During the 1960s and 1970s, artists across the Eastern Canadian Arctic experimented with whale bone as a sculptural material, inspired by its rich texture and organic contours. Although the practice waned as regulations tightened and aesthetic preferences evolved, carvings such as this one preserve the inventive spirit of that era, characterized by adaptability, sensitivity to material, and a deep connection to the northern landscape.

In Resting Caribou Calf, the artist has skillfully followed the natural form of the dense whale bone while refining it to portray a kneeling young caribou with remarkable anatomical precision. The small antler buds hint at its youth, while the large inlaid black eyes convey a soft, trusting expression. The result is tender and disarming, a gentle vision of life momentarily at ease within the vastness of the Arctic tundra.