KITCHENER -- A Waterloo Region community quilt project that weaves together pandemic experiences is being assembled and is on display.
Brenda Reid first started the 'From Behind the Mask Quilt' community art project in fall of 2020.
Since then, she has heard stories from not only Waterloo Region residents, but from people all over Canada.
"We have now sent out nearly 1,500 kits to the public for people to participate in this project," said Reid.
Over 150 kits have been completed and returned from people taking part in Waterloo Region, to the west coast, and even in the United States.
The mask quilt is now being assembled with the individual blocks that all depict the participants' unique pandemic stories and is on display at the Kitchener-Waterloo Art Gallery.
"There's so many members of the community that had something to say, had a story to tell," said Steve Lavigne, director of public programs at the gallery. "It's obvious that art is such a great tool to tell those stories."
A second installation is also set to be displayed at the School of Architecture in Cambridge.
Each kit is free and includes fabric that has been donated or upcycled, string, a needle, and thread. Instructions on how to assemble the mask also come with the kit, but participants are free to share whatever they want in their creation.
"It was enjoyable to just take a break from the monotony of working on school or day-to-day staying in your house," said participant Winston Yew. "By the end of it you've found that you've actually created something cool."
Reid says the differences for how the pandemic has been for each person is what has stood out the most to her since starting the project.
"It really just goes to show me how limited my own view of the pandemic is," she said. "I really assumed that eventually they'd start hitting the same notes, but no every block is so different."
Kits are still available to pick up. The deadline for submissions is April 30.
