Framed graphite study for Granda Glover on Bragg’s Island by David Blackwood, showing a central house and walking figure surrounded by boot, hand and figure studies.
Right detail of David Blackwood’s graphite study for Granda Glover on Bragg’s Island, showing alternate figures, a boot study and a diamond-shaped window sketch.
Left detail of David Blackwood’s graphite study for Granda Glover on Bragg’s Island, showing an enlarged buckled boot and a bare hand below a patterned cuff.
Included framed etching of Granda Glover on Bragg’s Island by David Blackwood, showing a man beside a pink gate and teal house beneath a rose-coloured sky.
Detail of the included Granda Glover on Bragg’s Island etching by David Blackwood, showing the walking figure, edition 53/75, signature and date 1991.
David Blackwood

Granda Glover on Bragg's Island — Graphite Study with Etching

Sale price$19,500.00 CAD

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West End Gallery is a proudly Canadian business, celebrating the incredible talent of artists from coast to coast. For five decades, we have championed Canadian art and supported the vibrant creative community that makes this country extraordinary.

Edmonton, Alberta · Est. 1975

Founded in 1975, West End Gallery has been a cornerstone of Edmonton's arts community for five decades. Located in the heart of Alberta's capital, we take pride in our deep roots and our commitment to showcasing exceptional artwork from talented artists across Canada.

About the Artwork

The original graphite study for Granda Glover on Bragg's Island is a drawing on 100% rag paper by David Blackwood, framed, annotated and signed by the artist himself. The corresponding 1991 etching and aquatint, numbered 53/75, is included with the drawing.

The graphite drawing gathers several stages of the composition on a single sheet. A house, fence and walking figure occupy a central rectangle. To the left, an enlarged buckled boot and a bare hand below a patterned cuff extend beyond the scene; to the right, alternate figures and a partial boot study explore the clothing and stance. A separate diamond-shaped window sketch sits above the house. Pale construction lines cross these more fully shaded passages, making the changes in scale and degree of finish directly visible.

The included colour etching carries the scene into deep teal siding, a pink gate and a rose-coloured sky. Fine lines articulate the house and clothing, while aquatint gives the ground a granular tone. Placing the print alongside the drawing makes the shift from graphite modelling to etched line and printed colour directly visible.

The Study and the Printmaking Process

Preparatory drawing was a working stage in Blackwood's printmaking, not simply a record of a finished image. His production guide for The ‘Nickerson’ Passing on Our Starboard Quarter describes developing smaller studies into a full-size design, then reversing that design in a tracing for transfer to the copper plate. The reversed tracing prepared the image for the reversal that occurs when a plate is printed.1

His studio assistant, Janita Wiersma, describes transferring the drawing onto a wax-grounded plate, opening the lines with an etching needle, and biting them with acid. Aquatint and successive proofs developed the tonal passages and allowed the image to be checked and refined before the edition was printed.2

In the study offered here, the alternate figures and enlarged boot, hand and cuff details show the scene being explored on paper. It is an original graphite drawing rather than an impression from the plate. Although documented as a study for this print, it has not been identified as the specific tracing used to transfer the image. The study was framed, annotated and signed by David Blackwood himself, with his written annotations on the reverse of the frame.

Understanding the Original Drawing

A study is a drawing made while an artist develops an image. Here, the alternate figures, enlarged clothing details and construction lines preserve decisions that are resolved in the finished etching. Its interest lies in that direct record of Blackwood working through the scene, together with his signature, annotations and framing.

Blackwood's documented method involved several smaller drawings before a full-size design.1 We have not established how many related drawings he made, or how many survive, for Granda Glover on Bragg's Island. This sheet is an individual original drawing, not one of the 75 printed impressions. