An Inuit art-focused symposium wouldn’t be complete without Inuit artisan vendors, and the ᕿᓐᓂᕋᔮᑦᑐᖅ Qinnirajaattuq / Ripples: Making Waves in Inuit Art symposium hosted by Inuit Futures and held last month in Montreal, QC, did not disappoint! Folks can catch many of these creators in art markets throughout the year and buy beautiful works such as prints, beaded jewellery and sealskin mitts.
Here are what some of the many circumpolar Indigenous vendors were selling during the symposium.
Debbie Dillon at her vendor table, Delta Debz Designs, November 2024COURTESY THE ARTIST
Debbie Dillon
Debbie Dillon is an artist originally from Inuuvik, Inuvialuit Settlement Region, NT, and currently resides in Fort Smith, NT. She brought various types of beaded earrings to sell at her vendor table, many of which featured uluit and Delta Braid designs made with delica beads. In her artistic practice, Dillon also enjoys working with hides and antler. See more of her work on Instagram at @deltadebzdesigns.
Julie Grenier Swinging seasons (2024) Home-tanned smoked moosehide, 24k gold-plated beads and findings, seed beads, semi-precious beads, vintage glass beads, Miyuki beads and caribou fur 5.1 cmCOURTESY THE ARTIST © THE ARTIST
Julie and Annie Grenier
Julie Grenier is an Inuk artist and designer from Kuujjuaq, Nunavik, QC, currently based out of Montreal. [1] She brought beaded and tufted earrings, including Swinging seasons (2024), as well as a caribou antler necklace and hand-knitted sweaters and cowls to sell at her table. Her artistic practice also includes working with beads, bones, ivory, skins and furs, and she uses both contemporary and traditional sewing techniques and practices. See more of her work at @julie.grenier.inuit.artist.
Julie Grenier shared a table with her mother, Annie Grenier. See more of her work on Instagram at @anniewattgrenier.
Lisbeth Karline Poulsen and a patron at her vendor table, November 2024COURTESY THE ARTIST PHOTO HANNE KIRKEGAARD
Lisbeth Karline Poulsen
Lisbeth Karline Poulsen is a multidisciplinary Kalaaleq artist who is based in Nuuk, Kalaallit Nunaat (Greenland). She sold prints at her table and was a panelist for Contemporary Artists in Conversation. “It was truly an amazing experience that I will cherish for a long time. We can and do create beautiful works in all fields,” says Karline Poulsen. See more of her work on Instagram at @lisbethkarline.
Amanda Latreille and Anabelle Latreille at their vendor table, November 2024COURTESY THE ARTIST
Amanda and Anabelle Latreille
Amanda Latreille is a beader from Iqaluit, NU, currently based in Carleton Place just outside of Ottawa, ON. She makes earrings, necklaces and brooches, often incorporating beads with sealskin or fox fur. She also makes soy candles, repurposing thrifted teacups and crystal, and has beaded cross-body bags and jean jackets. See more of her work on Instagram at @piuniqpaaq.
Her daughter Anabelle Latreille joined her at her table with her beaded lashes, which she makes under her label Queen of Ottawa. You can see more of her work on Instagram at @queenofottawa.
Ellie Partridge’s vendor table, Aupaluk Designs, November 2024COURTESY THE ARTIST
Ellie Partridge
Ellie Partridge is an artist originally from Kuujjuaq, Nunavik, QC, now living in eastern Ontario. She brought polymer clay, resin and beaded earrings, hand-drawn stickers and digital art prints to sell at her vendor table. She also makes embroidered art, embroidered wool earrings and polymer clay cabochons. See more of her work on Instagram at @aupalukdesigns.
Yurak’s vendor table, November 2024COURTESY THE ARTIST
Yurak (Siku Rojas)
Yurak (Siku Rojas) is a multidisciplinary artist; their Anaana is from Iglulik, NU, and they are currently based out of Iqaluit, NU. They brought prints, postcards, stickers, stained glass pendants, and beaded necklaces and earrings with naluaq and qisiq centrepieces. They also had a limited edition pink “Ugh” shirt and short set, which featured their screen-printed illustrations.
