Pitaloosie was born in 1942 on the southwest coast of Baffin Island near what is now the community of Cape Dorset. She spent her childhood years in various hospitals in Quebec and Ontario for treatment of tuberculosis. She learned English during this time, and recalls the difficulty she experienced in relearning her native language upon her return to Baffin Island in 1957. She is now one of the few of her generation who speak both English and Inuktitut fluently.

Pitalossie began drawing in the early 1960’s, and quickly established herself as a versatile and intelligent graphic artist. Pitaloosie has treated a wide range of themes and has developed personal styles that range from pure realism to formal/abstract...