While there are a handful of Inuit artists who have risen to prominence on the world stage, there are countless journeyman carvers whose names are known to the trade, but who languish in relative obscurity. Elee Simigak is one such artist. His works are of high calibre, always well carved and expertly finished. This striking seal is a testament to his skill as a craftsman. Interestingly, despite their importance as a food source, seals are somehow less “important” subjects in an Inuit artist’s repertoire, and thus are usually carved in smaller formats, with larger stones reserved for either walrus or bears. Whether polar bears and walrus are more important because they are far more dangerous to Inuit hunters, or because they command more money, is subject to debate.

We sense that Simigak understood that this piece of stone had such beauty that a “less is more” approach was called for. The delicately carved tail flippers and the lovely face attest to Simigak’s skill as a carver, and the basking pose, exposing maximum surface area, also attests to his restraint. It strikes us that both seal and stone are equally important in putting food on the table!