Derrick Pottle

by Emily Henderson | Jan 10, 2020

A self-taught artist hailing from Rigolet, Nunatsiavut, Derrick Pottle specializes in working with stone, hide and bone. He has been creating carvings since he was a child, working with wood initially to create toys for himself. Remaining closely tied to his land and culture, Pottle enjoys an active traditional lifestyle as a hunter and continues to hunt and prepare seal, caribou, moose, polar bear and fox. 

Pottle’s work was featured in the touring exhibition SakKijâjuk: Art and Craft from Nunatsiavut and is also the subject of a film from director Jason Van Bruggen titled Keeper of the Flame (2018), which chronicles his life as a hunter, carver and guide in Nunatsiavut. 

Many of his pieces are directly inspired by his own encounters with animals on the vast landscape of Nunatsiavut. As he never takes a camera out on his excursions—many of which are long-distance trips by ski-doo—all his carved works depicting animals and hunting scenes are drawn directly from his own memory and experience. This is apparent in carvings such as Kayak Hunter (2015), a standoff between two hunters over a lone black seal, balanced precariously on a slim ribbon of antler.

Find More Carvers

Derrick Pottle

by Emily Henderson | Jan 10, 2020

A self-taught artist hailing from Rigolet, Nunatsiavut, Derrick Pottle specializes in working with stone, hide and bone. He has been creating carvings since he was a child, working with wood initially to create toys for himself. Remaining closely tied to his land and culture, Pottle enjoys an active traditional lifestyle as a hunter and continues to hunt and prepare seal, caribou, moose, polar bear and fox. 

Pottle’s work was featured in the touring exhibition SakKijâjuk: Art and Craft from Nunatsiavut and is also the subject of a film from director Jason Van Bruggen titled Keeper of the Flame (2018), which chronicles his life as a hunter, carver and guide in Nunatsiavut. 

Many of his pieces are directly inspired by his own encounters with animals on the vast landscape of Nunatsiavut. As he never takes a camera out on his excursions—many of which are long-distance trips by ski-doo—all his carved works depicting animals and hunting scenes are drawn directly from his own memory and experience. This is apparent in carvings such as Kayak Hunter (2015), a standoff between two hunters over a lone black seal, balanced precariously on a slim ribbon of antler.

Find More Carvers

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Featured Artist

Niap

 

Medium Graphic Arts, Painting, Performing Arts, Photography, Sculpture

Community Kuujjuaq, Nunavik, Inuit Nunangat

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Developing Qanuqtuurniq: Artist Portal

Developing Qanuqtuurniq: Artist Portal (DQAP) is your resource to support your journey as an artist. Developed by Inuit artists for Inuit artists, this culturally-specific online portal provides a range of resources across artistic disciplines and career stages to help artists reach their own goals, wherever they are.

Use DQAP to connect with others, search for grants, access funding, find professional development resources and opportunities and further develop your artistic skills.

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