The Cape Dorset graphic arts studio set the standard for drawing and printmaking in the Canadian Arctic. Over the decades, stencil, engraving, etching, and lithographic techniques have supplemented the stonecut method. Three generations of artists have created a mix of primal “memory art” depicting hunting and camping, representations of wildlife both decorative and naturalistic, and mythological and spirit themes, all in a wide variety of personal styles. In the 1960s and ’70s the villages of Puvirnituq, Holman (now Ulukhaktok), Baker Lake, and Pangnirtung also established printmaking programs. Puvirnituq artists began by carving directly onto the stone without preparatory drawings; this gave their stonecut prints a rustic, energetic quality. Ulukhaktok’s first prints were silhouette-like stonecuts, but these have been replaced by more colorful stencil prints. Pangnirtung printmakers also favor the stencil method.

The third important Inuit art form is textile wall hangings. Mainly practiced by women, it builds upon sewing skills and clothing designs. In the early ’70s, Baker Lake artists were given wool duffle, felt, and embroidery floss by the same arts advisers who organized the drawing and printmaking program in the community. Hangings are frequently quite large, and though they usually incorporate the same imagery as drawings and prints, their compositions are often more complex. Baker Lake textile artists use two techniques—appliqué and embroidery—which they combine in single works. In appliqué, felt cutouts are stitched onto a heavier cloth and decorated with embroidery. Embroidery work, which might be quite densely stitched, can imitate the textures of animal hair, feathers, and leaves. In general, the textile artist’s approach is decorative, and many fill the pictorial space in an almost painterly fashion.

In the community of Pangnirtung, weavers create editions of 10 or 20 numbered art tapestries using both traditional European and contemporary methods. As is the case with print programs across the North, local artists sell drawings to a weaving studio. The weavers translate these into full-scale cartoons and then weave the tapestries on large floor looms. As a rule, the weavers determine the size, format, and colors of the finished work and receive full recognition along with the artists when the tapestries are marketed.

The market for Inuit art quickly gained a foothold in Canada, the U.S. and Europe, primarily as a newly discovered primitive art. The primitive label has been shed mostly in North America, where Inuit art has been recognized as a Modernist Native art form, but it has lingered in Europe. Whatever the motivation or viewpoint of its buyers, it is estimated that 50%–60% of Inuit art is purchased by non-Canadian collectors, from a network of art galleries and shops, online, and at twice-yearly auctions held at Waddington’s in Toronto.

New collectors now have a wide choice of entry points into the market. Modest but interesting sculptures can still be found for less than $1,000, but quality works by deceased and living master sculptors typically sell for $5,000–$25,000. Top prices include $63,000 for a stone head by John Tiktak and a record $288,000 for a migration sculpture by Joe Talirunili. Print prices range from a few hundred dollars for newly released works to $5,000–$8,000 for prized early Cape Dorset images. The top price of $58,000 was paid for an impression of the famous stonecut print “The Enchanted Owl” by Kenojuak Ashevak (published in an edition of 50 in 1960). Similarly, most new drawings sell for $500–$1,000, while the Inuit equivalent of Old Master drawings fetch several thousand dollars (interestingly, Inuit drawing prices are roughly equivalent to the prices of prints). New textiles typically sell for $2,000–$10,000; among the top prices for Baker Lake textiles is $48,000 for a Jessie Oonark hanging and $60,000 for one by Marion Tuu’luq.

Collectors who seek only blue-chip older works generally rely on long-established dealers and auctions. Those who want something new have to be more adventurous and open-minded for a variety of reasons. A favorite community might no longer be a vibrant center of creativity, or its remaining artists might be redirecting their energies. Many elderly sculptors are suffering from a lifetime of hard physical work and the harmful effects of carving dust. Graphic and textile artists, such as “Enchanted Owl” artist Ashevak (who at 80 recently received Canada’s most prestigious visual arts award), are able to be creative and even experimental as long as their fingers and eyes permit. Younger artists are pushing the boundaries of Inuit art and seeking recognition in larger contemporary art circles; in 2007 Annie Pootoogook of Cape Dorset represented Canada at Documenta XII in Kassel, Germany.

Most major Canadian museums have Inuit art collections, and several have specialist curators. In the U.S., the largest museum collection is held by the Heard Museum in Phoenix, Ariz., which currently has Inuit art exhibitions at two of its locations. In addition, “Arctic Spirit: Inuit Art from the Albrecht Collection at the Heard Museum” is currently touring the country.