Mandi Masden (Apostrophe Puzzles)

Mandi Masden, of Brooklyn, NY, started her small business in 2019 after a friend gave her a specialty puzzle, featuring a piece of art she loved. It started gears churning in her head with questions like:

• What if we could utilize puzzles to offer an interactive way to engage with fine art?
• What if we weren't solely dependent on traditionally white institutions to learn about and celebrate the work of artists of color?
• What if we could help foster a culture of art consumerism that was accessible and inclusive?

And, so, Apostrophe Puzzles was born. Mandi says, "Puzzles are fantastic tools for mindfulness and self-care - a source of meditative calm in our ever bustling and increasingly hectic world. I also hope they encourage you to learn about and support contemporary artists of color, who are some of the leading innovative and creative artistic voices in the world. I hope you’re inspired to invest in communities of color and find additional ways to combat economic, social, and institutional injustice in your own lives. I hope our collections remind you that you are worthy and deserving of great art and that you are allowed to engage with it. My vision for Apostrophe is rooted in a fundamental commitment to Black and Brown artists, people, and communities being seen, valued, supported, celebrated, compensated, and invested in. Thank you for being a part of that."

A portion of the proceeds from Apostrophe Puzzles sales goes to support underrepresented youth, communities, and emerging artists. Why "Apostrophe Puzzles"? In punctuation and grammar, the apostrophe symbol is used to illustrate where there has been an omission (o'er), and to indicate possession or ownership (Bearden’s legacy). Their name draws its inspiration from this usage, fully articulating our desire to fill the void of diverse representation in the puzzle space, and to exhibit our pride in the creativity and contributions of contemporary artists of color.