DaVic Gallery of Native Canadian Arts, Coquitlam, BC (2026)

09/05/2026

'Saturday Night at the Iqaluit Bar' by Shuvinai Ashoona and Padloo Samayualie (2025)
Coloured Pencil Drawing on paper
Paper (H x W): 30 x 23 in

This drawing is pure fun and full of great Northern humor. The scene takes place right outside the “Iqaluit Bar” after closing time. A local man, still holding his bottle, is standing arm-in-arm with a massive polar bear who is casually dressed in a t-shirt and patterned shorts. The party doesn’t stop there—a giant mosquito in a tank top is chugging from a bottle behind them, and a tiny rabbit in a pink outfit is stumbling through the snow leaving a trail of footprints. Scattered cans, snack wrappers, and trash bags tell the whole story of their long night out.

This piece shows off a fantastic team effort between Shuvinai Ashoona and Padloo Samayualie. Shuvinai brought her legendary, laugh-out-loud imagination to life by turning Arctic animals into a crew of party-goers. Meanwhile, Padloo keeps the scene grounded with crisp, clean details on the bar building and the heavy truck tire in the background.

The real magic here is the expressions—especially the polar bear’s slightly dazed, cross-eyed look. It is a brilliant, lighthearted look at a wild weekend night in the city. If you love Inuit art that has a great sense of humor, tells a memorable story, and instantly makes people smile, this drawing is an absolute gem for a collection.

https://nativecanadianarts.com/gallery/saturday-night-at-the-iqaluit-bar/

09/04/2026

Untitled (Family in Kinngait) by by Shuvinai Ashoona and Padloo Samayualie (2025)
Coloured Pencil Drawing on paper
Paper (H x W): 15 x 11 ¼ in

This drawing captures a moment of everyday life in Kinngait — a family of three standing close together against the backdrop of their community. The mother, father, and child are warmly dressed, their faces softly illuminated against the dark paper. Behind them, small wooden houses line the shore, and the calm water reflects the muted light of an Arctic morning.

Shuvinai Ashoona and Padloo Samayualie combine their strengths beautifully here: Ashoona’s expressive figures and Samayualie’s careful architectural detailing create a scene that feels both personal and familiar. The use of black paper adds depth and contrast, making the bright clothing and outlines glow with life.

https://nativecanadianarts.com/gallery/family-in-kinngait/

09/03/2026

Untitled (A Visit) by by Shuvinai Ashoona and Padloo Samayualie (2024)
Coloured Pencil Drawing on paper
Paper (H x W): 23 x 30 in

Before this quiet afternoon gathering took place, a long-standing tradition of community visiting had already shaped the daily rhythm of life in the North. In small, close-knit Arctic communities, stepping into a friend’s house to share warmth, fresh tea, and conversation is a core part of staying connected. This drawing documents that comforting routine with a beautiful milestone added: a visitor has arrived to sit with a mother and welcome a newborn baby into the community, turning an ordinary afternoon into a quiet celebration of new life.

In ‘A Visit,’ Shuvinai Ashoona and Padloo Samayualie join forces to create an intimate and peaceful home scene. The drawing shows two women sitting side-by-side on a light-colored sofa. The mother, wrapped in a large white packing parka, holds her tiny, swaddled newborn close to her chest, while her friend sits attentively beside her in a soft teal coat and plaid trousers. Across the room, a simple wooden table is carefully laid out with a steaming teapot, cups, and a plate of biscuits, waiting for their shared conversation to begin.

https://nativecanadianarts.com/gallery/a-visit/

09/02/2026

'Waiting for a Delivery for a Brand New Born Baby' by Shuvinai Ashoona (2025)
Coloured Pencil Drawing on paper
Paper (H x W): 25 x 38 in

I love this piece. Shuvinai Ashoona captures a domestic milestone that feels both ordinary and sacred, organizing the physical space to reveal how a community protects the delicate arrival of new life.

