Métis artists Nathalie Bertin and Lisa Shepherd co-created the “Breathe” project in 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Artists were invited to create masks that reflected the emotions they felt while in the throes of lockdowns, resulting in the over 85 masks from more than 50 artists from across Canada featured in this exhibition.

They tell their makers’ unique stories of fear, courage, sadness, hope, love and healing - stories that unite us all. Some of the techniques used to tell these stories include beadwork, embroidery, birch bark etching, quill work, quilting, rug hooking, metalwork, and glass fusion.