Northern Canadian Native Art Tour :: Cape Dorset, Nunavut
Posted by: patbirder
on Jun 08, 2009 
Located just south of the Arctic Circle in the southwestern region of Baffin Island is the town that calls itself the capitol of Inuit art; Cape Dorset. Known as “Kinngait” (High Mountains) by local Inuit peoples who have inhabited the area for at least a thousand years, Cape Dorset, Nunavut got its start in the art industry in 1953. This was the year that artist James Houston came to Cape Dorset, his home for the next ten years. During his time there, upon realization that many community members were talented artists, James Houston supported and encouraged the native artists to carve, make handicrafts, and also taught them printmaking techniques. In 1959, upon exhibition of works by Cape Dorset native artists at the Stratford festival, Inuit art reached a wider audience and the mainstay of the Cape Dorset economy was subsequently born.
Although such a wide variety of artists exhibit many styles and use a variety of stones, sculptures from Cape Dorset typically represent Arctic wildlife in natural poses and spirit world themes. Their works also tend to be dramatic, highly polished, and sometimes have delicate parts; all of these factors demonstrating the skills possessed by Cape Dorset artists.
A great deal of printmaking is also done by Cape Dorset artists, the themes of which also tend to be both naturalistic and spiritual in nature. Prints by at least one famous artist from the area, Kenojuak Ashevak, have been used for Canadian postage stamps.
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