IQALUIT
Arts festivals introduced Mathew Nuqingaq to other Northern artists when he was a beginning jeweler - he graduated from the Nunavut Arctic College jewelry program in 1999.

Part of the original team that created the Nunavut mace when the territory formed in 1999, jeweler Mathew Nuqingaq is occasionally asked to perform some conservation duties. - photo courtesy of Mathew Nuqingaq

"Those were the years when there were hundreds of us in Inuvik (at the Great Northern Arts Festival). That's what really inspired me, meeting all these artists," said Nuqingaq, who is also a drumdancer, photographer and carver, husband and father of two.

Though he was an elementary-school teacher prior to becoming a jeweler, he never really took to teaching in the jewelry program at Nunavut Arctic College.

"They thought I'd be a perfect teacher, because I was a teacher by trade. I taught when I first graduated. But by the time you're done teaching, then dinner, and you're thinking of going in to do some work . you're too tired by then," said Nuqingaq.

So he went for it - threw himself into his art.

"I didn't know any better. I was loving it so much. It was so satisfying."

That satisfaction isn't reserved for the artist alone. As curator Lynn Feasey has noted, "Mathew's work has both a national and international following. His craftsmanship is exquisite, his originality is dazzling and most often, amusing. There is evidence of play in each and every piece of work he creates."

In 2007, Nuqingaq, originally from Qikiqtarjuaq, bought a small 512-square-foot house in Iqaluit to use as a studio and, with a couple of fellow artists, gutted the place and fixed it up with mostly recycled stuff from the dump.

"I needed a place to totally get out, have the music loud," he said.

Ten years later, Dan Wade and Barb Akoak - also jewelry program graduates - have workbenches in the space alongside his. A fourth newly-graduated jeweler will soon join them.

"I help a little, mentoring. Give them a little bit of a break on the rent at the beginning, until they start standing on their own," said Nuqingaq, adding there have been others over the years. "I wouldn't mind adding more benches."

Nuqingaq sells production pieces, as well as unique pieces. Production pieces, such as the iconic silver antler earrings, are cast and created in multiples in Toronto.

"We want to be able to do that because, with the galleries, it's getting harder to keep up. These galleries, they used to buy just a few, but now because they sell more they've started to buy 'whatever you have,'" he said.

Between dozens of galleries and unique sale events, "the only thing holding us back is we don't have enough."

He says it used to be about just being an artist, but slowly the business side is growing and more attention will have to be given to bookkeeping. He's pleased with that, because Northerners are such consumers of items from the south it's time the flow goes in the other direction.

Currently Nuqingaq is working on a show for next winter in Toronto. The theme is snow goggles. He's been working on different designs, some of which can be seen on his Facebook page.

"The ideas keep popping up. I have a big list now. Bigger pieces and fancy stands. There are so many ideas right now."

But before that winter show comes another sort of show - Nuqingaq learned in December he was named to the Order of Canada. The induction takes place in August.

Aayuraa Studio is where Nuqingaq can be found every day but Sunday, from 9 to 5.

"I love coming here," Nuqingaq says of the studio. "I look forward to it."