Ettusa Kingwatsiaq

Ettusa Kingwatsiaq (1987) is an emerging graphic artist from Kinngait, NU. Kingwatsiaq is related to several talented artists, including her grandparents Iyola Kingwatsiaq, Ohotaq Mikkigak and Qaunak Mikkitak [1]. Kingwatsiaq attended Nunavut Arctic College where she studied jewellery-making techniques, among other subjects. She graduated from Nunavut Arctic College in 2010. Kingwatsiaq began creating graphic art at the Kinngait Studios around 2012 to 2013 inspired by the work of Nicotye Samayualie, a prominent graphic artist in Kinngait. In particular, Kingwatsiaq admired Samayualie’s print Rabbit (n.d.), as rabbits are the former’s favourite animal [2]. This affection is reflected in Kingwatsiaq’s etching and aquatint print titled Hop (2015). The print features the profile of an arctic hare, highlighted by light turquoise tones. Hop appeared in the Cape Dorset Annual Print Collection in 2015 alongside Nicotye Samayualie’s works, and is the first occasion of Kingwatsiaq’s inclusion in the collection [3].