Ujarak Appadoo

Ujarak Appadoo
Courtesy the Artist

Biography

Ujarak Appadoo has been sewing since her childhood, but did not begin her own business, Amautiga, until the fall of 2016 following the birth of her first child. After creating her own amaaruti, Aujaq amaut and ukiuq amaut garments and carriers, she realized that she could also begin to create for other mothers. 

“I wore [my panik] exclusively in my amaaruti for the first two months,” she says of the initial inspiration for beginning Amuatiga, “I was complimented on the amaaruti and realized that other moms could benefit from the amazing carrier. I could contribute in a small way and bring joy to other moms by giving them a garment they could carry their little ones in.” [1]

Appadoo designs or alters many of her own patterns, but much of what she sews, such as the amauti pattern, has been passed down through generations. Originally from Arviat, NU, but now based in Montreal, QC, she sources her materials either from her hometown or from fabric stores in the south.

Although she initially sold her work through Etsy, Facebook or Instagram, in 2021 she launched a website for Amautiga and took on another seamstress, Gabai Kaludjuak, to help produce more pieces. What initially began as a custom, sew-to-order business has now shifted to a series of monthly collection drops, each with a different inspiration or theme running throughout. 

“I’m still learning, I don’t fancy myself as an expert,” she says, “But saying that doesn’t diminish my time and the skills that I put into my pieces. I’m a mom of two and recognize that time is precious. Patience is a huge part of my work.” [2]



This Profile was made possible through support from RBC Emerging Artists. 
 

Artist Work

About Ujarak Appadoo

Medium:

Graphic Arts, Textile

Artistic Community:

Arviat, Nunavut, Inuit Nunangat

Date of Birth:

Artists may have multiple birth years listed as a result of when and where they were born. For example, an artist born in the early twentieth century in a camp outside of a community centre may not know/have known their exact date of birth and identified different years.

1992

Edit History

February 11, 2020 Profile edited by Ujarak Appadoo