Making Art in the Park

To walk and climb, to sleep and eat on mountains, to drink the creeks, taste the plants, to work and play with other artists, to push and extend oneself through art, this is heaven on earth. I think that’s what Ivvavik translates into. Terry Pamplin – Artists in the Park 2007

Antoine Mountain paints in what he coins the ‘first-nations impressionistic’ style. “This way of painting was done in France in the 19th Century”, said the Dene artist, as he applied short strokes of highly contrasting colours on a bright blue canvas, depicting an elder and a child. “I am appropriating it because it perfectly suits my use of colours.” This summer, a fusion of native themes and western techniques are on display at the Great Northern Arts Festival in Inuvik. Inuvialuit, Gwich’in, Deh Cho, North Slave, and Sahtu artists shared traditional skills with contemporary media artists. Martin Goodknife from Yellowknife set up his workstation right next to fellow jewellery maker Robert Buckle from Aklavik. He said, “Usually we work till 2am.We all learn new techniques from each other.”

This festival was first held nineteen years ago to promote Northern Art, and continues today mainly to promote artists from Nunavut, the Yukon and Northwest Territories. This year’s theme is Northern Hearts, Northern Hands. Not only could visitors to the festival admire and purchase the unique creations; they could also take part in workshops, producing their own art to take home. Marnie Hilash, organizer of the festival, is proud of the way GNAF allows the public direct access to artists and their process. “The degree of contact with artists at this show is unprecedented in the North. You can literally buy a piece of art as soon as it’s finished by the artist,” she said. “Or you could sit with them and learn how to sew, paint or even make a short film.”

Traditional art forms such as beading, quill art and carving were also shared with visitors. During the show, Vince Cardinal from Inuvik sewed a set of beadwork for an upcoming wedding. “I don’t have anything to sell,” he said, “Everything I make is sold before I even finish. I am happy my work makes other people happy. Elders tell me they are glad to see a young person carry on this art.” His style had elders exclaiming, “Your mother taught you this? I haven’t seen this kind of beading in fifteen years. Thank you for bringing it back.”

The Opening Ceremonies featured performances by the Inuvik Drummers and Dancers, the Fort Good Hope Drummers, and the arrival of the Whalebone—a carving from the first Great Northern Arts Festival that has marked the event’s opening and closing since 1997. Events included Parks Canada Day, an old-time dance, whip demonstrations by Baker Lake’s Simon Tookoome, an old-time dance, an Artists in the Park event, a coffee house jam, TV Bingo and a fashion show. A number of Northern movies were screened, included Zacharias Kunuk’s Atanarjuat The Fast Runner and The Journals of Knud Rasmussen.

Musical entertainment carried on throughout the Festival. Eunice Nasogaluak and her husband William had come from Tuktoyaktuk to take in the sights and sounds of the festival, when Eunice got a phone call asking her to play back-up guitar for a festival performer in 20 minutes. Both Nasogaluaks are experienced at accompanying traditional fiddling tunes, so Eunice agreed spontaneously.