David Blackwood
Blackwood's depictions of the life, the landscape, and the people of Newfoundland have produced, over the past four decades, a body of work which holds a special place in the Canadian imagination. His strangely beautiful images have come to represent to many of us the essence of Newfoundland's landscape and traditional culture. Part personal biography, part cultural document, part mythic narrative, his work forms an ongoing chronicle of the distinctive stories, both epic and personal, which have shaped his life and the life of his native province. He is widely regarded as Canada's most accomplished printmaker. David Blackwood This exhibition of Mr. Blackwood’s work takes place on the 4th floor of the Art Gallery of Ontario in the contemporary galleries. It is comprised of about 70 works selected from the AGO’s collection of over 240 works by Blackwood. We also recommend that you watch the National Film Board documentary that the AGO is screening. Although it takes 27 minutes and the acoustics are not the best, they do show David working on an etching and seeing the process is invaluable in understanding and appreciating his work. See David Blackwood on the AGO site. 'Black Ice' the catalogue published by the AGO, is now available at the gallery. Purchase 'Black Ice' |  Leaving for the Labrador 2011, Etching with Hand Colouring, 24 X 36 inches Larger View My grandfather, Captain A.L. Blackwood, had five brothers and three sisters (James, Charles, Martin, George, Peter, Eliza, Gladys, Annie). The brothers were all Labrador skippers out of Brookfield. My grandfather Albert was based in Wesleyville. They were all very competitive - who was going to be the first to arrive at the Labrador, the first to ‘load up’, the first to arrive back. So it was imperative to get an early start! The Nickerson, one year, sailed out of Wesleyville at midnight under a bright moon while all the other Blackwoods were sleeping. There was great consternation the next morning. The Nickerson had five hours headway. From then on Brookfield posted a night watch. Captain Charles, the following year, snuck out of Brookfield two days earlier, under cover of darkness. So they came to an agreement to all leave on the same day. The first down and back would depend on sailing and seamanship. This is where Captain Charles took the lead and could never be overtaken. David Blackwood, May 2011 Further notes from a conversation with David about the new print:These sails were called barque sails and were red. They were boiled in an oily mixture and with ochre which made them waterproof and mildew resistant and gave them the colour. They were boiled in an enormous pot which still exists in Wesleyville. The entire crew would be needed to hoist the main sail on the Flora S. Nickerson. Brookfield could be seen from Wesleyville. Its harbour was so small that only one ship could enter at a time but the entire harbor was full of only Blackwood ships. As the fishing close to shore became crowded, the skippers turned farther afield to the Labrador for their catches. The skippers were anxious to be the first to the Labrador to get the prime fishing spots. Although no one ‘owned’ the spots, there could be great rows over the prime locations. |
 Dante's Barque 2011, Two plate Etching 8 X 12 inches, 20.3 X 30.5 cm. Larger View |  'Twilight Sounding' 2010 Plate size, 8 x 12 inches Edition of 50 Larger View | Available Etchings A to J David Blackwood's Biography Drawings Exhibitions |
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