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2010 Artist Biographies

Obed Anoee, Carver - Arviat, NT

Inspired by the world he observes around him, motivated to regularly try new tools and mediums, and driven to express his emotions through art- Obed is a carver and a jewellery maker with a unique voice.

Mary Barnaby, Traditional Arts - Fort Good Hope, NT

Mary was born in the Yukon and grew up on the land. She learned her traditional art and skills by watching her elders when she was 12 years old. She does bead-work, embroidery, traditional sewing and hide tanning.

Rae Braden, Printmaker - Yellowknife, NT

Although her medium of choice is printmaking and drawing, Rae also likes to use other tools and techniques when creating her visually rich images.

Myrna Button, Stained glass/Painter - Inuvik, NT

Open landscapes, the result of countless days spent running a dog team, inspire Myrna. She describes her work as simple and abstract, with many subconscious details and enjoys exploring a multitude of mediums.

Marie-Helene Comeau, Painter - Whitehorse, YT

Marie-Helene a self-taught artist, came from Quebec but has found some inspiration within the Yukon. She loves to work with acrylic, though she will use anything she can find on her colourful quest.

Karen Cumberland, Birch bark & Quills/Moose hair tufting - Fort Liard, NT

Karen was born and raised in the small northern community of Fort Liard, Northwest Territories, where she has practiced traditional artwork from a very young age. Originally guided by her mother, Karen made her first birchbark basket when she was just 10 years old. That basket earned her $60

Koomuatuk “Kuzy” Curley, Carver - Yellowknife, NT

Growing up in Cape Dorset, NU, Kuzy was surrounded by carvings and carvers. He has a lot to show where he comes from and he does it really well with his stunning carvings. Being a third generation carver, he is the new millennium carver of his family. With great talent and a good background of carvers, Kuzy is proudly representing the families of Ashoona and Curley’s.

Kevin Floyd, Kayak maker - Inuvik, NT

Kevin is an Inuvialuit qayaq and pautik maker. Like his ancestors, he has made his living qayaqing. His love for the marine playground combined with the exploration of his Inuvialuit heritage and a deep appreciation for traditional qayaqing has compelled him to be a leading force in the resurrection of the Inuvialuit qayaq tradition.

Brian Francis, Carver - Whitehorse, YT

Brian creates masks, paddles, rattles and a variety of other artwork. He enjoys developing his own caribou designs and also likes incorporating Salmon, Beaver and several other northern animals into his work.

Shirley Frost, Beadwork - Whitehorse, YT

Shirley is an established bead worker who has been working all of her at the traditional art. Her Grandmother, mother and other Dene women were her inspirations and mentors.

Charissa Alain-Lilly, Craftwork - Yellowknife, NT

Charissa, has been an artist in the making all her life. Since an early age she has been creating art from anything she could get her hands on. In 2004 Charissa moved to the north from southern Ontario. Here she discovered the feeling of home plus an incredible wealth of aboriginal craftwork, culture and people. Since then, the traditional designs and styles of the First Nations have been a rich source of inspiration for her.

Eena Angmarliks, Printmaker - Pangnirtung, NU

Eena was born outside of Pangnirtung in a camp called Nunataa. Her very first drawing was when she was in Federal Day School. It was a picture of a cow that she had copied from a book and everybody was admiring it and that encouraged her to draw. While growing up she started to draw and entered colouring contests. When she was 11 years old, she made her first crochet hat. She has been making the crochet hats due to popularity and she has been making hats for Uqqurmiut. She is originally from Pangnirtung in which they moved by a dogteam in early 60’s from a place called Avataatuuq. In 1985 her family relocated to Iqaluit until 1990. As a Language Specialist, she started making hands on materials for the students until 1997. She relocated to Pangnirtung and took print making courses which she really enjoys.

Janet Grandjambe, Beadwork/Fish scale art - Fort Good Hope, NT

Janet is continually inspired to explore new art mediums, recently introducing fish scale art into her repertoire. Janet encourages people to communicate ideas through art and is always looking for ways to help new artists attend workshops and refine their skills.

