Inuit Soapstone Carving

What a day! Can you believe that you carved your very own authentic soapstone sculpture? I was impressed by how quickly you learned how to use the file tool to create such a smooth piece of artwork.

The Inuit and their ancestors have been expert carvers for thousands of years. As well as tools and weapons, they carved art objects from bone, ivory and wood. Ancestors of today’s Inuit carved birds, bears and other land and sea mammals, human figures and masks. Most of these objects carved thousands of years ago were very small. Some experts believe that Inuit’s ancestors wore these objects as amulets (charms to keep bad spirits away). Carving in stone and bone is a skill that Inuit have passed on, generation after generation. Most Inuit learn to carve by watching, and then helping an older relative. In Inuit art today, stone is the most popular carving material. Stone is very adaptable. Artists can work it to almost any size and shape. Stone also comes in a variety of colours, from grey and white and black to green and blue-green. Most Inuit sculptors still use small tools like chisels, hatchets and knives to carve. They use files and sandpaper for fine work and finishing. A growing number of artists use power tools as well. Most Inuit sculptors have to work outside, even in wintertime. This is because carving is very dangerous for artists if they breathe in the dust from the stone.