Toonoo Tunnillie (1920–1969) was an Inuit artist and the father of notable artist Oviloo Tunnillie. [1]
Toonoo was the youngest of five children, many of whom passed away at a young age. [2] Little is known about his teenage years, however by the late 1950s he was earning a living as a well-respected carver primarily selling to fur traders in the Cape Dorset area. [2] He became one of the earliest Inuit artists to achieve prominence for his sculpture outside of the Canadian North. [2]
Tunnillie was a major influence on his daughter Oviloo, inspiring her own interest in carving. [2] Following the birth of his children, Toonoo supported his family through carving primarily serpentinite stone. [2] In 1959, he was hospitalized in Southern Canada for nearly a year, for unknown reasons. [2] In 1966, Toonoo sold his daughter's work through a Hudson's Bay Company trading post several kilometer's away from the family's home, marking the start of her formal artistic career. [2]
Tunnillie's wife Sheojuke was also an artist, known for printmaking. [1] [3]
During a hunting trip in 1969 with his brother-in-law Mikkigak Kingwatsiak, Toonoo perished in what was believed to be a hunting accident, but later revealed to be murder. [2] [1]
Toonoo Tunnillie (1920–1969) was an Inuit artist and the father of notable artist Oviloo Tunnillie. [1]
Toonoo was the youngest of five children, many of whom passed away at a young age. [2] Little is known about his teenage years, however by the late 1950s he was earning a living as a well-respected carver primarily selling to fur traders in the Cape Dorset area. [2] He became one of the earliest Inuit artists to achieve prominence for his sculpture outside of the Canadian North. [2]
Tunnillie was a major influence on his daughter Oviloo, inspiring her own interest in carving. [2] Following the birth of his children, Toonoo supported his family through carving primarily serpentinite stone. [2] In 1959, he was hospitalized in Southern Canada for nearly a year, for unknown reasons. [2] In 1966, Toonoo sold his daughter's work through a Hudson's Bay Company trading post several kilometer's away from the family's home, marking the start of her formal artistic career. [2]
Tunnillie's wife Sheojuke was also an artist, known for printmaking. [1] [3]
During a hunting trip in 1969 with his brother-in-law Mikkigak Kingwatsiak, Toonoo perished in what was believed to be a hunting accident, but later revealed to be murder. [2] [1]