Lake Harbour (Mar 06/06) - A new 125-page guide to the Kimmirut arts community is now available for visitors, collectors and others interested in the region and its artwork.

Artists from Kimmirut are featured in a new guide. Biographies and photos of artists accompany information on the different types of art available in the community. Here, Tim Pisiulak and Seemeega Aqpik help each other during a jewelry-making course in Kimmirut in February, 2004. - photo courtesy of Allyson Simmie

Kyra Vladykov Fisher, economic development officer for Kimmirut since 2002, organized the project over the past eight months.

"Kimmirut is a very small community, so most of the local economy is arts and crafts," she said.

"Whenever visitors buy a piece of work they are always interested in having the biography of the artist and sometimes they ask us for pictures. It just seemed to be a logical thing to compile some sort of guide to Kimmirut artists."

The book features biographical information on young artists, emerging artists, mature artists and the recognized greats. A photo of each artist and his or her work accompanies the bios, which also cover details such as family background and anecdotal information from the artists' lives.

The artistic media includes ulu and other tool making, sculpture, sewing, stone work, jewelry, drawing, prints, knitting and crocheting, doll-making, traditional games and photography depicting the wide spectrum of art being done in the community.

The introduction describes the arts and the history of the region. An illustrated glossary of terms at the back of the book explains Inuktitut terms used throughout the book.

"The response from local people who've seen it, and from visitors, has been amazing," she said.

Funding came from the Department of Indian Affairs' Inuit Cultural Grant Program, the Government of Nunavut Department of Economic Development and Transportation, the Nunavut Arts and Crafts Association and community initiative money from the hamlet office.

The first printing consisted of 3,000 copies. The book is available through the municipality of Kimmirut.