Provenance:

The Cemp Collection, Montreal, QC

Note:

DAVID BLACKWOOD (1941 - )

“While talent and hard work might prove sufficient to get you through art school, survival as an artist in our contemporary world demands much more. To produce anything of lasting value requires a strong belief and love for what you do, and great patience. Establishing ones identity as a serious artist takes time, and then it requires fortitude to maintain that identity with any kind of integrity.”

- David Blackwood -

David Blackwood is one of Canadas best printmakers. His intaglio prints, rendered in black and indigo, most often depict dramatic historical scenes of Newfoundland outport life and industry.

David Blackwood was born in 1941 in the outport community of Wesleyville, Newfoundland, to a family with a long seafaring history. In 1956, at the age of fifteen, he opened his own studio, producing award-winning artwork. Recognized as an artistic prodigy, he was awarded a Government of Newfoundland Centennial scholarship to study at the ON College of Art , in Toronto in 1959. Blackwood graduated with honors in 1963, and received several awards, including a traveling scholarship to visit major museums and galleries in United States. By the age of twenty-three, one of his etchings had been purchased by the National Gallery of Canada.
Blackwood remained in ON for several years. He became Art Master at Trinity College School, Port Hope, ON one day per week, which allowed him to teach and continue studio work. It was during this period that Blackwood developed one of the largest thematically linked series of prints in Canadian history,The Lost Party, which focussed on the S.S. Newfoundland sealing disaster of 1914.
Blackwood also was involved with establishing an art gallery at Erindale College, an affiliate of the University of Toronto. In 1992 the Blackwood Gallery, named in his honour, was officially opened at the Erindale campus, now known as The University of Toronto in Mississauga. In 1969, he was appointed the first Artist-in-Residence at Erindale College, a position which he held until 1975. In 1974, the National Film Board of Canada produced the documentary Blackwood, which won 10 international awards, and was nominated by The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences (Oscar) in1976 for Best documentary.
Blackwood has extensively exhibited his work both internationally as well as throughout Newfoundland and Canada. In addition to being part of the Art Gallery of Newfoundland and Labradors Permanent Collection, Blackwoods art is included in various private and public collections such as the National Gallery of Canada; the National Gallery of Australia; Uffizi, Florence, Italy; and the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. Blackwood was awarded the Order of Canada in 1993, in recognition of his ongoing and important contributions to the cultural life and heritage of our country.
The Art Gallery of ON acquired a major collection of Blackwood prints in 2000 and created a Blackwood Research Center within the Marvin Gelber Print and Drawing Center. In 2003, Blackwood was awarded the Order of ON, as well as named Honorary Chairman of the Art Gallery of ON, a first for a practicing artist.
David Blackwood has retired from teaching and currently lives in Port Hope, ON, while maintaining a studio in Wesleyville, Newfoundland.

Selected Private and Corporate Collections

American Anaconda Brass
Art Gallery of Agleam
Art Gallery of Newfoundland & Labrador
Art Gallery of Nova Scotia
Art Gallery of ON
Art Gallery of Peterborough
Bank of Canada
Bank of Montréal
Bank of Nova Scotia
Beaverbrook Art Gallery
Benson & Hedges
Blackwood Gallery, University of Toronto
Brantford Art Gallery
Burnaby Art Gallery
Claridge Collection, Montreal, QC
Canada Council Collection
Canada Trust
Canadian High Commission, London
Canadian Pacific
Chase Manhattan Bank
Citicorp – First National Bank
Confederation Art Gallery
Dupont Canada
Edmonton Art Gallery
Ernst & Young
Fidelity Investments
Finex Capital Corporation
Government of Canada – External Affairs
Government of Newfoundland & Labrador
Government of ON
Gulf Oil
Hamilton Art Gallery
Hart House, University of Toronto
Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II (Windsor Castle)
Horizon Holidays
Humber College
Imperial Oil
Jonathans of Oakville
Kaiser Resources
Labatts Limited
Lambton Art Gallery
Laurentian University
Le Banque National du Canada
London Regional Art Gallery
MacDonald Stewart Collection
McGill University
McMaster University Art Gallery
Memorial University Art Gallery
Montréal Museum of Fine Arts
National Capital Commission: Canadiana Fund
National Gallery of Australia
National Gallery of Canada
New Brunswick Museum
Norcen Energy Resources
Northumberland Art Gallery
ON Institute for Studies in Education
ON Ministry of Education
Oregon State University, The Cornvallis Collection
Petro Canada
Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey
Queens University, The Agnes Etherington Gallery
Rothmans
Royal Bank of Canada
Shell Canada
Simon Fraser University, Vancouver
Sir Wilfred Grenfell College Art Gallery, Corner Brook, NL
SNC Lavalin
Spelling Productions
St. Marys University, Halifax
Teleglobe Canada
Templeton Management
The Uffizi, Florence, Italy
Toronto-Dominion Bank
Trent University
Turner Broadcasting
University of Alberta
University of British Columbia: Belkin Gallery
University of Calgary: Nickel Museum
University of Maine
University of Saskatchewan
University of Toronto
University of Western ON: MacIntosh Gallery
University of Windsor
Vancouver Art Gallery
William Mercer Ltd.
Winnipeg Art Gallery
York-Finch Hospital