The composition unfolds in two distinct worlds within a single room. On the left side, ten family members—six adults and four children—stand tightly huddled together on a warm, soft-peach circular floor mat. This group of protective elders in heavy parkas and curious children in vibrant winter gear stands shoulder-to-shoulder, their eyes cast forward in expectant, joyful patience. Within the narrative landscape of the piece, this circular rug functions almost like a magical hearthstone; the family gathers there, keeping their feet on the ring as if their collective warmth could travel across the floorboards to shield the room’s eastern corner from the outside chill.

Across the wide expanse of the light-yellow room, positioned entirely separate on the bare floor to the right, sits a woman on a simple wooden chair. Cradled securely in her lap is a tiny infant, wrapped snugly inside a heavy winter parka as if it had been delivered straight out of a dream. At the mother’s feet, a young child sits quietly on the floor, acting as a tiny, silent sentry guarding the transition between being the baby of the house and becoming an older sibling.

https://nativecanadianarts.com/gallery/waiting-for-a-delivery-for-a-brand-new-born-baby/

09/01/2026

Untitled (Travellers) by Shuvinai Ashoona (2025)
Coloured Pencil Drawing on paper
Paper (H x W): 30 x 22 ¼ in

The subtitle ‘Travellers’ perfectly captures the spirit of this composition. Shuvinai Ashoona’s drawing unfolds across a stunning celestial landscape where human forms and planetary spheres seamlessly merge.

Far out on the green-crusted ridges of the edge-worlds, gravity doesn’t pull you down—it pulls you together.

The journey began with Earth-Walker, a ancient being whose belly carried the maps of continents and whose single flipper kept her anchored to the shifting cosmic tides. She was the Keeper of the Five Moons, balancing a vertical spine of micro-planets perfectly upon her brow like a stack of nesting eggs, keeping them safe under the watchful gaze of a great floating world overhead.

But keeping worlds aligned is lonely work, and space is terribly wide. So, Earth-Walker reached out a hand.

https://nativecanadianarts.com/gallery/travellers/

08/31/2026

Tasiuzaq Juak by Shuvinai Ashoona (2025)
Coloured Pencil Drawing on paper
Paper (H x W): 30 x 23 in

This piece is a fantastic window into Shuvinai Ashoona’s completely unique, surreal world view. Looking at the front of the drawing, a massive white rabbit with bright green eyes walks hand-in-hand with a person dressed in a blue winter parka and green pants. Behind them, massive white egg-like shapes or footprints drift into the background.

The most fascinating part of this drawing is the cluster of signs the rabbit is holding. Instead of typical protest slogans, Shuvinai has filled them with mysterious, overlapping thoughts. The largest sign reads “ALIEN FLIES,” while the smaller ones include phrases like “DIED ATTACKED DEAD ONE PARR,” “SKELETON ONLY,” and “ANAQ OR ONLY HEAVEN AND HELL ONLY,” mixed alongside neat lines of Inuktitut syllabics.

Adding to the mystery is the artist’s handwritten pencil note written directly on the back of the paper, which reads: “Going BACK and Forth to Tasiuzaq juak like back to school to from Tasiuzaq jua.” Tasiujaq (often referring to a glassy, lake-like bay) sets a specific sense of place, while the comparison to a school routine adds a beautifully nostalgic, everyday rhythm to a completely fantastical journey.

https://nativecanadianarts.com/gallery/tasiuzaq-juak/

08/29/2026

Paungat (Berries) by Shuvinai Ashoona (2025)
Coloured Pencil Drawing on paper
Paper (H x W): 25 x 38 in

We chose the subtitle ‘Paungat (Berries)’ for this untitled drawing because Shuvinai Ashoona has created a beautiful visual puzzle here. When you first look at the page, it looks like a winding network of branches, roots, and little plants growing across the tundra. But look closer, and you will see that every single rounded “berry” on these stems is actually a human face!

Shuvinai’s wild imagination loves to play games like this—taking something from nature and turning it into a person. The faces are drawn with simple, clean lines in blues, reds, and greys, and each one has its own unique expression. Some look happy, some look thoughtful, and others look right out at you. It is as if she looked at a patch of wild summer berries and immediately imagined a whole village of people growing together from the same roots.

