When Derrald Taylor and his younger brother Ronald carved together SA国际影视传媒� summoning soapstone bears, bison, birds and other shared visions of their childhood in Tuktoyaktuk SA国际影视传媒� the two rarely spoke.

SA国际影视传媒淲e forget everything. We just forget everything and we just concentrate. It's like we were at peace,SA国际影视传媒� Taylor recalled wistfully.

On May 9, Taylor learned his 51-year-old brother Ronald SA国际影视传媒淩onnieSA国际影视传媒� Taylor SA国际影视传媒� a NWT artist known for his stone, wood and bone carvings that captured life in the North SA国际影视传媒� had died of suspected smoke inhalation. Ronald's body was found on Yellowknife's Twin Pine Hill, a wooded area in the city's south end.

Taylor, who started a family in Yellowknife in the early 1990s after leaving Tuktoyaktuk, couldn't believe his brother, friend, and longtime creative collaborator was gone.

SA国际影视传媒淭he first two days were tough. I really went into shock. Now I'm trying to be strong,SA国际影视传媒� said Taylor.

Born in Inuvik, Ronald eventually joined his older brother in Tuktoyaktuk, where the two bonded over a collective passion for carving SA国际影视传媒� an art form passed down to them at a young age by their father.

They honed their skills practicing on canvases offered by nature, including antlers and whale bone.

SA国际影视传媒淲hat we carve is what we see,SA国际影视传媒� said Taylor. With Kugmallit Bay as a backdrop, the boys spotted wildlife, hunters and fisherman SA国际影视传媒� all of which crept into their creative consciousness and formed their distinctive styles.

Taylor said he and Ronald would often help each other out if one or the other was stuck on something, and the two would brainstorm as a team before carving.

After being taught the basics, Taylor said he and Ronald started taking carving seriously in the late 1970s and embraced soapstone work in the early 1980s.

A decade later, Taylor was living in Yellowknife and Ronald soon followed. The two lived together, and a decades-long, on-again off-again working relationship began between the two.

SA国际影视传媒淩onnie was very good at what he did. A lot of his work had a lot of movement and life in it,SA国际影视传媒� said Taylor. SA国际影视传媒淗e started enjoying different styles, different materials and movements, experimenting with the mythical. He was always trying something new.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒淚 always tell him that his work is better than mine,SA国际影视传媒� he said, one of many present tense references to his still very present brother.

The pair's talents brought them to festivals where they met other artists, and Ronald was once crowned the most promising artist at the Great Northern Arts Festival, according to the late carver's online profile.

But Ronald was restless; unanchored.

SA国际影视传媒淗e was trying to live in Yellowknife, but he kept moving back and forth to Tuktoyatuk and other towns,SA国际影视传媒� said Taylor.

Ronald went on to teach carving to children at workshops Tuktoyatuk, while his brother did the same in Yellowknife. Sometimes, the two would teach together when they were both in Yellowknife.

While Ronald's talent and success blossomed, his struggles with alcohol dependency were never far behind SA国际影视传媒� a battle that worsened in the last year or so, he said.

SA国际影视传媒淗e was really having hard times and I was trying to get him into carving again ... SA国际影视传媒� said Taylor,

SA国际影视传媒淗e was so into addiction that he had a hard time getting out of it. He was trying. Ronnie really had that goal to stop but he had no place to live,SA国际影视传媒� adding Ronald resorted to living on the street in Yellowknife.

SA国际影视传媒淭owards the end, he'd talked about getting off it and he started saying he didn't know where to go, what to do SA国际影视传媒� he didn't know how to stop,SA国际影视传媒� said Taylor.

Taylor said Ronald was planning on relocating back home to meet his first granddaughter SA国际影视传媒� a move that never happened.

Facing the loss of his brother's close, quiet companionship while carving, Taylor said he takes comfort in the memories Ronald has left behind.

SA国际影视传媒淗is laughter, his jokes and his good humour,SA国际影视传媒� Taylor recalled. SA国际影视传媒淵ou never see him in a bad mood, but he'll bring you out of yours with his jokes and stories.SA国际影视传媒�

Along with Ronald's enduring spirit, Taylor said he hopes his brother's art SA国际影视传媒� which SA国际影视传媒渢ouched so many peopleSA国际影视传媒� SA国际影视传媒� will live on.

SA国际影视传媒淗e really enjoyed what he did. He used his carvings as a getaway; to getaway from everything.SA国际影视传媒�

Ronald Taylor will be laid to rest in Tuktoyatuk SA国际影视传媒� SA国际影视传媒渨here he was grown,SA国际影视传媒� his brother said.