Ashley Andersen-O'Leary

Ashley Andersen has been creating parkas, silapaks, mitts and earrings since she first learned to sew through a workshop hosted by the International Grenfell Association in 2014 [1]. Based in Makkovik, Nunatsiavut, Andersen discovered her passion for sewing in her late 20s after becoming a mother while looking for new crafts to produce during long Labrador winters. Aside from the Grenfell workshop, she also credits many of her friends and family members, including fellow seamstress Chantelle Andersen, with teaching her new sewing patterns and techniques and emphasizes the importance of local crafters in her community that have been willing to pass on their knowledge. Andersen typically works in sealskin, leather and moosehide, while also incorporating clay into many of her earring and jewellery creations. Her work can be found on her social media platforms, as well as in the Makkovik Craft Centre.