Description
Gorgeous new print from the 2023 Dorset Print Collection: Alluq (Seal Breathing Hole) by Matthew Flaherty
Mathew Flaherty was born in Iqaluit on February 13th, 1998. His father, Nick Cooper, was a maintainer for the federal government and a construction worker. His mother is Lizzie Flaherty originally from Grise Fiord. Lizzie is the daughter of Renee Flaherty, one of the Inuit who were relocated to the high Arctic from Northern Quebec in the 1950’s-60’s. Robert Flaherty is Mathew’s great grandfather who is the master storyteller and filmmaker of Nanook of the North – https://vimeo.com/42775802. Robert Flaherty married an Inuk from Northern Quebec. His great grandparents on the other side are Kingmeata and Etidloie Etidloie, both talented artists who displayed their talents using printmaking, watercolours, acrylics, coloured pencils, felt pens and carving stone – https://www.dorsetfinearts.com/kingmeata-etidlooie.
Mathew’s parents separated when he was 3. He lived with his mother until he was 4 and then moved in with his father. Mathew’s father, Nick, started carving wood carvings when he was a child and when he returned to Iqaluit he started making stone carvings. Nick used to make larger pieces like birds and musk ox. Matthew made his first carving when he was 7. His Dad was carving a bird but the soapstone was fractured and the piece was getting smaller. Mathew took it and made a walking polar bear carving that he gave to his mother.
In high school, Mathew studied jewelry making.
When Mathew was 18, he started carving more seriously. He moved to Kinngait (Cape Dorset) when he was 20 where he lived with and apprenticed under his grandfather Etulu Etidloie. Etulu made pencil drawings of foxes and encouraged Mathew to carve foxes. Etulu taught him how to carve geese, loons, fox and wolf carvings Atsiaq Alashua, the grandfather of his ex-girlfriend, taught him how to do details on the wolf carvings. Atsiaq Alashua encouraged him to make the legs thin and include muscles and joints. Sometimes Matthew carves wolves with thicker legs because the thinner legs are fragile. Mathew has also carved with Parr Parr. Mathew likes carving realistically detailed animals and birds. He also carves bears and has carved mermaids that have a lot of details.
Print will be shipped from The Netherlands through Canuit Inuit Art. Contact [email protected] for a shipping quote.
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