From sitting to walking to dancing to fighting, the polar bear is one of the most depicted subjects in Inuit sculpture. Perhaps the arctic’s most iconic animal, the solitary bear is also the most powerful. With no natural predators, the bear remains at the top of the Arctic food chain and is both feared and respected by neighbouring animals and … Read More
Michael Massie’s 100th Teapot
When you think of Michael Massie, you think of teapots. The Newfoundland-based artist has been creating them for nearly thirty years and in 2021 he made his 100th. Wittily called Identi-tea, a pun typical of Massie’s comical artwork titles, teapot #100 is an elegant silver masterpiece embellished with an elongated bloodwood handle and cap. The teapot’s body is etched with … Read More
Land of Plenty: Gjoa Haven Sculpture
Uqsuqtuuq, the Inuktitut name for the community of Gjoa Haven, loosely means “plenty of blubber”, referring the many sea mammals that are local to the area. The community is also abundant in its artistic creativity. Since the 1970s, Gjoa Haven sculptures have been renowned for their spiritual energy, characterized by eccentric facial expressions and exaggerated forms seen in depictions of … Read More
Themes in Inuit Art: Transformation
Since the 1950s, the theme of the transformation has featured in sculptures, prints, and drawings by Inuit artists hailing from many communities across the Canadian arctic. Depictions of human figures intertwined with animals have permeated the art form in various styles and media, captivating audiences for decades. While many admire the creativity and spirit that emanates from such pieces, the … Read More
One Foot in The Spirit World: Sculpture by Maudie Okittuq
What if a seal could fly, a walrus could walk on hind legs, or a loon could burrow underground? These actions seem absurd but are routine in the world revealed to us by Maudie Okittuq. For her, the unusual is commonplace, the bizarre is familiar, and the grotesque is beautiful. Okittuq was first recognized with a solo exhibition nearly forty … Read More
The Wonders of Baleen
This year’s annual Cape Dorset print collection included a number of showstopping prints featuring recognizable arctic subject matter. From the whimsical kamik-wearing owl in Ningiukulu Teevee’s dynamic lithograph Stepping Out, to Pauojoungie Saggiak’s open-mouthed char in First Catch, to Nicotye Samayualie’s luminous nocturne Silaqtiq (Bright Evening), the animals and landscapes of the Canadian arctic dominated the graphics of 2020. Perhaps … Read More
Post-Fair: Art Toronto 2020
This year, Art Toronto looked a little bit different. Like many large-scale events of 2020, Toronto’s annual and much-anticipated art fair went virtual for the first time ever. While adapting to a new digital platform was daunting at first, we were encouraged to think outside of the box in order to bring the best of our “booth” to fairgoers. In … Read More
Themes in Inuit Art: Mother and Child
We’re overjoyed that our own Elyse recently welcomed a baby girl into the world! In honour of the new mom and baby, we decided to take a look at one of the most common subjects depicted in Inuit art—the Mother and Child. From early sculptures of Inuk mothers cradling children or keeping babies warm in their hoods, to the many … Read More
What Type of Stone is This?
“What type of stone is this?” is one of the most common questions we receive about sculptures, and it’s a good one. While many think of Inuit sculpture as synonymous with “soapstone” (the name given to a specific type of soft stone), artists across the Arctic in fact use a variety of local stone types that are available in their … Read More
Michael Massie Talks about the Process Behind His Artwork
How does a sketch become a sculpture? To create his piece Looking Out Over the Big White Hill, renowned artist and master sculptor Michael Massie started with a sketch. Through an extensive process of grinding, inlay, sanding, and polishing, an extraordinary work of art was created. I saw a photograph of a carving by John Terriak. It was a qulliq … Read More
Bill Nasogaluak Talks about Artwork in Solo Show “Shapeshifter”
To kick off 2020, Feheley Fine Arts presented the exhibition Shapeshifter showcasing a retrospective of compelling works by artist Bill Nasogaluak. Works in the show touched on themes of shifting forms, transformation, and various kinds of change — from climate change to shaman transformations. Works in the show touched on social ills in the North catalyzed by substance abuse, alcohol, … Read More
Bill Nasogaluak’s Shapeshifter
The gallery was thrilled to kick off 2020 with something different: an exhibition of thought-provoking sculpture by Tuktoyaktuk-born artist, Bill Nasogaluak. Shapeshifter was Nasogaluak’s first solo exhibition at Feheley Fine Arts and a successful one at that, with many pieces going to private collectors across North America and four works up for acquisition at two of Canada’s most prestigious fine … Read More