Kenneally, Siassie

SIASSIE KENNEALLY

1969-

I was always interested in art because it’s pretty interesting and there’s so many things to learn and so many things to see and so many things to know…and not just the art – the history of it is very interesting. -Siassie Kenneally

Siassie Kenneally was born on May 29, 1969. She comes from a family of notable Cape Dorset artists. Her mother Mayoreak Ashoona has been a mainstay of the Cape Dorset annual print collection for many years and her father was the renowned sculptor, Kaka Ashoona.. Her two cousins, Annie Pootoogook and Shuvinai Ashoona are well known contemporary artists. The three cousins have shown together on occasion.
Siassie began drawing at the Kinngait Studios in the early 2000’s. Her striking iridescent print, ‘Fish Tails’ from the 2008 spring collection was a hugely admired etching/aquatint and she has displayed a remarkable faculty with the medium of oil stick on paper.

Siassie tends to work on a large scale and her drawings are characterized by an intimate and contemporary approach to the depiction of traditional lifestyles.