Derrald Taylor

Derrald Taylor is carver and jeweller from Tuktuuyaqtuuq (Tuktoyaktuk), Inuvialuit Settlement Region, NT who relocated to Yellowknife to further his artistic career [1]. Taylor is known for flowing and realistic carvings of Arctic wildlife, hunters and drum dancers. Taylor began carving as a child learning from his father and producing small pieces such as rings and pendants out of caribou and moose antler. In 1990 he began carving small birds out of soapstone and started experimenting with making ivory jewellery. Taylor started selling his artwork to tourists based out of his family home in Tuktuuyaqtuuq [2].

Taylor has stated a preference for working with harder varieties of stone, such as serpentinite or chlorite because it allows for a greater degree of detail in the pieces. Additionally he has worked with muskox horn, whalebone and marble. When beginning a sculpture Taylor’s method is to accentuate the natural shape of the stone and economize on material use [3]. Earlier in his career Taylor carved subjects such as animals, drum dancers and hunters, or things that he saw in his daily life. In the past he stated that he felt hesitant about carving Sedna and other Inuit oral traditions because he felt he lacked the understanding to represent those stories, but he has recently started to carve them [4].

Taylor has been a regular exhibitor at the Great Northern Arts Festival since 1998. He also participated in other arts festivals across Canada and the United States. Taylor’s practice is based out of Frozen Rock Studio in Yellowknife, NT. Recently the studio began a public workshop to teach visitors about carving techniques and the indigenous traditions of the region [5].

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Accomplishments

2002: The carving Our Elder's Ways (n.d.) was chosen as the featured piece on posters for the Great Northern Arts Festival.