NWT Arts

John hunted all his life. When he stayed at his cabin in the bush, he carved to pass the time. He carved from many different materials – soapstone, any kind of wood, muskox horn, caribou bone and even moose ankles. He also made tools for scraping hides and carved different pictures that he saw around him on the land and in his community. He was inspired by what he saw in nature and worked hard to carve it just right.

John made art that tells stories like the medicine man working on a man sleeping. He also made drummers. The soapstone holds the round drum and it looks real. John carved animals of all kinds even ducks, geese and swans. He especially liked carving loons. He also mase carvings of dog teams, sleds and toboggans.