Iqaluit (May 10/04) - Five Iqaluit artists have joined together to launch a small business.

Pootoogook Qiatsuk, Serapio Ittusardjuat, Okpik Pitseolak, Therese Ukaliannuk and Beth Biggs have banded together to make and sell prints and jewelry.

"It's a big success story," said Biggs.

Their first priority is to find studio space in the Nunavut capital, a city notable for its lack of available housing.

Until now, the artists have been using the studio space at Nunavut Arctic College.

"Outside the college studio, there's no place to work," said Biggs.

The five met at the college, four as students. Biggs was their instructor.

"They're such an incredibly tight group," she said.

"They're in here working almost every day of the week. They love their work and they're very passionate about it."

Biggs said their talents and hard work are a recipe for success.

The group has taken courses at Nunavut Arctic College in printmaking, jewelry and metalwork, goldsmithing, small business fundamentals and the art institute program.

Each artist has also had individual success. Qiatsuk's print "Dancing Walrus" graces the cover of this year's NorthwesTel Nunavut telephone directory.

Ittusardjuat won an award in a national student art competition last fall for his lino cut print "Raven's snow dance."

All four have pieces of jewelry at galleries in Montreal and Yellowknife, and soon in Vancouver, too.