School thanked with polar bear
Young carver donates sale of work to high school
Stewart Burnett
Northern News Services
Monday, December 14, 2015
IQALUIT
Pauloosie Naglingniq is eager to make a profitable career of carving, but the money from his first polar bear is going back to the school that taught him so much.
Pauloosie Naglingniq is donating the earnings from his first carved polar bear to Inuksuk High School as a way of saying thanks. The 19-year-old carver hopes to make a career of his passion. - Stewart Burnett/NNSL photo |
"I was getting a lot of support from the high school," said Naglingniq, now 19.
A student of the year award especially made him emotional and inspired him to donate the sale of his first polar bear carving back to Inuksuk High School.
"I'm going to sell it for them and whatever amount I get will go straight to the high school," he said, hoping that it could help toward a special need of the school or assistance to a program.
The soapstone carving is his first polar bear, although he's experienced with inukshuks and other designs. It took him almost a full month of working every morning on it.
"This is my first polar bear," said Naglingniq, running his fingers along his design.
"I always wanted to make something different, like an animal, so I made my first shot of a polar bear and it turned out pretty good."
His tools of the trade were a grinder, files, a dremel, sandpaper, shoe polish and of course the rough soapstone.
"It took me a while to look at the stone and wonder where the head would be or the body would be," said Naglingniq. "Especially with the bottom part, you have to be really careful with the details."
He learned as a child from watching his brother, and he wants to make a life of teaching other people how to carve.
"My dreams are to run my own business as a caving program and teach young children or youth who want to learn how to carve," he said. "I want to inspire young youth who would like to learn more about carving when they grow up, because it's possible to carve when you're young, just like I did with my brother."
Out of the profit he gains from selling his carvings, he wants to buy more soapstone to make more art.
He hopes to try out some new animal designs in the new year and has a bunch of new tools due for delivery soon.
Teaching youth how to carve is very important to Naglingniq.
"I'd just like to teach young youth that it's possible to make a sculpture when you're young and you'll have more hopes and dreams when you grow up."
