Description
Jamasie Teevee
Kinngait (Cape Dorset), Nunavut
1910–1985
Jamasie Teevee was an influential early artist associated with the print program in Kinngait. Active during the formative decades of Inuit printmaking, he is known for confident, boldly structured compositions that translate northern life into strong graphic form.
His imagery frequently depicts animals, hunting scenes, and aspects of camp life, rendered with clarity and purposeful simplification. Figures and creatures are defined by decisive outlines and solid shapes, giving his work visual weight and stability. Rather than intricate detail, Teevee emphasized overall composition—how forms balance across the page and how negative space reinforces structure.
Working in the early period of the Cape Dorset print program, Teevee contributed to establishing the direct, legible visual language that became a hallmark of Kinngait graphics. His drawings adapted effectively to stonecut and stencil processes, resulting in prints that retain both strength and immediacy decades after their creation.
As part of the foundational generation of Cape Dorset artists, Jamasie Teevee’s work carries historical importance within the development of Inuit printmaking. Prints from this period are especially valued for their role in shaping the identity of the studio and for their enduring compositional authority, contributing to their sustained collector interest and strong market presence.