Selected Solo Exhibitions

2013 David Blackwood: Works on Paper – Etchings, Mixed Media & Watercolors, Winchester Galleries, Victoria, BC
2012 Black Ice and Back in the Day, The Rooms, St. Johns, NFL
2011 Black Ice, Art Gallery of ON, Toronto, ON - David Blackwoods
Black Ice Exhibition at the AGO
2010 Illumination: Ephraim Kelloways Door, Abbozzo Gallery, Oakville, ON
2009 Recent Watercolours(Interiors and Landscapes), Winchester Gallery, Victoria, British Columbia
2008 A Form of Meditation, New Watercolours, Emma Butler Gallery, St. Johns, NFL
2007 Recent Etchings and Related Works, Abbozzo Gallery, Oakville, ON
Recent Watercolours, (Interiors and Landscapes), Winchester Gallery, (Oak Bay), Victoria, BC
2006 Near and Far, Abbozzo Gallery, Oakville, ON
2005 Flowers for Shiromani, Emma Butler Gallery, St. Johns, Newfoundland
The Seabird Hunters, Michael Gibson Gallery, London, ON
Outport Relics and Related Works, Abbozzo Gallery, Oakville, ON
2004 Down on the Labrador, Abbozzo Gallery, Oakville, ON Winchester Gallery, Victoria, BC
2003 The Mummers Veil, Abbozzo Gallery, Oakville, ON
Drawings to Etchings, Michael Gibson Gallery, London, ON
Go Figure, Abbozzo Gallery, Oakville, ON
10th Anniversary Exhibition, Abbozzo Gallery, Oakville, ON
Water, Abbozzo Gallery, Oakville, ON
2002 Explorations and Discoveries: The International Code, Michael Gibson Gallery, London, ON
Fire Down on the Labrador: The Creative Process, Art Gallery of ON
Bragg's Island Revisited Abbozzo Gallery, Oakville, ON
2001 The International Code, Abbozzo Gallery, Oakville, ON
2000 Visits and Discoveries Abbozzo Gallery, Oakville, ON
Important Early Etchings, Gallery One, Toronto, ON
The David Blackwood Exhibition, The Marine Museum of the Great Lakes, Kingston, ON
David Blackwood: Signal Flags, Edward Day Gallery, Kingston, ON
1999 Monotypes 1990-1999, The Emma Butler Gallery, St. Johns, Newfoundland
A Survey of Prints 1990-1999, Gallery One, Toronto, ON
David Blackwood Survey Exhibition 1980-1990, organized by the Blackwood Gallery, University of Toronto at Mississauga and circulated to: The Montréal Museum of Fine Arts; The Library and Gallery, Cambridge, ON; The Varley Art Gallery, Unionville, ON; The Art Gallery of Lambton, Sarnia.
1998 Recent Oil Tempera Paintings & Related Works on Paper, Abbess Gallery, Oakville, ON
The West End Gallery, Edmonton, Alberta and Victoria, B.C.
Oil Tempera Paintings, Heffel Gallery, Vancouver, B.C.
The International Code, Gallery One, Toronto, ON
David Blackwood Survey Exhibition 1980-1990, circulated to: The Stewart Hall Art Gallery, Pointe, PQ;The National Exhibition Centre & Museum, Timmins, ON; the Maclaren Art Centre, Barrie, ON
1997 Oil Tempera Paintings, The Emma Butler Gallery, St. Johns, Newfoundland
David Blackwood Survey Exhibition 1980-1990, circulated to: Moose Jaw Art Museum & National Exhibition Centre; Swift Current National Exhibition Centre; The Art Gallery of Peterborough; The Canadian Embassy, Tokyo, Japan
1996 Outport Relics:Recent Oil Tempera Paintings & Related Works on Paper, Gallery One, Toronto, ON
Blackwood in Calgary: A Broader View, Selections from Private Collections, Nickel Arts Museum, Calgary
David Blackwood Survey Exhibition 1980-1990, circulated to the Kelowna, Art Museum, Kelowna, B.C.;The Nickel Arts Museum, University of Calgary, Alberta; Prairie Art Gallery, Grande Prairie, Alberta; Kamloops Art Gallery, B.C.; Langley Centennial Museum, Fort Langley, B.C.; Medicine Hat Museum & Art Gallery, Medicine Hat, Alberta
1995 Fishing Tales: The Art of David Blackwood, West End Gallery, Edmonton
Gadus Morhua: Recent Oil Tempera Paintings, Gallery One, Toronto, Ont Paintings & Related Works on Paper, Heffel Gallery, Vancouver, B.C
Icons, Emma Butler Gallery, St. Johns Newfoundland
1995 David Blackwood Survey Exhibition 1980-1990, circulated to:Thunder Bay Art Gallery; Grimsby Public Art Gallery; Rodman Hall Arts Centre, St. Catharines; Lynwood Arts Centre, Simcoe; The Gallery, Stratford
1994 David Blackwood – Oil Tempera Paintings, West End Gallery, Edmonton, Alta.
David Blackwood Survey Exhibition 1980-1990, circulated to: The Beaverbrook Art Gallery, Charlottetown; Sir Wilfred Grenfell Art Gallery, Cornerbrook, Nfld; The Station Gallery, Whitby, Ont; The Art Gallery of Northumberland, Cobourg; Laurentian University & Art Centre, Sudbury
