Kimberly Pilgrim

Kimberly Pilgrim is a multi-disciplinary artist from Makkovik, Nunatsiavut, NL. Enthusiastic to learn and develop her skills, Pilgrim absorbs the arts and teachings around her, receiving inspiration from her community of close family and friends, sewing circles, Elders and a connection to the land and its materials.

“When I was a kid, I was pretty artsy and liked doing crafts, so I ended up going to sewing circles with my stepmother when I lived in Hopedale,” says Pilgrim of her formative years. [1] “That’s how I got close to my friends, who I’m still close with to this day.” Pilgrim notes that close friends and fellow Nunatsiavut artists Vanessa and Veronica Flowers have been influential to her practice. Andrea Flowers, the Flowers’ grandmother, taught Pilgrim alongside Sarah Jensen in sewing circles in Hopedale, Nunatsiavut, NL. While these community gatherings were where Pilgrim was introduced to sewing and beadwork, it was while focusing on her academic pursuits in Ottawa, ON, that she rekindled her passion for the arts, finding more time to explore her creativity.

Pilgrim’s artistic focus is on creating beaded earrings. “I love earrings—I have a big earring collection myself.” While Pilgrim’s designs are often beaded, they frequently also feature organic materials like antler or fur—this juxtaposition can be seen in her Caribou Antler, Felt, Faux Suede, 18kt Gold Beaded Earrings (2023) which showcase the beautifully porous interior texture of antler, surrounded by layers of exquisite beadwork. Pilgrim says of her draw to organic materials, “It takes a part of the land indoors.” Preferring to ethically source from and support Indigenous-owned businesses, Pilgrim will occasionally order materials such as moosehide and sealskin. Her aspirations highlight the importance of cultural expression and community engagement, along with a pragmatic approach to overcoming the financial challenges of being a young, emerging artist. Mindful of the cost of materials, Pilgrim speaks of her gratitude for family and friends who share materials such as caribou antler when possible.

In November of 2024, Kimberly took part in an atigik (winter parka) making workshop held by Ashley Andersen in partnership with the Nunatsiavut Government. With the skills she learned in that workshop, she spent the winter of 2025 expanding and honing her skills as a seamstress. 

Pilgrim graduated from Nunavut Sivuniksavut College in Ottawa in 2022 with a certificate in Inuit Studies, and in 2024 graduated from Carleton University, also in Ottawa, where she majored in Anthropology and minored in Indigenous Studies. Pilgrim now lives in Hopedale, Nunatsiavut, NL, where she works at Inotsiavik Language and Culture Incorporated as the Director of Administration.