QAMANITTUAQ/BAKER LAKE - For most, sewing is a skill. For elder Miriam Qiyuk of Baker Lake, sewing is an art.

Qiyuk, originally from Kitikat, started sewing when she was moved away from her region to the settlement of Baker Lake. She was not taught by anyone, but learned from watching.

Elder Miriam Qiyuk from Baker Lake holds the wall hanging of ukpinguaq (owls) she is currently working on. - Lauren Solski/NNSL photo

"I followed my mother," she said through a translator.

Qiyuk, 73, specializes in wall hangings, but can also sew anything from mittens to caribou skin clothing.

Ukpinguaq (owls) can be seen on several of her wall hangings, but Qiyuk's personal favourite wall hanging is one with a particularly special meaning.

After being moved from her homeland, Qiyuk did not return to visit Kitikat until 1995.

When she reached her homeland, she decided to create a wall hanging. She was fascinated with the return, and was extremely pleased.

The wall hanging featured the landscape of Kitikat, and also portrayed Qiyuk's feelings of the return.There was an airplane featured in the background of the wall hanging.

"It (the airplane) was the only way she had to get home," said Qiyuk's daughter Brenda Qiyuk.

Brenda has also taken up sewing. She recently began to sew parkas and mittens. A few weeks ago, she made a Guitar Hero parka for her son.

When Brenda was a young girl, her mother would give her small pieces of material to work with and practise on.

Although Brenda did not entirely follow in her mother's footsteps, she enjoys sewing. Brenda said her mother has pieces of art in several galleries over the world.

With pieces in The Marianne Scott Gallery in Vancouver, as well as the Spirit Art Gallery in Arizona, Brenda believes that her mother's work is "in high demand."