1993 New Prints and Related Drawings, Gallery One, Toronto, ON
David Blackwood Survey Exhibition 1980-1990, circulated to: L’Universite de Moncton Galerie d’Art, Mount Saint Vincent University Art Gallery; Memorial University Art Gallery, St. Johns, NFL
1991 New Monotypes, Gallery One, Toronto, Ont. November 9 – December 5
Heffel Gallery, Vancouver, B.C.
1990 The Emma Butler Gallery, St. Johns, NFL
Ephraim Kelloways Door Paintings 1985-1990, Gallery One, Toronto, ON, Heffel Gallery, Vancouver, B.C.
West End Gallery, Edmonton, Alberta.
1989 Heffel Gallery, Vancouver, B.C.
West End Gallery, Edmonton, Alberta.
1988 David Blackwood Monotypes, Gallery One, Toronto, ON
1987 Monotypes, The Emma Butler Gallery, St. Johns, NFL
The Madison Gallery, (Monotypes), Toronto, ON
West End Gallery, Edmonton, Alberta.
David Blackwood Prints1962-1984, Travelling exhibition organized by the Art Gallery, Memorial University of Newfoundland & The Art Gallery of Algoma, Sault St. Marie,ON, circulated to: The Edmonton Art Gallery , The Koffler Centre, Toronto
1986 The Spurrell Gallery, St. Johns, NFL
The Madison Gallery (watercolours), Toronto, ON
David Blackwood Prints 1962-1984, circulated to Memorial University Art Gallery, St. Johns; Zuider Zee Museum, Amsterdam; Canada Cultural Centre, Paris; Royal West of England Academy, Bristol, UK
1985 Madison Gallery, Toronto, ON
Masters Gallery, Calgary, Alberta.
Gallery Guilia, Rome
David Blackwood Prints1962-1984; circulated to Confederation Art Gallery, Charlottetown, P.E.I., Canada House, London, UK, Sir Wilfred Grenfell Art Gallery, Cornerbrook, Nfld; Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, Halifax.
1984 Cape Freels Art Council, Wesleyville, NFL
David Blackwood Prints 1962-1984, Art Gallery of Algoma, Sault Ste. Marie
1983 Prints: A Retrospective 1965-1983, Gallery Quan, Toronto
Masters Gallery, Calgary, Alberta
Labrador City Arts Council, Labrador City, Labrador
1982 Gallery Pascal, Toronto, ON
Robertson Gallery, Ottawa, ON
1981 Gallery Pascal, Toronto, ON
West End Gallery, Edmonton, Alberta
David Blackwood: Prints, Survey travelling exhibition of 30 prints organized and circulated by The Art Gallery of ON, circulated to Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, Victoria, B.C.; Burnaby Art Gallery, B.C.; Canadian Consulate Art Gallery, Boston, Maine
David Blackwood: Prints The University of Maine at Orono, Maine
1979 Gallery Graphics, Ottawa, ON
Gallery Royale, Vancouver, B.C.
West End Gallery, Edmonton
1978 Gallery Pascal, Toronto,ON
David Blackwood: Prints circulated to Whitby Art Gallery, ON; Memorial University Art Gallery, St. Johns, NFL
1977 Gallery 1640, Montréal, PQ
David Blackwood: Prints, circulated to the Art Centre, Laurentian University, Sudbury; Art Gallery of Peterborough
1976  Gallery Pascal, Toronto, ON
1975 Gallery Pascal, Toronto, ON
Gallery 1640, Montréal, PQ
1974 Fleet Gallery, Winnipeg, Manitoba
David Blackwood: Prints New Brunswick Museum, St. John, NB
1973 Gallery Pascal, Toronto, ON
Wells Gallery, Ottawa
1972 Gallery Pascal, Toronto, ON
Gallery 1640, Montréal, PQ
Damkjar Burton Gallery, Hamilton, ON
Fleet Gallery, Winnipeg, Manitoba
Warwick Gallery, Vancouver, B.C.
David Blackwood: Prints, McKenzie Art Gallery, Trent University, Peterborough
1971 Gallery Pascal, Toronto, ON
Damkjar Burton Gallery, Hamilton, ON
Wells Gallery, Ottawa, ON
Confederation Art Gallery, Charlottetown, P.E.I.
MacIntosh Art Gallery, University of Western ON, London, ON
1970 New Brunswick Museum, St. John, NB
University of New Brunswick Art Gallery, Fredericton, NB
St. Marys University Art Gallery, Halifax, Nova Scotia
1969 Gallery Pascal, Toronto, ON
Wells Gallery, Ottawa, ON
Mount Allison University Art Gallery, Sackville, NB
Erindale College, University of Toronto, Mississauga, ON
1968 University of Alberta Art Gallery, Calgary, Alberta
Art Gallery, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C.
1967 Trinity College School, Port Hope,ON
Memorial University Art Gallery, St. Johns, Newfoundland
McMaster University Art Gallery, Hamilton, ON
1965 Brantford Art Gallery, Brantford, ON

