Our Makers

Master carver George Arlook was born in 1949 in Winnipeg and spent his early childhood in Eskimo Point (now called Arviat). His father, Sevuoi Aiyarani, was also a carver. He has traveled extensively and has lived and worked in Rankin Inlet, Baker Lake, Chesterfield Inlet, Winnipeg, and Churchill.

Arlook began to teach himself how to carve at the age of nine, and sold his first piece for 75 cents in 1960. By 1968, he was becoming known as a very talented and original artist.

Arlook often works in abstract expression. He likes to groups figures together to form abstracted compositions of gently curving, rythmic forms. This form of expression is characteristic of the great master carvers, John Tiktak, John Pangnark and John Kavik, all of whom exercised considerable influence over Arlook as he learned from them as a young carver in Rankin Inlet.