April Mitchell-Boudreau on Healing through the Medicine of Creativity
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Featuring
April Mitchell-Boudreau
Entrepreneur and founder of Lofttan
About this episode
[Trigger Warning: Indigenous Genocide, Canadian Residential Schools]
I was introduced to April and her work last year and it's been a true honour to get to know more about her and her art over the past few months. April is a Turtle clan Mohawk with roots at Six Nations. She is a designer and entrepreneur and founded her jewellery company, Lofttan, with a strong ethos of slow fashion and honouring Mother Earth. I'm so grateful to have shared this conversation with April; she truly has the most beautiful perspectives on life and the healing process.
About April Mitchell-Boudreau & Lofttan
Lofttan is an Indigenous-owned, female-led handmade convertible jewellery business with a unique opportunity for job creation. Our beautifully handmade pieces revitalize and revolutionize the jewellery industry through the creation of a multi-wear, slow-fashion, sustainable jewellery collection.
At the heart of the Lofttan brand is a celebration of diversity, accessibility and the Medicine of Creativity. Lofttan’s Convertible jewellery system offers an invitation to play and create using traditional materials like sustainably sourced wood, shell and semi-precious stone to beautifully frame the masterpiece that is you.
Originally distributed through independent boutiques across Ontario, Lofttan is successfully navigating a massive Covid-inspired pivot to online retail.
Lofttan jewellery is the brainchild of Mohawk designer April Mitchell-Boudreau. Situated on the traditional lands of the Haudenosaunee and Anishnaabe people, every piece is lovingly made in the Niagara studio.
In 2017 April was nominated for The Entrepreneurial Award given by the Women in Business Awards of Niagara, and most recently Lofttan has been nominated for the Excellence in Manufacturing Award 2020-2021 in the Niagara Business Awards by the Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce.
One of Lofttan’s goals is to create enough demand to employ other Indigenous people in our community, as piece-workers, able to work from home.
Lofttan celebrates the Medicine of Creativity further in The Makers Circle PLAYshops, delivered through the lens of traditional Indigenous teachings, such as the Medicine Wheel bracelet making. Each participant makes their own wearable work of art, that also concretely anchors them to the teachings delivered in the PLAYshop.
On today's episode, we chatted about:
- April's background and her 'why' for creating her slow fashion jewellery brand
- How important art and creativity are in the healing process
- The ways in which living your most purposeful path can pave the way for others to do the same.
- How the support of her partner has helped to propel her
- April's creation of The Lydia Ruth Project in honour of her Great Grandmother who was her last family member in Residential School
- April's aim for the project; to educate on the effects of colonialism and Residential schools on our Indigenous communities
About your host
Natalie Cooper
Founder of MindYourOwn.life
Natalie is a soul on a mission to empower you to take your healing – mental, physical, emotional and spiritual – into your own hands.
As a self-healer, living fully- medication and symptom-free, with chronic autoimmune diseases (Crohn’s & Multiple Sclerosis), Natalie believes in the power of mindfulness, intention and self-care to create the health, happiness and experiences you desire in your life.
Natalie started ‘Mind Your Own’ to share her experiences while navigating her path to wellness and to show you that anything is possible when you live mindfully.
Natalie’s healing journey has led her to experience practices that have been instrumental in strengthening her belief in the power of mindfulness. She feels her purpose is to share her experiences with others who are interested in becoming active participants in their healing. Natalie is a certified Meditation Instructor, EFT Instructor, Reiki Practitioner, Labour Doula and Childbirth Educator, living near Toronto, Canada.
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