Belinda Harrow, Sculpting/ Painting - Whitehorse, YT

Belinda has always been creative going up in a small town in Saskatchewan. Having completed her studies at the University of Canterbury, in New Zealand she brings with her a fun and interesting medium.

Piona Keyuarkiuk, Carver/Printer - Pangnirtung, NU

Piona was born in 1964 at Nunataaq, an outpost camp on Cumberland Sound, east Baffin Island, and new resides in Pangnirtung. Keyuakjuk was his great-grandmother’s name on his father’s side, Piona the name of a white preacher woman at Pangnirtung. Later Piona received the name of this great-grandfather, Tuurngaq, a famous shaman, a term which means “helping spirit”. Piona learned carving from his mother but only recently began to drew, something at which his father, Mosesee, was adapt. He prefers carving smallish works by hand in the traditional manner and drawing images of a spiritual nature. Piona attended the professional development workshops given at the Print shop at the Uqqurmiut Centre. Normally a carver, this was Piona’s first experience with 2 dimensional art. Right from the start he demonstrated a unique style. The 2010 Pantnirtung Print Collection will feature work by this carver/printer.

Elizabeth Kolb, Fabrics - Dawson, YT

Elizabeth now lives in the on the Yukon River near Dawson City, though she is originally from Minnesota, her crafts/artwork are primarily northern Scandinavian in tradition.

Michel Labine, Drum maker/Glass/Welding art - Fort Smith, NT

Michel is considered a self-taught artist having more than 16 years of experience in creating glass art. He still loves carving antlers, wood and metal sculpting but now he loves dabbling and experimenting to create unique northern pieces. The fluidness of hot glass is a new venue he is exploring. “One must never stop learning”.

Jennifer Lam, String art - Inuvik, NT

Jen has been playing with string since she was 5 years old in Vancouver, BC. Armed with a dye pot, spinning wheel and a pair of knitting needles, Jen has turned mountains of plant, animal and insect fibre into wearable and functioning art. Her work unravels cultures and time weaves the urbane with the organic worlds.

Naomi Lewsaw, Jewellery - Yellowknife, NT

It all started in 2001. While studying at Grant McEwan College in Edmonton, one of Naomi’s classmates took her to her very first bead shop. The rest is history. Naomi’s first necklace started as a simple strand of turquoise chips, and her present jewellery line, Lulu Bijou, has grown to include every stone under the sun, precious metal, caribou antler, feathers, and leather.

Rosalind Mercredi, Glasswork - Yellowknife, NT

After taking a stained glass course years ago with the Yellowknife Guild of Crafts, glass became Rosalind’s medium to express her art. She uses stained-glass techniques, fused glass and elements collected from nature such as river stone, antler, wood, or even pressed flowers in her creations, which are featured in galleries, shops, and shows throughout the North.

Helen O’Connor, Papermaking - Whitehorse, YT

Helen has worked as an artist since grade 5.

George Roberts, Metalwork/Leatherwork - Whitehorse, YT

Bandit Blades is George Roberts. Bandit Blades is a custom knife maker, “No two knives are ever the same”. Every knife is created by George’s experienced hand and his incredible eye for detail and minutia.

Marlyn Simpson, Fish Scale Art - Fort Chipewyan, AB

Marlyn, credits her artistic endeavours to her mother and late husband, who inspired and supported her always. Although Fish Scale art is her main medium, she also enjoys making tepee lamps, slippers and drums.

Mary (Cookie) Simpson, Tufting - Fort Chipewyan, AB

Mary has been enjoying and perfecting her craft for more than 40 years. Her main mentors and supports were her late mother and grandmother. Mary has experienced much success in producing and distributing her art worldwide.

Mary Ann Taylor, Carver - Tuktoyaktuk, NT

Mary Ann was born in Tuktoyaktuk and began carving nine years ago, learning from her father and brothers. She has exhibited her work locally and at previous festivals.

Alec Tuckatuck, Carver - Montreal, PQ

Alec is an Inuit artist from Kuujjuaraapik, Nunavik-Quebec, Canada. All of his sculptures are hand sculpted from materials such as soapstone and many other types of stone, caribou antler, musk ox horn, walrus tusk and more. They depict Inuit animals, legends, myths, stories and Inuit people’s unique way of life.

