Yellowknife (July 07/03) - The seven graduates of the goldsmithing class at Nunavut Arctic College celebrated the opening of an exhibition of their jewellery at the legislature last week.

"Tiffany's, if you're looking for aboriginal designs in jewellery, you can come here - it's one stop shopping," said Beth Biggs, senior instructor of the fine arts program at the college.

"The work is beautiful. It is examples of Inuit image and legend now put into gold."

The exhibition is also a celebration of firsts: the first goldsmithing course at the college and the students' first time working with gold.

"Way back in the 1950s when I started seeing jewellery made out of gold, it dawned on me that there was a lot of gold available in the South," said Okpik Pitseolak, one of the graduating students. "I never thought we would find gold in Nunavut and that I would be a goldsmith making the pieces."

Nunavut now has trained goldsmiths in Arviat, Rankin Inlet, Baker Lake, Repulse bay, Iqaluit and Coral Harbour.

The next step for the graduates is to lobby the government for funding to help them start their own businesses. Premier Paul Okalik was at the opening and said he would love to buy a couple of pieces.

"I wish I could buy some of those pieces. If I win the Lotto 6-49 I'd have some money to buy some." he said.

The exhibit is on display at until August 6. It includes everything from earrings to pendants to bracelets. Prices range from $130 to $2,175. The profits will go to the artists.