Fishing with Kakivak

Elsie Klengenberg (born 1946) is an Inuit graphic artist, printmaker, and illustrator based in Ulukhaktok (formerly Holman), Northwest Territories. Born in the region, she belongs to a notable family of northern creators and is the daughter of Victor Allen, a community leader and advocate. Klengenberg began her formal artistic career in the late 1970s, drawing inspiration from traditional Inuinnait culture, family stories, and daily life in the Western Arctic.

Her career gained prominence through her long-standing involvement with the Holman Eskimo Co-operative (now the Holman Arts and Crafts Co-op). During the 1980s and 1990s, Klengenberg submitted dozens of original drawings that were selected for reproduction in the annual Holman Print Collections. Her work encompasses stencil, stonecut, and lithographic processes, often realized in collaboration with resident master printers at the co-operative studio.

Klengenberg’s graphic output is characterized by clean line work, narrative clarity, and depictions of Arctic wildlife, traditional clothing, and intergenerational hunting activities. Beyond printmaking, she has contributed illustrations to northern language preservation initiatives and regional educational publications aimed at documenting Inuinnaqtun heritage.

Her prints and original drawings are included in the permanent collections of major public institutions, including the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa, the Winnipeg Art Gallery (WAG-Qaumajuq), and the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre in Yellowknife. She continues to reside in Ulukhaktok, remaining active in her community's cultural preservation.