paris and Contemporània in Barcelona. Drawing on his expertise in Venetian glassmaking techniques, he is regularly invited to share his knowledge through residencies, demonstrations, and educational programs in Canada and abroad. He has been an artist-in-residence at Toronto’s Harbourfront Centre since 2023.