The Arctic Experience McNaught Gallery is an art gallery located in Hamilton, Ontario. It specializes in Inuit art

Inuit art

Inuit art refers to artwork produced by Inuit people, that is, the people of the Arctic previously known as Eskimos, a term that is now often considered offensive outside Alaska...

 and Canadian landscape paintings.

History

The Arctic Experience Gallery was established by Marvin and Lorraine Cohen. Born and raised in Hamilton

Hamilton, Ontario

Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...

, Ontario

Ontario

Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....

, the Cohens moved to Baffin Island

Baffin Island

Baffin Island in the Canadian territory of Nunavut is the largest island in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, the largest island in Canada and the fifth largest island in the world. Its area is and its population is about 11,000...

 in the 1970s when Marvin accepted a teaching position in Frobisher Bay

Frobisher Bay

Frobisher Bay is a relatively large inlet of the Labrador Sea in the Qikiqtaaluk Region of Nunavut, Canada. It is located in the southeastern corner of Baffin Island...

. The couple spent five years with the Inuit

Inuit

The Inuit are a group of culturally similar indigenous peoples inhabiting the Arctic regions of Canada , Denmark , Russia and the United States . Inuit means “the people” in the Inuktitut language...

 community there and fell in love with both the people and their art. They returned to Hamilton in the 1980s and opened a gallery in 1983 to showcase the Inuit

Inuit

The Inuit are a group of culturally similar indigenous peoples inhabiting the Arctic regions of Canada , Denmark , Russia and the United States . Inuit means “the people” in the Inuktitut language...

 sculpture they had discovered during their time in Canada's north.

The gallery was originally located on Houston Street in Hamilton. The Cohens moved the gallery to its present location on James Street

James Street

- People :* James Street , American football quarterback* James H. Street , American journalist, Baptist minister, and novelist* James Street , English cricketer and umpire- Places :...

 South in 1993. At that time they entered into a partnership with Janet McNaught. McNaught introduced a collection of Canadian paintings and prints to the gallery.

McNaught grew up in Deep River, Ontario

Deep River, Ontario

Deep River is a town in Renfrew County, Ontario, Canada. Located along the Ottawa River, it lies about north-west of Ottawa on the Trans-Canada Highway...

 and moved to Toronto

Toronto

Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...

 and Burlington

Burlington, Ontario

Burlington , is a city located in Halton Region at the western end of Lake Ontario. Burlington is part of the Greater Toronto Area, and is also included in the Hamilton Census Metropolitan Area. Physically, Burlington lies between the north shore of Lake Ontario and the Niagara Escarpment...

, Ontario

Ontario

Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....

 before attending McMaster University

McMaster University

McMaster University is a public research university whose main campus is located in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The main campus is located on of land in the residential neighbourhood of Westdale, adjacent to Hamilton's Royal Botanical Gardens...

. She had a strong interest in the arts and became involved in Hamiton's arts community. She sat on the Editorial Board for Art Impression Magazine, was Arts and Entertainment Editor for 701.com, and acted as Director of Beckett Gallery from 1981-1993. When Beckett Gallery closed its doors in 1993, Janet decided to open her own gallery.

Sculpture

The Cohens continue to visit Cape Dorset to bring back new sculptures from some of Canada's top Inuit artists, including Pauta Saila

Pauta Saila

Pauta Saila was an Inuit artist from Kilaparutua, Baffin Island, Canada.His works were massive, simplified depictions of Arctic wildlife, and are mainly in soapstone. He resided in Cape Dorset, Nunavut.-References:...

, Kelly Qimirpik, Pudlalik Shaa, and Tukiki Manomie.

Paintings

The McNaught Gallery showcases pieces from Canadian artists who work with landscape and nature motifs. There is a special emphasis on Hamilton-area painters, including Brian Darcy, James Gummerson, Heather Pate, and Gisele Comtois. The gallery also features a number of historical prints, including pieces from George Thompson, Franz Johnston, Ghislain Caron, Frank Panabaker, Frederick Haines, and Major James Wallis.

External links

• The Arctic Experience McNaught Gallery Website
• Arctic Experience McNaught Gallery Facebook
• Museum of Inuit Art
• Pauta Saila in The Canadian Encyclopedia
• Brian Darcy
• James Gummerson
• Heather Pate
• Gisele Comtois

43°15′03.2"N 79°52′17.2"W