CRAFTIVISM: craft & regenerate great lake fish with fishnet

I met these ladies at City of Craft and was very impressed by their inventiveness in raising funds & ecological awareness while affecting change through this crafty project.

Calling all Crafters and Fish Lovers
Take Part in FishNet: The Great Lakes Craft and Release Project

This is a special invition to all Toronto area crafters to volunteer to participate in a unique larger-than-life project - one that will see Toronto children and artists working together to advocate the improvement of the health and ecology of the Great Lakes.

By combining science and art into one fantastic project, Grade 4 students and artists engage in a Pinocchio like transformation of a crafted fish into a real one.

How, you wonder? All it takes is three easy steps. First, you combine the creative talents, of educators, students and artists/crafters to create Great Lakes fishes, then a gallery is turned metaphorically into a 'great' lake and fish hatchery, and finally, hundreds of gallery goers release fish through their donations to a Great Lakes charity resulting in habitat regeneration and restocking.

By the time it is over the FishNet team (that's you and us and the Grade 4 students) will have crafted species-specific fish and taken part in an interactive art installation and released some fish in support of Great Lakes charities. But most importantly, we will all have engage in a proactive collaboration and connected as a community living within the Great Lakes bioregion.

FishNet received a Harbourfront Centre, Fresh Ground new works grant in 2007 and will be exhibited in the York Quay Gallery from May 2 - June 22, 2008.

So, if you would like to make a fish, please contact us for the details - info@projectfishnet.org

Check out the project at www.projectfishnet.org