Michele LeTourneau
Northern News Services

NNSL (Feb 15/99) - In Nunavut, Arctic College has been successfully running jewelry and metalwork programs since 1989, eventually offering them across the territory in many communities.

So when Aurora College in Rae-Edzo became interested in starting a pilot program, choosing an artist and teacher with experience in the eastern program seemed only logical.

Allyson Simmie taught the program in Iqaluit and Kingait (Cape Dorset).

"We did an introductory course there (Kingait) and with some students we set up a community studio," says Simmie, who also has experience in the West via the Great Northern Arts Festival.

Simmie was one of five artists -- three of them from the West -- who worked on the monumental carving to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the festival.

According to Simmie, jewelry and metalwork are beginning to make inroads into the realm of Inuit art, and being recognized as a genuine form of expression.

"The festival in Inuvik is starting to have jewellers," adds Simmie. "In 1997, there was a jewelry- making workshop."

Simmie remembers even more jewellers in 1998, and another workshop.

Forging ahead and introducing the skills to potential Western jewellers seems a natural progression.

"There was a huge interest in the program. It's a very popular program," Simmie says.

When asked why, Simmie explains that there are several reasons, one of which is the opportunity for self-employment. Start-up costs are minimal, and the work itself occupies very little space. Finally, jewelry is inexpensive to ship.

"I even got a call from a carver who was interested in starting up. He thought it would be good for the winter. You don't have to work outside because it's not toxic," says Simmie, adding, "the groundwork really has already been laid for it as viable artwork."

The goal of the program is to enable students to develop their knowledge and skills of jewelry and metalwork production in a professional studio setting. High standards of craftship and creativity are stressed.

But a larger goal is also at work.

"It seems logical to develop jewellers and incorporate it into the secondary diamond industry," stresses Bob Ward, co-ordinator, mine training. "Having gold, and now diamonds, in the West, somewhere down the road... hopefully there will be a fit."