Pitaloosie Saila

Pitaloosie Saila (born 1942 in Cape Dorset in then Northwest Territories (currently Nunavut) in Canada) is a Canadian artist who specialises in Inuit Art.^[1]

Biography

Pitaloosie Saila was born in Nunavut, but spent much of her childhood in hospitals in Québec and Ontario.^[2] She learned English through her hospital stays, and often served as translator for her neighbours. Her mother died when she was two years old while her father was away on a walrus hunt, and she was raised by her grandmother.^[3] Her stepmother is artist Mary Pudlat. She has stated that it was difficult for her to relearn Inuktitut once she returned to Baffin Island in 1957, at the age of 15. A graphic artist widely known for her 113 stunning images featured of the Cape Darset print collections since 1968, Pitalooic Saila comes from a family of extremely successful artists. Her husband Pauta is a highly respected sculptor, and her stepmother, Mary Pudlat, has been a regular contributor to Cape Dorset print collections. Pitaloosie's two uncles, Pudlo Pudlet and Osoochiak Pudlet, have both gained considerable attention for their graphic works, and her father's famous cousin, Peter Pitseolak, was one of first South Baffin Inuit to produce a sustained body of artistic work over an extended period of years.

She began to draw in the early 1960s and immediately developed a personal style. She has participated in an annual engraving collection in Cape Dorset since 1968. However, Pitaloosie Saila began to draw completely in her own intitative in the early 1960s during the time that James Houston was at Cape Dorst, and her style is distinctively her own. She tends towards images of strong, nurturing woman or woman and childen and frequently draws birds and mythical Taleelayu figure as well. Pitalooise Saila has had numerous opportunities to travel in southern Canada and abroad in connection with her art. She spent the summer of 1967 in Tonroto with their family while Pauta executed a c carving for the International Sculpture Symposium. In 1974, Pitaloosie attend the opening of her first solo exhibition in Hamilton, Ontatrio, and subsepquent showings of her work have taken her to major cities in southern Canada, the United States and Europe. In 1977, Pitaloosie's 1971 print, Fisherman's Dream, was featured on a twelve-cent Canadian postage stamp, and her 1980 print, Arcitic Madonna, was seclected for a UNICEF greeting card in 1983.^[4]

She was married to the sculptor, Pauta Saila, who died in 2009.

Recognition

In 1977, in recognition of the contribution of Inuit Art to the cultural heritage of Canada, Canada Post used her print, Fisherman’s Dream, as one of a series of four illustrated postage stamps.^[5]

Pitaloosie's print, 'Arctic Madonna' was chosen for a 1983 UNICEF card.

Her works are included within some of the most important Inuit Art collections, including the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (MMFA), Winnipeg Art Gallery, and the Canadian Museum of Civilisation.

In 2002, she was elected member of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts.^[6]

References