James Archibald Houston, OC , D.Litt. , FRSA , LL.D was a Canadian artist, designer, children's author and film-maker who played an important role in the recognition of Inuit art and introduced printmaking to the Inuit. The name "Saumik" was attributed to him by Inuit, which means "the left handed one".

Born in Toronto, Ontario, he studied art as a child with Arthur Lismer and was educated at the Ontario College of Art , Académie de la Grande Chaumière in Paris and in Japan where he studied printmaking. He fought in World War II with the Toronto Scottish Regiment receiving the Canadian Active Service Medal. After the war, he went to the Eastern Arctic to paint and lived there for twelve years. He was a Northern Service Officer and Civil Administrator of west Baffin Island. In 1962, he moved to New York and became Associate Director of Design with Steuben Glass.