By Luke Voogt
Aireys Inlet mother-of-two Kendra Harding is working to stop the spread of COVID-19 while promoting Indigenous artists.
The handbag maker has been creating masks from her excess fabric featuring Indigenous designs from three arts centres in Darwin and another in Broome.
Kendra hoped her mask-making efforts would help create greater exposure for Northern Territory artists like Ngen’gi wumirri man Kieren Karritpul.
“It’s fantastic when people say, ‘where did you get that fabric? I want to make a dress’,” she said.
Kendra first started making Indigenous-themed handbags after a three-year trip to the Northern Territory beginning in 2015.
Following the initial COVID-19 outbreak she started making Indigenous-themed masks from excess fabric to export to countries like China.
But since face-covering restrictions came into force in Victoria, Kendra has made about 200 masks for locals with help from an Argentinian traveller she took in.
“She happens to be a fashion designer,” she said “That’s been keeping her afloat.”
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