Isaac Oqutaq

Cape Dorset

Isaac Ohotaq was born in 1957 in Tikiraq, Nunavut. Tikiraq is a beautiful community near Cape Dorset, where spring animals and marine life are plentiful.

Like many of the carvers from the Cape Dorset region, Isaac comes from a family of stone carvers. He learned how to carve from his father, Enookie Oqutaq, and would often accompany his uncle, Quvianatuliak Tapaungai, on trips to the quarries to mine soapstone. When he was seventeen, Isaac began carving his own sculptures as a way to make money when he was unable to find a job.

Isaac takes pride in doing all of the work on his sculptures, including the sanding and polishing. He primarily works with soapstone and marble, but will use Caribou antler for the base of his sculpture when carving a pod of Whales. Isaac sources his soapstone from a variety of different quarries, as each location yields its own uniquely colored stone.