Kenojuak Ashevak

We are pleased to present a collection of original drawings by renowned artist Kenojuak Ashevak. These drawings were created beginning with some from 1988/89 and ending with one or two from 1998. Most of these were done in the early 90’s and the artist’s fertile creativity is evident in every one.

Kenojuak’s favorite subject, birds, are present in abundance. They are harbingers of the brief bounty that summer brings to the Kinngait area where Kenojuak makes her home. Extravagant owls, ravens and gulls in a rainbow of colours as well as a few more prosaic ones. In addition to the birds, Kenojuak has drawn elegant wolves, some in the company of women. There are fantastic creatures that have been imagined with seal flippers for wings. Of special note are landscapes, not a subject normally seen in her work. These have an abstract quality, groups of colour without the presence of human or animal life, vibrant nonetheless.

The artists hand is evident in these drawings. Sure dark lines of the outline and then the joyous use of coloured pencils are Kenojuak’s trademark. These drawings were created as concepts for the annual print collection from Cape Dorset. The artist is very much in command of her medium but there are signs that she has changed her mind during the execution. These are, after all, working drawings as there is evidence of erased lines, changed ideas of colour and traces of the artist’s hands where they have rested on the blank surface of some of the sheets

Along with these drawings, the gallery is very pleased to present another in the series of limited edition stained glass panels that Kenojuak has been creating. Beginning with her work for the chapel window at Applebee College in Oakville Ontario, this is a medium that she has a strong feel for. Done in an extremely small edition of 12, each one is unique in the colouring that is intrinsic to hand made glass.

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