Osuitok Ipeelee

Osuitok Ipeelee was born in 1922 at Neeouleeutalik Camp, Nunavut. He first learned to carve by watching his father, Ohotok make ivory cribbage boards, which he often sold to sailors. At thirteen, Ipeelee began carving toys out of leftover pieces of wood from packing crates. In his twenties he was carving ivory sculptures to sell to the Roman Catholic missionaries in Kinngait [1]. The first carving he ever sold, in the 1940s, was a miniature ivory fox trap.

His work is easily identifiable due to the delicacy, detail, balance, and unique creativity he brought to each work he produced [2]. Ipeelee also worked as a printmaker, and his skills in both sculpture and printmaking led to his work being recognized as some of the best by fellow artists and collectors. Ipeelee became an instrumental part of both printmaking and sculpture becoming established art practices in Kinngait [3]. When James and Alma Houston told him their plan to buy Inuit art that would then be shipped to southern galleries, he responded enthusiastically. He began selling sculptures to them and eventually went to work for James Houston as a guide and assistant [4]. This lead to his move to Kinngait with his wife, Nipisha, and their children.

In 1952, The National Gallery of Canada presented the exhibition Eskimo Art, which included four of his works. The 1955 exhibition Eskimo Sculpture, also held at the National Gallery of Canada, featured six of Ipeelee’s sculptures. This began a long list of museum and gallery exhibitions around the world that have presented his sculptures and prints [5]. In 1955, Ipeelee was asked to take part in carving an official mace for the Council of the Northwest Territories. Alongside Peter Pitseolak, he lead the team of craftsmen. He was also commissioned in 1959, to carve a sculpture of Queen Elizabeth II to be given to the Queen herself upon her arrival in Canada. His major achievements include being elected as a member of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts in 1973 and receiving the Lifetime Aboriginal Art Achievement Award, now known as the Indspire Award, in 2004.

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Accomplishments

1970: Commissioned by Public Works Canada to create an Inukshuk at External Affairs Headquarters in Ottawa

1959: Created a carving of Her Royal Highness Queen Elizabeth which was presented to her on the occasion of her visit to Canada.