AUSUITTUQ/GRISE FIORD
If one print can produce infinitely more prints, then the same is true about one printmaker.
Students at Ummimak School in Grise Fiord Derrick Akeeagok left, D.J. Watsko, Alaasua Audlaluk, Nallinniq Kiguktak and Abraham Pijamini work on their art with help of renowned Pangnirtung printmaker Jolly Atagauuk. - photo courtesy of Zuzanna Mignon
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After renowned printmaker Jolly Atagoyuk impressed students at Ummimak School last week, there's no counting how many prints or printmakers there will be as a result in Grise Fiord.
"I'm having fun with them and they're learning,"said Atagoyuk, who himself learned about printmaking at Arctic College in Iqaluit. "That's what I'm teaching now. That how it goes."
The type of printmaking Atagooyuk specializes in uses colourful stencil prints. He overlays cutout shapes of wax paper igluit and animals, then traces several colours with pencil crayon, starting with light yellows and oranges first, then darker shades such as black for outlines and touch-ups.
"It take a while to finish one drawing," he said.
Each colour requires its own stencil, and every stencil must have all its details cut out; for example, dots on seal skin. The students then use horsehair brushes to blend the colours together. If you take care not to rip your stencils, you can use them over and over again.
"It's an amazing process. I can see many students and parents and other community members doing it, and trust me anyone can do it. The effects are amazing," said art teacher Zuzanna Mignon.
Atagoyuk started teaching printmaking in 1993, and with a name like Jolly, it's easy to imagine the 49-year-old printmaker as the likable, personable teacher he is.
"Jolly is very patient with the students," said Mignon, adding the students listen when he shares his own interesting spirit stories and legends.
Mignon herself took a professional development day, one week earlier, to learn from Atagoyuk so she and other teachers could in turn teach unknown numbers of future students his artistic techniques.
"He's doing an awesome job teaching all of us," she said.
In addition to teaching kids printmaking techniques, Atagoyuk also hosted artist stencil print workshops Monday, Wednesday and Friday evening for anyone in the hamlet interested. It culminated Friday with an art show at the school where Mignon's students' artwork was on display and for sale.
Atagoyuk has been to the hamlet twice now, and before returning to Pangnirtung, will stop in Resolute for one week to teach high school and Arctic College students there. Mignon hopes to have him back. Unfortunately, she said, it costs a lot so the school thankfully receives funding through the Department of Economic Development and Transportation's Art and Crafts Development Program.
"We got funding to help influence the next generation of Nunavut artists and foster the growth of quality Nunavut arts and crafts in the future," said Mignon. "He's an awesome teacher and very, very talented," she said.
