Josie Pitseolak

Josie Pitseolak (1976–2018) was a talented multidisciplinary artist born in Iqaluit, NU, who resided in Mittimatalik (Pond Inlet), NU. Influenced by the artists in his family, Pitseolak began drawing at age nine and carving at around the age of 12 [1].

Pitseolak was a self-taught artist and often used members of his family or community as figures in his illustrations. His work appeared in two children’s books as well as the Nunavut 2000 Print Collection [2]. Pitseolak sculpted with natural materials including narwhal tusk, stone and antler with most of his carvings depicting polar bears [3] He also made miniatures of everyday objects such as ulus and food items. He constructed the miniatures out of paper and painted them with watercolour. “By creating work that is engaging to observers and layers with meaning, Josie’s miniatures exemplify a shift in contemporary Inuit art that allows viewers to see through a lens that frames both the individual approach of the artist as well as the collective Inuit experience,” argued Janet Pitsiulaaq Brewster [3]. Pitseolak was featured in the Fall 2018 issue of the Inuit Art Quarterly.