Lavinia van Heuvelen

Lavinia was born and raised in Bowmanville, Ontario and moved to Iqaluit, Nunavut over fourteen years ago. She studied jewellery and metalwork at Nunavut Arctic College, and after graduating she pursued working full-time as a jeweller at LVH Jewellery. Most of her work is primarily made with sterling silver and natural materials such as ivory and caribou antlers.  

Lavinia has worked with a lot of mediums over the years but mainly focuses on her jewellery. Lavinia was able to learn and grow as an artist from working around her family, mentors, and peers. Working with natural materials gifted or purchased from local hunters, Lavinia is inspired by the North and the beauty that surrounds her. Much of her jewellery directly references Inuit traditions and culture, which are tied together with silver and materials from the land. LVH Jewellery focuses on filling in the lack of culturally relevant pieces for Inuit and admirers of the North.  

Lavinia has won many awards for her work and has travelled around Canada and overseas to share it. Her work can be purchased at galleries across the country, online via Instagram, at trade shows, and craft sales. In the last two years, she has started teaching fellow Inuit jewellery workshops—mainly in Nunavik for community wellness programs and Inuit organizations.