Selected Group Exhibitions

2007 The Architecture Show, Abbozzo Gallery, Oakville, ON
Flowers That Last, Abbozzo Gallery, Oakville, ON
2005 A Sense of Place, Abbozzo Gallery, Oakville, ON
Toronto International Art Fair, Toronto, ON
2003 Go Figure, Abbozzo Gallery, Oakville, ON
10th Anniversary Exhibition, Abbozzo Gallery, Oakville, ON
Water, Abbozzo Gallery, Oakville, ON
1982  Canadian Contemporary Prints, Bronx Museum, NewYork City, N.Y.
1981  People, University of New Brunswick Art Centre, Fredericton, NB
1978 The Expressionist Image, Mount St. Vincent University, Halifax, N.S.
1976 Atlantic Graphics, Beaverbrook Art Gallery, Charlottetown, P.E.I.
1975 50th Annual Society of Canadian Painters in Watercolour, Art Gallery of ON,
1974 Homage to Kathleen Fenwick, Gallery Pascal, Toronto, ON
1973 Biennial International De Lestampe, Paris, France
1973 Aspects of Canadian Graphics, Canadian National Exhibition, Toronto, ON
1971 International Graphics 71, Montréal Museum of Fine Arts, Montréal, PQ
First International Biennial Prints
1970 Royal Canadian Academy of Arts Annual Exhibition
1969 Canadian Graphics 69, Art Gallery of ON, Toronto, ON
Three Canadian Printmakers: Blackwood, Frankel, Pachter, Montréal Museum of Fine Arts, Montréal, PQ
1968 Ninth Annual Calgary Graphics
1967 Canadian Watercolour Painting, Art Gallery of ON, Toronto, ON
The Centennial Exhibition for Australia and New Zealand, National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, ON
Atlantic Pavilion, Expo 67, Montréal, PQ
Exhibition of Canadian Art: Works from the National Gallery of Canada, Expo 67
1966  Biennial of Canadian Prints, National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, ON
1965 Annual Exhibition, Royal Canadian Academy of Arts
Three Canadian Printmakers: Blackwood, Frankel, Pachter, Sarnia Art Gallery
1964 Biennial of Canadian Prints, National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, ON

Selected Awards

2003 Awarded the Order of ON in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the cultural life of the Province. 1993 Awarded Heritage Award, Canadian Parks Service, Government of Canada
1993 Awarded the Order of Canada in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the artistic and cultural life of Canada
1992 Awarded Honorary Degree, Doctor of Laws, University of Calgary
Awarded Honorary Degree, Doctor of Letters, Memorial University
1964 Purchase Award Biennial Exhibition, National Gallery of Canada
1963 Awarded OCA traveling scholarship to study major collections in the U.S.A.
Awarded Government of France (Ingres) Medal
1959 Awarded Government of Newfoundland Centennial Scholarship

Selected Links

davidblackwood.com
David Blackwood Video
David Blackwood CBC News
Rex Murphy and David Blackwood in Conversation