Fuel Your Creativity: Explore EMBER with Matt Jenkins of Cloverdale Forge

JOIN US on Friday, April 24 at 8am at the Forks Market (2nd floor event space) to explore how to fuel your creativity with our global CreativeMornings theme of EMBER! Our speaker is Matt Jenkins of Cloverdale Forge -- a modern blacksmith artist. 

APRIL TALK: "Tending the Embers: Keeping the Flames of Creativity Fueled."

Our tech-driven world often celebrates the spark, but rarely do we talk about what keeps creativity burning over time. 

At CreativeMornings Winnipeg this April, we welcome Matt Jenkins of Cloverdale Forge—a modern blacksmith whose work is rooted in patience, precision, and the daily practice of tending the fire. 

Through fire, steel, and story, Matt will explore what it means to stay with an idea after the initial excitement fades, when all that remains is the ember. He’ll reflect on the discipline and resilience behind steady, intentional creativity. 

After all, it’s not the spark that sustains the flame—it’s the focus.

MEET OUR SPEAKER: 

Matt Jenkins is a Manitoba-based artist blacksmith dedicated to designing and forging highly crafted work. His early interest in making was shaped by childhood exposure to tools and building, and later sharpened through work at the blacksmith shop at Lower Fort Garry National Historic Site. Over the past 30 years, he has honed his skills through hands-on practice and study with master smiths across North America, developing a body of work that combines traditional blacksmithing techniques with a strong sense of design.

Matt has earned international recognition at the World Forging Championship in Stia, Italy, receiving an Honorable Mention in team forging in 2009 and first place in Drawing and Design in 2015. In 2016, he undertook the #366Hooks project, designing and forging a different hook every day for a full leap year. That ambitious exploration of variation, utility, and sculptural form later evolved into his 2024 book, HOOKED: A Blacksmith’s Study of Function Through Form.

Using hand tools and early industrial equipment, Matt creates forged work with the timeless feel of handmade objects. Alongside his studio practice at Cloverdale Forge, he teaches workshops, gives demonstrations, and has taught at the John C. Campbell Folk School and the Center for Metal Arts. His work continues to balance craftsmanship, inquiry, and a desire to keep blacksmithing active, relevant, and alive.

APRIL THEME: EMBER

Our theme for April is EMBER. It was chosen by our Poulsbo chapter in Washington and illustrated by Sarah Gordon.

What ember is quietly glowing inside you? And what new fire will it ignite in your life?

Embers represent the quiet, enduring remnants of fire—what remains after the intensity fades. They carry a smoldering potential, a subtle strength that holds heat long after the flames have gone. As a quieter community outside the city, we may not always burn the brightest, but we never burn out. Our spark lives in reflection, resilience, and the space we have to pause, think, and grow.

In those calm moments, we find what many others miss: the steady glow of ideas, relationships, and dreams that don’t need noise to thrive. Embers remind us that even after challenges or change, something powerful remains—ready to reignite when needed. We hold that same quiet fire within ourselves, and in community with each other, we kindle more.

Together, we tend the quiet fire—fueling one another through presence, care, and shared warmth.

Bring your reusable coffee mug and join us for coffee, community and creative inspiration!

** What to expect at a CM Winnipeg event (besides inspiration and fun)**

8:00am Arrival and check in -- grab a coffee, a breakfast treat and make a new friend (or just smile at someone while making a cool nametag)

8:25am Refill coffee and settle in for a great event!

8:30am Welcome to CreativeMornings and listen to our featured local performer

8:45am Community creative engagement activity -- introvert approved (and introvert friendly!)

9:00am Intro of Headliner (speaker)

9:30am Wrap up and exchange contact info with your new friend!

We aim to have the event wrapped up by no later than 9:45am. 

PICS FROM OUR MARCH EVENT: Celebrating Local!