David Blackwood Canadian, 1941-2022

One of Canada’s most renowned printmakers, David Blackwood is a masterful storyteller whose work explores the seafaring history of Newfoundland and the lives of its human and animal inhabitants. His intaglio prints focus on the region’s mariners and wildlife, blending fact, legend, and his personal experiences as a child growing up along the region’s coast. The Art Gallery of Ontario hosted Blackwood’s first museum retrospective in 2011.

Blackwood, who was introduced to printmaking while studying at OCAD University, is known for his depictions of sublime nighttime scenes that explore the relationship between humans and nature while celebrating the rugged landscape of Newfoundland. The National Film Board of Canada produced a documentary about Blackwood in 1976 that was nominated for Best Documentary Short Subject at the Academy Awards. The artist lives in Ontario and maintains a studio in Wesleyville where he continues to make drawings, woodcuts, and watercolor paintings (via Artsy).