Artwork by Inuvik’s Tracy Blyth to feature on 2021’s phone directory

Inuvik resident Tracy Blyth’s artwork has been chosen to appear on the front cover of the 2021-22 Northwestel phone directory, the company said on Wednesday.

Describing Blyth’s art as “lively and colourful,” Northwestel said her painting Stargazers had been selected as the winner of the annual contest to earn a place on the cover.

“I really like my art but it still surprises me when other people do, because it is kind-of a personal taste thing,” said Blyth, a former art student, according to a Northwestel news release.

“I’m still super excited. I’ve never had anything like this happen before. I can’t wait to see the phone book when it gets here.”

Blyth receives $5,000 from the company as this year’s winner.

Stargazers, an acrylic work, depicts three narwhals in the ocean.

“I just keep adding paint on, turn it different ways, and stare at it until it says what it wants to be,” Blyth said.

“With the narwhals, they’re not central. They’re offset, and they were orange to begin with. That’s how they just popped out on the panel.

“Here in Inuvik, we have such brilliant colours. Everything is white and then you have the northern lights, which light up everything. After you’ve been seeing white for so long, they’re just incredible. The colours up here are spectacular.”