Pitaloosie Saila facts for kids

Pitaloosie Saila RCA (July 11, 1942 – July 24, 2021) was a talented Canadian Inuk graphic artist. She was known for her beautiful drawings and lithograph prints. Pitaloosie's art often explored themes like family, shamanism, birds, and her personal life. Her work showed what it was like to be an Inuk woman.

Her art was displayed in over 150 exhibitions. These shows took place in Canada and other countries. One famous exhibition was called "The Artistic Expression of Nine Cape Dorset Women." In 2004, Pitaloosie Saila and her husband, the well-known sculptor Pauta Saila, were both honored. They became members of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts.

Pitaloosie Saila's Early Life

Pitaloosie Saila was born on July 11, 1942. Some galleries list her birth date as August 11, 1942. She was born in Kinngait, also known as Cape Dorset. This place was then part of the Northwest Territories in Canada. Today, it is in Nunavut. Her parents were Sam Pudlat and Katauga.

Pitaloosie spent much of her childhood in hospitals. She was treated for tuberculosis in Quebec and Ontario. During her hospital stays, she learned English. She often helped her neighbors by translating for them. Her mother passed away when Pitaloosie was only two years old. Her father was away on a walrus hunt at the time. Pitaloosie was then raised by her grandmother.

She returned to Baffin Island in 1957, when she was 15. Pitaloosie said it was hard to relearn Inuktitut after being away. Pitaloosie Saila came from a family of very successful artists. She was widely known for her 113 amazing images. These images were featured in Cape Dorset print collections since 1968. Her husband, Pauta Saila, was a respected sculptor. Her stepmother, Mary Pudlat, also contributed to Cape Dorset print collections. Pitaloosie's two uncles, Pudlo Pudlat and Osoochiak Pudlat, were famous for their graphic art. Her father's cousin, Peter Pitseolak, was one of the first South Baffin Inuit artists. He created many artworks over many years.

Pitaloosie Saila's Art Career

Pitaloosie Saila started drawing in the early 1960s. She quickly developed her own unique style. She took part in an annual engraving collection in Cape Dorset starting in 1968. She began drawing on her own when James Archibald Houston was in Cape Dorset. Her style was truly her own.

Pitaloosie often drew strong, caring women or mothers with their children. She also frequently drew birds. Another common subject was the mythical Taleelayu (or Sedna) figures. Pitaloosie Saila had many chances to travel. She visited southern Canada and other countries because of her art.

In 1967, she spent the summer in Toronto with her family. Her husband, Pauta Saila, was working on a carving there. In 1974, Pitaloosie attended the opening of her first solo art show. This exhibition was in Hamilton, Ontario. Later, her work was shown in major cities. She traveled to southern Canada, the United States, and Europe for these shows.

Recognition for Pitaloosie Saila's Art

In 1977, Canada Post recognized the importance of Inuit art. They used Pitaloosie's 1971 print, Fisherman's Dream, on a postage stamp. It was part of a series of four illustrated stamps. In 1983, her 1980 print, Arctic Madonna, was chosen for a UNICEF greeting card.

Saila's artworks are part of important Inuit art collections. These include the National Gallery of Canada. Her art is also at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (MMFA). You can also find her work at the Winnipeg Art Gallery. The Canadian Museum of History also has her pieces.

In 2004, she was chosen as a member of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts.

Notable Exhibitions of Pitaloosie Saila's Work

Pitaloosie Saila's art has been featured in many important exhibitions:

• 2019 60/60, Feheley Fine Arts, Toronto
• 2016 Pitaloosie Saila: A Print Retrospective, Feheley Fine Arts, Toronto
• 2004 Sanaasimasiatok/Fine Works: Sculpture from Cape Dorset, Feheley Fine Arts, Toronto
• 2003 The Inuit Icon: Selections from Private Collections, Feheley Fine Arts, Toronto
• 1996-1997 Pitaloosie & Pauta, McMichael Canadian Art Collection, Kleinburg, ON
• 1994 – 1995 Isumavut: The Artistic Expression of Nine Cape Dorset Women, Canadian Museum of History, Gatineau, QC
• 1993 – 1994 Contemporary Inuit Drawings, Muscarelle Museum of Art, College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA
• 1991 – 1992 In Cape Dorset We Do It This Way: Three Decades of Inuit Printmaking, McMichael Canadian Art Collection, Kleinburg, ON
• 1989 – 1991 Kenojuak Ashevak, Lucy Qinnuayuak, Pitaloosie Saila – Flights of Fancy, Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto
• 1988 – 1989 In the Shadow of the Sun: Contemporary Indian and Inuit Art in Canada, Canadian Museum of History, Gatineau, QC