Alashua Aningmiuq facts for kids

Alashua Aningmiuq (1914–1972) was an Inuit artist from Nunavut, Canada. She was known for her prints and carvings in the 1950s and 1960s.

About Alashua Aningmiuq

Alashua Aningmiuq was born in 1914. She grew up in the Northwest Territories, which is now part of Nunavut. Until 1962, Alashua, her husband Peter, and their sons lived a traditional life. They moved from place to place.

In 1962, her family settled in Cape Dorset. There, Alashua and Peter started working with the West Baffin Eskimo Co-operative. This group helped Inuit artists share their work. Alashua became a graphic artist, and Peter was a carver. Her three sons also became carvers.

How She Made Art

Alashua Aningmiuq created two main types of art: stone carvings and stonecut prints.

Stonecut Prints

Stonecut is a special way of making prints. It was made popular in Cape Dorset. Here is how it works:

• An artist draws a picture.
• This drawing is traced onto a smooth stone.
• The artist then cuts away parts of the stone. This leaves the drawing's outline raised.
• Ink is rolled onto the raised parts of the stone.
• A sheet of paper is pressed onto the stone. This transfers the inked drawing onto the paper.

Art Themes

Alashua's carvings and prints often showed animals. She created images of polar bears, Arctic birds, and seals. These animals are important to life in the Arctic.

Where to See Her Art

Alashua Aningmiuq's art has been shown in many places. Her prints and carvings have been in exhibitions in Canada and the United States. You can find her work in the permanent collections of several museums. These include the Canadian Museum of History and the McMichael Canadian Art Collection.

Some of the exhibitions where her art was shown include:

• Canadian Eskimo Arts Festival
• Inuit Graphics Through The Year: Rare Prints from the Arctic
• Cape Dorset Graphics *68 (an annual collection)
• Cape Dorset Graphics *69 (an annual collection)