Jimmy Inaruli Arnamissak (1946-2003) was born in Cape Smith and later resided in Akulivik and Puvirnituq. In 1985, he moved to Inukjuak. He has explained the beginning of his carving activities: “When the co-op was built in 1959, I started to learn how to carve from another artist. I was between the ages of 12 and 14. Because I had no father, I had to think of some way to earn money. By watching and learning from other Inuit who were carving, I started to make carvings too and I’ve been doing it since then.” The co-op Arnamissak is referring to is in Puvirnituq, where he then lived. Arnamissak vignettes of daily life have a high degree of detail and lively sense of motion. They often include several people and animals, placed on flat, oblong bases.

Arnamissak’s work has been included in group exhibitions since 1966, in Canada and around the world. He has had solo exhibitions in Stratford, Ontario, and in Toronto. In 1986, his work was included in an exhibition of Inuit and African shown in Kissi, Kenya. In August, he was invited to work in the Kenyan village of Tabacca as part of a cross-cultural study of artistic skills and marketing strategies sponsored by the International Development Research Centre, Ottawa.