Paul Toolooktook (1947—2003) was a carver based in Qamani’tuaq (Baker Lake) born into an artistic family, and was inspired by his mother, Martha Aptanik who was also an avid carver as well as printmaker.

Toolooktook was involved with the Uyaraqtaqtiit artists’ association during the mid 1990s, where he further developed his identity and aesthetic as an artist. He’s known for his carvings from basalt stone that frequently depict the relationships between humans and animals, such as the iconic Inuit hunter subject. Common in his work are also the shamanic and mythological themes of Inuit culture, representing Sedna, the goddess of the sea, or transformations, which are understood as spiritual metamorphosis, featuring both human and animal characteristics.

Toolooktook’s has demonstrated his carvings in numerous national and international exhibitions and galleries between 1965 and 2001, which include the Art Gallery of Ontario in Toronto, the Marion Scott Gallery in Vancouver, BC and Bayly Art Museum at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, VA.