Kenojuak Ashevak, at the age of seventy-eight, accepted a commission to design a stained-glass chapel window at Appleby College in Oakville, Ontario, a first for an Inuit artist. The image, spread across the three window openings, is a flowing composition of an owl and a fish amidst a swirling cacophony of flowers and shapes in deep rich colours. This drawing is stylistically reminiscent of the fish in that commission, while also following in a long line of depictions of fish in the artist’s work. Kenojuak once said that her favourite bible story was the parable of the loaves and fishes which multiplied to feed everyone, something that would resonate with this first generation of Inuit artists who often faced starvation. This luscious drawing features a fish in a circular composition. The artist’s signature intricate and detailed strokes of ink add a dynamic quality and contrast with the brilliant colours, echoing the brightly coloured underbelly of an arctic char.

References: For an introduction to the life and work of Kenojuak, see Jean Blodgett, Kenojuak, (Toronto: Mintmark Press Ltd., 1985), p. 36ff for a discussion of her drawings. For other drawings by the artist, see Marion Jackson & Judith Nasby, Contemporary Inuit Drawings, (Guelph, ON: Macdonald Stewart Art Centre, 1987. ‎For a discussion on Kenojuak's early prints and drawings, see Dorothy LaBarge, From Drawing to Print: Perception and Process in Cape Dorset Art, (Calgary: Glenbow Museum, 1986).

For a discussion of the Appleby College stained glass, see Brenda Still, “College chapel window is a first in Inuit art world,” Anglican Journal, n.d., https://www.anglicanjournal.com/college-chapel-window-is-a-first-in-inuit-art-world-2257/