Johnny Inukpuk (1911-2007) is one of the best-known of all the “early masters,” as he began creating sculptures on an impressive scale as early as 1951. He had a long and continuously productive carving career stretching until his death in 2007. By the mid-1950s many of his larger works were typified by voluptuous, rounded volumes. In the 1960s, he produced perhaps his greatest work. His mostly female subjects are notable for their unusually large heads and hands. They are modelled on his second wife, Mary, whose hare lip was often recreated in her husband’s female images. The female figures perform daily chores and tend to infants or young children. His sculptures have been exhibited and illustrated extensively over the years. In 1978, Inukpuk was elected a member of the Royal Canadian Academy of Artists. His frequent radio appearances were a vibrant part of daily life in Inukjuak.