Craft & Artwork
Tradition and Culture through today’s makers
The natural elements and the people of Nunatsiavut are a constant inspiration for the many talented artisans and craft makers found throughout our communities. A variety of finished pieces are available, ranging from stone, caribou, and moose antler carvings, to handmade slippers lined with seal skin, to grass woven baskets and bowls.
Many artistic creations have roots in the Inuit traditions of past generations. Where once a material was used as part of daily life, today it is used as a way to create art and pass on tradition. Nunatsiavut artists and crafts people are respected in their communities as promoters of our Inuit culture and heritage.
A new wave of youth are also starting to redefine the arts and crafts of Nunatsiavut, building on traditional practices and adding a modern twist. Creating sealskin broaches and carving intricate designs in wood instead of stone are two examples of some of the exciting new work being done by our younger artists.
Each community has proud craft-making traditions. Finished pieces are displayed and sold in craft shops located throughout Nunatsiavut communities.
TORNGAT ARTS & CRAFTS
Torngat Arts and Crafts Inc. (TAAC) is a non-profit organization that runs the Craft Shop located in the community of Nain.
TAAC’s mission is to support and promote the work of artists and craft producers from the five Inuit communities of Nunatsiavut. Their products include local and regional crafts, stone and caribou antler carvings, sealskin garments, slippers and mitts, traditional clothing, jewelry, grass woven baskets and ornaments, chimo caps, drawings, prints, and a lot more.
Did you know?
SakKijâjuk, the first-ever nationally touring exhibition of Fine Art and Craft from Nunatsiavut took place in Happy Valley-Goose Bay from November 19th-21st, 2015. Roughly 170 works were displayed by over 80 Nunatsiavummiut. A number of works were selected for a national gallery tour that will open at The Rooms in St. John’s in October 2016.