Mi’kmaw wood carver Gordon Sparks, of Oinpegitjoig (Pabineau First Nation) in New Brunswick, has won a national award recognizing his work’s connection to land, culture and community.
Gordon Sparks’s work ‘lifts up an entire community,’ says nominator
Sis’moqon · CBC News
· Posted: Sep 03, 2026 4:16 PM EDT | Last Updated: 2 hours ago
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Gordon Sparks, a Mi’kmaw mask carver from Oinpegitjoig (Pabineau First Nation) in New Brunswick, is the recipient of the first Emerging Craftsperson of the Year award from the Canadian Crafts Federation. (Michael Heenan CBC/Radio Canada)
For Gordon Sparks, winning the Canadian Crafts Federation’s (CCF) Emerging Craftsperson of the Year award still feels surreal.
The award is being presented for the first time this year and recognizes an artist whose unique creative voice and fresh perspective brings innovation to Canadian craftsmanship.
The Mi’kmaw mask carver from Oinpegitjoig (Pabineau First Nation) in New Brunswick said the win helped him realize just how much his work resonates with people.
“The only thing I know is to follow my traditional ways, which is just acknowledging it … be in the moment and allow yourself to feel those feelings,” said Sparks.
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