Artisan Market
As part of our shared commitment to Honouring the Spirit of Water – Bringing together diverse knowledge streams in a climate of change, conference participants are invited to visit the Artisan Market, an Indigenous-led space of creativity, knowledge, and reciprocity.
Across Indigenous cultures, artisanship is more than craft—it is story, teaching, and relationship. Through beadwork, carving, textiles, visual art, natural medicines, and contemporary expressions, artisans share teachings passed down through generations, many of which are deeply connected to water as a source of life, travel, trade, ceremony, and survival.
This market reflects Indigenous customs of gathering, exchange, and respect. It is a place where participants are invited to engage directly with artists and makers, hear the stories behind their work, and support living cultures through ethical and meaningful exchange. Each piece offered carries intention, knowledge, and care—honouring water as a living relative and reminding us of our shared responsibility to protect her.
Honouring the Spirit of Water calls us to practice reciprocity—to give back as we learn and receive. By supporting Indigenous artisans, we acknowledge water’s role in shaping communities past and present, and we contribute to renewal, resilience, and cultural continuity for future generations.
We welcome all conference participants to enter this space with curiosity, humility, and respect, and to carry these teachings forward as part of our collective journey toward balance and interconnectedness.
What to expect?
During our conference, peruse the hand-crafted bead work of Bead n’ Butter and The Garden of Beadn’, the handmade Indigenous sweaters, blankets, purses, and children’s jackets of Fair Trade Alliance, the fine jewelry of the Boreal Workshop, the handiwork of Fox n Fuddle and Native Souls and Crafts, and the paintings from AbSolute Original, the artist who created our turtle, strawberry and water drop icons for the conference. See you at the Artisan Market!
Silent Auction
In addition to smaller pieces for sale at the Artisan Market, the artist who designed the conference icons for CWRA2026 in the spirit of our theme, will be bringing a large 48” x 60” x 1.5” (120 x 150 x 3.75 cm) gallery stretched painting to sell at a silent auction during the conference. Patrick Paul, Gabaamisech Binesi, is a self-taught Ojibwe Woodland Artist from Whitesand First Nation, born in Winnipeg, raised in Thunder Bay, and now living in Sioux Lookout, Ontario.
The work, entitled “Learning to Carry Yourself in a Good Way” reflects the animals, plants, traditions and legends that inspire Patrick Paul, Gabaamisech Binesi, when he thinks of our conference theme: Honouring the Spirit of Water: Bringing together diverse knowledge streams in a climate of change”.
We hope some of our attendees will have a large empty wall that deserves highlighting the Ojibwe culture reflecting the teachings and the relationships behind this work that speak to us all.
The minimum silent auction bid is $2,500; the original gallery price is $5,000. All proceeds will go to the artist. Bidding will close at Thursday’s lunch.
