Keeleemeeoomee Samualie was born in 1919 on the west coast of Baffin Island, NU. She grew up on the land before moving to Kinngait (Cape Dorset) in 1966 with her second husband. Her childhood memories of a traditional lifestyle influenced her art style. This characteristic style often includes playful depictions of Arctic wildlife, particularly birds. Her distinct personal representations are not meant to be lifelike, instead focusing on flattening the image into two dimensions and adding depth through patterns and texture on the animal’s skin. Samualie was included in a number of Cape Dorset Annual Print Collections between 1969 and 1983.

Samualie comes from an artistic family. Her sisters Tye and Anna were both graphic artists, and her brother Iyola Kingwatsiak was a printmaker and carver. She has also served as an inspiration for the next generation of Kinngait artists, including her granddaughter Nicotye Samualie. Keeleemeeoomee Samualie died in 1983. 

Exhibitions

• Arctic Spirit 35 Years of Canadian Inuit Art, Frye Art Museum
• Building on Strengths: New Inuit Art from the Collection, Winnipeg Art Gallery
• Cape Dorset Graphics *69, (annual collection)
• Cape Dorset Graphics *70, (annual collection)
• Cape Dorset Graphics *72, (annual collection)
• Cape Dorset Graphics *73, (annual collection)
• Cape Dorset Graphics *74, (annual collection)
• Cape Dorset Graphics *75, (annual collection)
• Cape Dorset Graphics *76, (annual collection)
• Cape Dorset Graphics *77, (annual collection)
• Cape Dorset Graphics *78, (annual collection)
• Cape Dorset Graphics *79, (annual collection)
• Cape Dorset Graphics *80, (annual collection)
• Cape Dorset Graphics *81, (annual collection)
• Cape Dorset Graphics *82, (annual collection)
• Cape Dorset Graphics *83, (annual collection)
• Cape Dorset Printmaking 1959-1989, McMichael Canadian Collection
• Cape Dorset Prints and Sculpture, McMaster Art Gallery
• Cape Dorset Prints: 25 Years, Canadian Guild of Crafts Quebec
• Cape Dorset Revisited, McMichael Canadian Art Collection
• Cape Dorset Revisited - a collection of previously unreleased prints, exhibited at selected commercial galleries, organized by, West Baffin Eskimo Co-op
• Chisel and Brush/Le ciseau et la brosse, Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
• Contemporary Inuit Drawings, Muscarelle Museum of Art College of William and Mary
• Dorset: dessins originaux/original drawings, Canadian Guild of Crafts Quebec
• Drawings by Keeleemeeoonee and Kingmeatta of Cape Dorset, Baffin Island, Houston North Gallery
• Drawings: Three Cape Dorset Women, Inuit Gallery of Vancouver
• In Cape Dorset We Do It This Way: Three Decades of Inuit Printmaking, McMichael Canadian Art Collection
• Inuit Masterworks: Selections from the Collection of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, McMichael Canadian Collection
• On the Land, The Arctic Circle
• Spirits and Shamans/Esprits et chamans, Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
• The Inuit Print and Sculpture 1960-1980, Westdale Gallery

Collections

• Anchorage Museum of History and Art, Anchorage
• Art Gallery of Windsor, Windsor
• Canada Council Art Bank, Ottawa
• Canadian Guild of Crafts Quebec, Montreal
• Canadian Museum of Civilization, Hull
• Dennos Museum Center, Northwestern Michigan College, Traverse City
• Inuit Cultural Institute, Rankin Inlet
• Klamer Family Collection, Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto
• Laurentian University Museum and Arts Centre, Sudbury
• McMaster University Art Gallery, Hamilton
• McMichael Canadian Art Collection, Kleinburg
• Musee des beaux-arts de Montreal, Montreal
• Museum of Anthropology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver
• National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa
• Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre, Yellowknife
• Shell Canada Collection, Calgary
• Simon Fraser Gallery, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby
• University of Alberta, Edmonton
• University of Lethbridge Art Gallery, Lethbridge
• University of New Brunswick, Fredericton
• Winnipeg Art Gallery, Winnipeg

