Michael Massie is one of the new formally trained Inuit artists, having attended the Nova Scotia College of Art & Design to study metal work. He is the first Inuit artist working in the medium of silver to be given the distinction of becoming a member of the Royal Canadian Academy of Art (RCA). Michael Massie is best known for his signature tea pots, which often involve play through form and words. The crescent moon form within this piece makes reference to the ulu, a traditional knife used by Inuit women for a variety of purposes, from preparing food to cutting hair. Michael Massie is producing art from a region that has no establishes co-operative and did not receive governmental assistance for its art production for many years.