In the North, gathering berries is an important, happy time when families go out on the land together. This artwork captures that cozy feeling of community and growth perfectly. It reminds us that we are all connected, like berries on a single vine. It is a wonderfully fun, friendly, and imaginative drawing that will bring a lot of life and conversation to any room.

https://nativecanadianarts.com/gallery/paungat-berries/

08/28/2026

'Betty and Violet' by Shuvinai Ashoona (2025)
Coloured Pencil Drawing on paper
Paper (H x W): 25 ¼ x 6 ¾ in

This drawing carries both visual and historical resonance. The inscription on the reverse — ‘Betty and Violet 1960–1970’s inside a grey nursing station’ — situates the work within a specific moment of Arctic social history, when nursing stations served as vital community centers across the North. The term ‘grey nursing station’ likely refers to the utilitarian prefabricated buildings used during that era, often painted in neutral tones and serving as hubs for medical care and social interaction.

In the composition, Ashoona presents two women — Betty and Violet — standing close together, their names embroidered on their jackets. The date ‘1967’ on Betty’s hat anchors the scene in time, while the bright clothing and attentive expressions convey dignity and quiet strength. The vertical format emphasizes their presence, turning an everyday setting into a portrait of resilience and companionship.

https://nativecanadianarts.com/gallery/betty-and-violet/

08/27/2026

Untitled (At Tasirtuq Tupik Hotel) by Shuvinai Ashoona (2025)
Coloured Pencil Drawing on paper
Paper (H x W): 38 X 25 in

Before stepping into the fantastical world shown here, it helps to understand how effortlessly Shuvinai Ashoona blends traditional Arctic life with brilliant, dreamlike imagination. A tupik is a traditional Inuit summer tent made of sealskin or canvas, built to welcome the return of warmer weather. By calling this cozy shelter a ‘hotel,’ Ashoona injects her signature modern wit into the scene, playfully comparing a classic seasonal camp to a bustling modern-day lodge where travelers from all walks of life come together to rest.

In ‘At Tasirtuq Tupik Hotel,’ Ashoona gives us a rare look at a truly extraordinary family gathering. The large vertical composition centers on a smiling human woman wearing a beautifully detailed floral headscarf, standing proudly alongside her walrus husband. At her feet, their small infant walrus child sports a bright blue parka, leaning down to gently pet a rabbit that is delightfully dressed in its own human winter clothing. The entire group is brought together inside the golden interior of the tent, bathed in a warm summer glow that makes the scene feel incredibly safe and inviting.

The real magic of this original drawing comes from Ashoona’s unmatched ability to show deep family love across different species. While the subject is wonderfully strange and surreal, the emotions feel completely real and grounded.

A compelling original work by one of Kinngait's most celebrated contemporary artists.

https://nativecanadianarts.com/gallery/at-tasirtuq-tupik-hotel/

08/26/2026

Untitled (A Nice Surprise) by Shuvinai Ashoona (2025)
Coloured Pencil Drawing on paper
23 x 15 in

Before this happy moment at the doorstep, the father likely spent hours out on the land or returning from a trip, carrying something special back for his family. In the cold climate of the Arctic, the return of a family member is always a moment of relief and connection. Here, Ashoona skips the vast landscapes to focus entirely on the tight-knit bond of the home, catching the exact second a father surprises his family, and everyone steps out to see what he has brought.

In ‘A Nice Surprise,’ Shuvinai Ashoona gives us a close-up look at the true warmth of everyday life in Cape Dorset. The drawing features a family of four bundled up in their winter gear, their faces alive with genuine curiosity and happiness. The mother leans forward in her purple parka, her green-gloved hands raised in excitement, while the father stands right behind her with a wide, proud smile. Next to them, the children peek forward in their bright red and blue coats, adding a wonderful sense of life and movement to the close family group.

A compelling original work by one of Kinngait's most celebrated contemporary artists.

https://nativecanadianarts.com/gallery/a-nice-surprise/

DaVic Gallery of Native Canadian Arts

09/05/2026

09/04/2026

09/03/2026

09/02/2026

09/01/2026

08/31/2026

08/29/2026

08/28/2026

08/27/2026

08/26/2026

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