Like his brothers Osuitok Ipeelie and Sheokjuk Oqutaq, Innuki was a supremely gifted artist. Whereas his siblings are best known for their works in sculpture, Innuki (also Enooky) was primarily a scrimshander. The technique of scrimshaw is very exacting. The surface to be decorated must be sanded smooth to prepare it for the etched designs. Then ink or graphite (or lampblack) is rubbed across the surface and penetrates the etched areas. There is literally no margin for error. Interestingly, despite his mastery of line, Innuki only produced three graphic works at the Kinngait printshop, one each in the years 1968, 1969, & 1970.

In the realm of Inuit scrimshaw work (at least in the Canadian Arctic) the only other artist who could compete with Innuki was Davidee Itulu from Kimmirut (Lake Harbour). Itulu preferred to work on walrus tusks, smoothing out surface irregularities to achieve a perfect “canvas.” Innuki, however, generally preferred caribou antler. Taking advantage of its natural shapes, he carefully and creatively faceted the antler into a multitude of planar surfaces; each might feature a variety of designs drawn from traditional Inuit camp life, clothing, and wildlife. This spectacular example, with its marvelous animal-like shape, is one of the largest and finest that we have seen.

References: For a similarly large example by the artist see Spirit Wrestler Gallery, The Cedar Creek Collection of First Nations Art: Susy and Jack Wadsworth, (Vancouver: Spirit Wrestler Gallery, 2019), pp. 4-5. For his brief foray into printmaking, see Hunters at Floe Edge, 1968 #29, Mask, 1970 #54, and Owl and Nest, 1970 #55. Despite being in colour, his prints harken to his graphic, black and white scrimshaw lines.