Maidie Anne Turner, Stain-glass - Inuvik, NT

Maidie Anne realized her love for art as she doodled in her free time. This quickly turned into pattern-making and eventually stained glass art creation. Self-taught, Maidie Anne perfected her craft by reading, visiting stained glass art stores and asking many questions of other glass artists.

James Wedzin, 2-Dimentional - Behchoko, NT

James is a Tåîchô artist fromBehchokö, NT. He was born and raised by his grandmother in the community of Behchokö, Northwest Territories. James praises his grandmother for inspiring and encouraging his early interest in traditional art. He watched her intricate bead work endlessly and developed his own sense of style in Art.

Lena White, Traditional sewing - Whitehorse, YT

Since 1996, creating her very first home tanned moose skin teddy bear, Lena believes something truly spiritual and inspirational come alive in her. Mentored by her mother-in-law, Lena is up to any challenge when it comes to the craft. It’s her passion. Lena is known for her dolls, fur teddy bears and fine bead work.

Elizabeth Itulu, Stencil printmaking - Kimmirut, NU

The daughter of renowned artist Davidee Utulu, Elisapee graduated with distinction from the printmaking program at the Arctic College in Iqaluit in 1994, but she had already became an artist in her own right. Elisapee has used her stencilling techniques to illustrate traditional stories told by her father, also she approached graphite, etchings and wood block prints. “It’s a beautiful thing make art nowadays. We don’t live as in the past. We can only know as our ancestors worked hard to live good lives and we must pass this knowledge on to the generations of the future. I believe we can do this partly through art”.

Tara Johnson, Visual arts/Painter - Lethbridge, AB

Tara is a young and emergent Métis artist from southern Alberta. She is inspired by the bright colours and bold lines of flash art, as well as the beauty and meaning behind Native art. As Métis, Tara struggles to transcend both the western world and the Native world; she feels that through her artwork the gap may be bridged.

Helen Kaloon, Tapestry - Gjoa Haven, NU

Born at Reid Island, near Coppermine, and like most Inuit girls living a traditional lifestyle, Helen started sewing when she was very young, at only 8 years old. Helen states that she is driven to produce wall hangings, mittens and dolls, and when ideas come to her she must sit down and complete the work.

Robert Kuptana, Carver - Ottawa, ON

Robert hails from Paulatuk, NT, and is the brother of acclaimed artist Floyd Kuptana. Robert explores such subjects as shamanism, transformation imagery, Inuit mythology, family scenes and arctic animals. His art is highly expressive, showing affection, drama, whimsy and sublime sense of humour. But it is his work dealing with transformation and mythology that truly distinguishes him among Inuit artists.

Lillian Wright - Inuvik, NT

Lillian sees her art as not only personal expression but also a cultural responsibility: “It is not only a responsibility of our legacy but also important to the preservation of the land and culture as a whole.” Lillian participated in the Gwich’in Traditional Garment project to recreate a historically accurate men’s five piece caribou skin outfit, including traditional Gwich’in quill work and silver willow beads. As a graduate of the Aurora College Traditional Arts Program, she enjoys learning techniques that she will pass on to her children and grandchildren.

Jane Storey - Inuvik, NT

Jane Fergusson Storey has been a resident artist of Pangnirtung, Igloolik, Hay River and Inuvik. She paints strong impressionistic landscape paintings done on location. She received her Bachelor in Fine Arts from the University of Guelph and has attended numerous Art Schools such as the Banff Centre and Emma Lake. The northern landscape continues to be an inspiration for Jane and she is proud to be a part of the Great Northern Arts Festival.

Robert Buckle, Jewellery - Aklavik, NT

Robert’s stone sculptures and jewellery have been exhibited at the Museum of Civilization, the Spirit Wrestler Gallery and at the Houston North Gallery. He is also a painter and photographer. Inspired while out on the land, Robert says, “Artwork records the thoughts of a certain time, or the life of a given time.”

Jolly Atagoyuk, Printmaker - Pangnirtung, NT

Jolly’s work in stencil, lino prints and etching is cherished by collectors around the globe. He has also become known for this woodcuts, silk screens, watercolours, sculptures, jewellery and filmwork.