Publications

• AN IMPORTANT SALE OF INUIT ART., Author: Waddington, McLean & Co. Ltd., Publication: Toronto: Waddington, McLean & Co. Ltd., (1981)
• ART COLLECTION D'ART., Author: Canadian Catholic Conference, Publication: Ottawa: Canadian Catholic Conference/Conference Catholique Canadienne. Publications Service (1976)
• BAFFIN ISLAND., Author: Winnipeg Art Gallery, Publication: Winnipeg: The Winnipeg Art Gallery. (1983)
• BAKER LAKE PRINTS 1987, Author: Sanavik Co-operative Association, Publication: Baker Lake: Sanavik Co-operative Association (1987)
• CANADA MIKROKOSMA — An Exhibition of Contemporary Canadian Tapestries by Twenty-two Canadian Artists., Author: Agnes Etherington Art Centre, Publication: Kingston: Agnes Etherington Art Centre. (1982)
• CARVING--IT RUNS IN FAMILIES., Author: Meldgaard, Jorgen and John K.B. Robertson, Publication: Northern 5 (2):24-25, February (Saskatoon). (1968)
• COMPANY OR CO-OP: A DECISION FOR INUIT, Author: Canada. Indian Affairs and Northern Development, Publication: A production of the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development; directed by Eric Tagoona; narration by Peter Itinuar and Josie Kusugak (1975)
• COPPERMINE — Sculpture, Author: Canadian Arctic Producers, Publication: Ottawa: Canadian Arctic Producers Cooperative Limited. (1981)
• ESKIMO CARVINGS OF ESKIMO KILLINGS., Author: Harrington, Richard, Publication: Weekend Magazine 14:38-43, Toronto. (1963)
• ESKIMO WALL HANGINGS., Author: McDougall, Anne, Publication: in: Northward Journal 23:13-26. (1981)
• EXHIBITION AND BALLOT SALE OF CANADIAN SCULPTURE., Author: National Gallery Association, Publication: Ottawa: National Gallery Association (1963)
• GIANT SCULPTURE CARVED IN RANKIN INLET., Author: Cole, Bill, Publication: North 18 (2):38-39. (1971)
• GRASP TIGHT THE OLD WAYS — Selections from the Klamer Family Collection of Inuit Art, Author: Blodgett, Jean, Publication: Toronto: Art Gallery of Ontario (1983)
• GRASS WORK OF LABRADOR., Author: Memorial University of Newfoundland. Art Gallery, Publication: St. John's: Memorial University of Newfoundland. Art Gallery. (1979)
• GRAVURES DES ESQUIMAUX DU CANADA = GRAPHIC ART BY ESKIMOS OF CANADA — Second collection, Author: Canada. Dept. of External Affairs, Publication: Ottawa: Department of External Affairs. (1970)
• IMPRINT '76., Author: Print and Drawing Council of Canada, Publication: Toronto: Art Gallery of Ontario. (1976)
• INUIT SCULPTURE., Author: Smithsonian Institution Travelling Exhibition, Publication: Update:44-45. (1979)
• IPILLIE OSHOWEETOK., Author: Inuit Galerie, Publication: Mannheim: Inuit Galerie. (1983)
• L'ART ESQUIMAU D'HOLMAN., Author: Burgess, Helen, Publication: Ottawa: Ministere des Affaires indiennes et du Nord canadien. (1973)
• LES ESKIMOS., Author: Studio 44, Publication: Bruxelles: Studio 44-Passage 44-1000 Bruxelles (1973)
• LISTING OF INDIVIDUAL DOCUMENTS FROM FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FILES PERTAINING TO INUIT ARTS AND CRAFTS, Author: Goetz, Helga, Publication: Inuit Art Section Research and Documentation Centre (1985)
• NORTH: — Three artists capture the wilds., Author: Gard, Peter, Publication: St John's : Newfoundland Herald, November 19 (1988)
• PREHISTORIC DORSET ART. — [By] William E. Taylor, Jr. and George Swinton, Author: Taylor, William E., Jr., Publication: The Beaver, Autumn, 1967. p.32-47. (1967)
• PRINTS = ESTAMPES. ARCTIC QUEBEC 1975 = NOUVEAU-QUEBEC, Author: Federation des Cooperatives du Nouveau-Quebec, Publication: Ville St. Laurent (Montreal): La Federation des Cooperatives du Nouveau-Quebec (1975)
• SURVIVAL: Life and Art of the Alaskan Eskimo., Author: Lipton, Barbara, Publication: Newark: Newark Art Museum. (1977)
• THE CIRCLE IS THE HOME., Author: Innuit Gallery of Eskimo Art, Publication: Toronto: The Innuit Gallery of Eskimo Art. (1982)
• THE HAND., Author: Innuit Gallery of Eskimo Art, Publication: Toronto: The Innuit Gallery of Eskimo Art. (1975)