For those of you in Iqaluit who have been confused, confounded, and confuddled about my duplicity in town, you probably now know that I have an identical twin, Dana.
Not only is Dana my sister, she is also my confidant, partner in crime, best friend, and favourite artist.
Dana has been exploring her artistic side for many years now, through sketching, painting, and sculpting. She has displayed her artwork in various galleries, competed in (and won) multiple live painting competitions in Vancouver, and sold dozens of pieces to people all around the world.
Maybe I’m not so biased after all – people dig her stuff.
So when Dana moved to Iqaluit, I was excited to see what she would come up with when she put paintbrush-to-canvas. Her unique brushstrokes and use of vibrant colours translate well to west coast landscapes, but what about northern ones?
Well, Dana spent her time in Iqaluit busily painting, and was undoubtedly influenced by the Arctic scenery. I asked her to share her favourite pieces and the inspiration behind each one. Alas, here is the “Arctic Inspiration” gallery showing (albeit an unconventional one) that she didn’t get the chance to have.
Iqaluit Congress
36×48”
“This piece was commissioned in advance of my arrival to Iqaluit. I worked with my new friend to determine what he wanted to capture on this (very large) 3×4 foot canvas! We decided to feature a ‘ravens eye’ view of the characterful homes of the Tundra Valley neighbourhood overlooking frozen Frobisher Bay. Ravens are prominent birds up here, whether they are perched on a roof peak, soaring with the winds along the plateau, or lurking around the dump. I love listening to their many unique sounds as they converse with one another – it is much more melodic than the obnoxious ‘caw!’ of the crows down south.”
Adrift
18×24”
“I have always admired images of the broken up sea ice. In particular, I really love Ningeokuluk Teevee’s stonecut and stencil print, Siku Siggiaju (Spring Break Up), from the 2014 Cape Dorset print collection. This piece was inspired by her work, and aims to capture the angular, geometric shapes of the sea ice as they float under the soft glow of the Milky Way.”
Siku Siggiaju (Spring Break Up), 2014, Ningeokuluk Teevee
Apex from Afar
16×20″
“This was the first piece I painted upon my arrival to Iqaluit. As I learned from Finding True North’s handy Iqaluit Neighbourhood Guide, Apex is where nomadic Inuit began to settle back when modern-day Iqaluit was a military airbase. Located 5km from town, Apex is Iqaluit’s only ‘suburb.’ I found the view of the tiny houses so charming, especially when walking the Apex Trail along the coastline.”
Narwhal Night Swim
18×24”
“While standing on the tundra under some particularly phenomenal aurora borealis, I was amazed at how they meandered in the sky. You can’t capture that movement in still photographs. The aurora were twisting down towards the horizon, guided by the frigid winter wind. It reminded me of a narwhal tusk. That memorable night inspired this painting.”
Corvus Homecoming
9×11.5”
“While walking along the snowy Apex Trail on a -40 degree evening, I came across this beautifully weathered piece of wood. I learned that this is known as ‘driftwood’ up in the north. I found this amusing because ‘driftwood’ on the west coast is branches and trees – not old lumber! I suppose I failed to appreciate that the largest plants that grow here are low-lying arctic willow shrubs. I painted these two colourful ravens to add some life to this long-forgotten wooden surface.”
Ode to Ted
20×24”
“On January 16, 2015, the world lost a great artist. Ted Harrison was an early favourite of mine. Like many others, I was drawn to his fun and colourful portrayals of the great Canadian north, most notably the Yukon. I decided to paint a tribute influenced by his style. I think this piece is an improvement on the pastel replica I was made to do as an elementary school student…”
Lone Woman with Ravens, 1991, Ted Harrison
Landfast
24×30”
“A very wonderful man in my life always encouraged me to paint a night scene. I never really felt inclined, but once I saw the aurora borealis of the north I figured I would finally take his advice! I attempted to capture the northern lights in my painting style, dancing in the skies above the Rhonjalee. This is a very iconic boat in Iqaluit, which has been located along the icy shore of Frobisher Bay for a good long time now. I’m told it is an former fishing boat that is now used to cruise up the coast of Baffin Island and collect soapstone for carving.”
Mittimatalik
5×7”
“This is the iconic view of the Bylot Island mountains across from Pond Inlet, one of the remote communities on the northern tip of Baffin Island. This piece was commissioned by my sister as a gift for her dear friend and colleague.”
Not surprisingly, all of Dana’s Arctic paintings have been sold. However, if you’re interested in buying prints of her artwork for yourself or for others, you can contact her via email at [email protected]. If you’d like to see more of Dana’s artwork, be sure to check out her website and her Facebook page.
Very nice work. Kudos to Dana!