Chris Bredt and Jamie Cameron
Toronto, ON
When we got married, Chris said, “Why don’t we get a piece of art to replace the posters on the wall?” We decided to do some research before bidding on our first Inuit print at auction. Chris visited local Inuit galleries and had a great time, especially with Budd Feheley, who became a mentor to us. Our collection was originally very Kinngait (Cape Dorset)-centric, but through trips to Winnipeg and Vancouver we began to branch out and spread our own wings. Our collection has been a passion for us to share and a good outlet from our work. It keeps growing because we fall in love with art and artists over and over again. Art is an important part of our life and along the way we’ve formed strong friendships with collectors, gallery owners and artists. And that’s what it’s about. Our advice? Buy what you love and buy within your limits. Appreciate everything else, and make a point to become as knowledgeable and connected with the people in the field as you can. Because whether you can afford a piece or not, if you love the art, you will have valuable friendships and find ways to enjoy the art form and be a part of the community. It is inspiring to go North— not to buy art, but to understand and feel connected to Inuit, their places and their way of life.