Their artistic practice also includes working with stained glass—making sun catchers and ornaments, as well as jewellery out of scrap glass shards—linocut printmaking, and traditional Inuit tattooing. Recently, they have been learning to carve, cutting antler and ivory cabs for beaded earrings. See more of their work on Instagram at @yyuurraakk.
Mary Paningajaq, Passa Mangiuk and Qumaq Mangiuk Iyaituk at their vendor table, Ivujivik Prints, November 2024PHOTO SAALI KUATA
Ivujivik Prints
Mary Paningajaq, Passa Mangiuk and Qumaq Mangiuk Iyaituk are three artists from Ivujivik, Nunavik, QC, who do linocut printmaking together alongside their individual artistic practices. They were joined at their table by Lisi Maggie Thomassie from Kangirsuk, Nunavik, QC, and Louisa Pauyungie from Salluit, Nunavik, QC.
Other vendors who participated during the symposium include:
April Allen is a sewist and beadwork jewellery maker from Rigolet, Nunatsiavut, NL, now living in Labrador City, NL. See more of her work on Instagram at @stitchedbyapril.
Phebe Bentley, a seamstress, jeweller, manager and entrepreneur based in Montreal. See more of her work on Instagram at @lookinsharpbyphebe.
Beatrice Deer, a singer-songwriter and visual artist from Quaqtaq, Nunavik, QC. See more of her work on Instagram at @beatricedeerband.
Kelly-Ann Desrosiers, a multidisciplinary artist who resides in Montreal. See more of her artwork on Instagram at @kilia.art.
Vanessa Flowers and Veronica Flowers, sister seamstresses and artisans from Hopedale, Nunatsiavut, NL, who work together under their label V&V Crafts. See more of their work on Instagram at @vandvcrafts.
Tanya Innaarulik, a designer, jeweller, painter and illustrator from Kuujjuaq and currently based in Montreal. See more of her work on Facebook at Tanya Innaarulik Designs.
Nicoletta Mesher Smart, a multidisciplinary artist and crafter from Kuujjuaq now living in New Brunswick. See more of her work on Instagram at @nicolettas_art.
Nancy Mike, a multidisciplinary artist from Panniqtuuq, NU. She recently appeared in season four of True Detective.
Lynn Moorhouse, a crafter from Nunavik who makes leather and sealskin mitts, as well as jewellery from the leather and sealskin scraps.
Anika Nochasak, a beader from Nunatsiavut based in Montreal. See more of her work on Instagram at @ani.beadz.
Zippie Nochasak, an Elder and artist from Nain, Nunatsiavut, NL, currently based in Ottawa.
Winnifred Nungak, a textile artist based in Kangirsuk, Nunavik, QC, who makes clothing and accessories under her label Winifred Designs. See more of her works on Instagram at @winifreddesigns.
Victoria Okpik, a designer from Quaqtaq, Nunavik, QC, based in Montreal. She makes clothing under her label Okpik Designs. See more of her work on her website Okpik Designs.
Jeannie Papigatuk, the founder and designer of her clothing business Inuk Time, is from Puvirnituq and Salluit, Nunavik, QC.
Isaac Partridge, a Kanien’kehá:ka Inuk artist from Kahnawake, QC, and Kuujjuaq. See more of his work on Instagram at @iyitsiaq.
Ulaayu Pilurtuut, an artist from Kuujjuaq. See more of her work on Facebook at Ulaayu Pilurtuut-Artwork.
Miranda Qanatsiaq, a jeweller from Sanirajak, NU. Her work was featured in the 2021 exhibition Nuvisi: Threading Our Beads at Qatiktalik at Carleton University Art Gallery in Ottawa.
Jennifer Qupanuaq May, a seamstress from Kuujjuaq. She designed and hand-printed multilingual orange T-shirts for National Day for Truth and Reconciliation in 2021.
Eva Mae - R2BEAD2, an artist from Puvirnituq who is currently based in Montreal. Her Rainbow beam (2023) earrings were featured in an IAQ article earlier this year. See more of her work on Instagram at @r2bead2.
Sandra Dulcie Rideout, a textile artist of Nunatsiavut who was born and raised in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, NL. See more of her work on Facebook at Sandra's Sewing ~ Home made crafts.
Notes
[1] Julie Grenier is a Board Member of the Inuit Art Foundation.