Tim Pitsiulak, CARIBOU ANGAKU, 2012, Coloured pencil, 26 x 20 in.

The history of drawing in Cape Dorset is a long one, reaching back to the late 1950’s when the fledgling artist co-operative was experimenting with the creation of fine art prints.   Jim and Alma Houston, and subsequently Terry Ryan, encouraged those who were coming into the settlement to make drawings. They supplied the materials.  Some, like Kenojuak Ashevak, took to it immediately and continued drawing for the rest of their lives. Others, like Ohotaq Mikkigak, drew intermittently over the next fifty years.

Until recently, these drawings were purchased by the co-operative for possible use as  subject matter for the highly successful printing studios.   Rather than being released for sale, they were primarily kept in the archive of the West Baffin Eskimo Co-operative which is now held at the McMichael Gallery in Kleinberg, Ontario.    Lately however we have seen a great change, both in the south where eager collectors have created a demand for original drawings and in the north where artists now gather in the drawing studios creating works of varied scale and startling originality.

Our exhibition does not consist of the actual print drawings used by the studio for the 2013 collection. These are retained in the archive and not offered for sale. Our selection is rather to give an indication of the variety each artist attains in their original drawings. When considering the prints created in the Kinngait Studios, it is enlightening to also be able to look at original drawings by these same artists. This give insight into the hand of the artist, the gesture and composition and the scale and colour choices which vary with each original work.

The Hand of the Artist in an exhibition in which we have assembled original drawings by each of the artists represented in the Annual Print Release.  Some of these are close to the subject matter and style of the prints while others give an entirely different artistic approach. From the prints and drawings of Kenojuak Ashevak, represented in this collection for the last time to the bright and unusual works of newcomer Saimaiyu Akesuk, we hope that this exhibition will enhance your appreciation of the work of these talented artists.