Artist’s Legal Name: Leona Mary Iqalujuak 

Artist lives in: Clyde River, NU

Community artist is from:  Clyde River, NU

Categories of art practiced: Amauti Making; Parka Making; Mitt Making; Slipper Making; Tent Making; Crochet Hats; Beaded Jewelry; Earrings: Keychains

Preferred materials & Subjects: Beading as Jewelry; Leather for Mitts and Slippers; Sealskin for Mitts; Yarns for Hats; Commander for Parkas and Amautis

Year of Birth: 1986

Artist’s background: Leona grew up in the community of Clyde River. She had always watched her grandmother sew and bead when she was little and got interested in beading as she got older. After Leona’s grandmother passed away, she started to teach herself how to bead. She learned the basics of sewing in school, and then learned how to sew amauti’s and parka’s from elders in the community. Some days it is her only income to support her family because Clyde River is such a small community with not many job opportunities in town. Leona likes to work on her projects following how the season is. For instance, she likes to make beaded jewelry during the summer, crochet hats and sew mitts for the fall and sew parkas and amautis for the winter.

Arist’s Involvement with Traditional Inuit Cultre: Inuktitut Language; Sewing

Notes/Comments: “Don’t just stop what you are doing, just carry on. It might be a bad start but  if you keep working on it, it will turn out beautiful. Don’t give up on what you’re doing.”