Andrew Qappik is a celebrated printmaker and graphic artist with a notable career of highlights. By the age of 14, Andrew had 5 prints in the Pangnirtung Print Collection, and continued developing his craft as a master printer in stonecut, stencil, etching, and lithography techniques. He was made a Member of the Order of Canada in 2017 for his contribution to the design of the Nunavut coat of arms, as well as the creation of the Government of Nunavut and the Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated logos. In 2018 his eye for detail was commissioned by the Royal Canadian Mint to design Nunavut’s 20th anniversary gold coin, which featured a few familiar faces from Andrew’s catalogue of works, including a walrus, beluga, and a serenely calm polar bear.

Many of Andrew’s works feature arctic wildlife, for which he has a fondness for more realistic scenes. Here, we are treated to a Polar Bear, seated and watching over a cub while on the tundra. What easily could have been a banal scene of white on white has been treated with a subtle wash of colours to delineate the mountains behind the bears, and the subtle yellow tinge of the bears themselves. Paw prints and negative space in the snow takes on a dark blue hue, adding life to the blank space. The adult bear almost looks friendly with a small smile and smaller claws dotted against the lighter fur, painting a delightful sense of calm across the work.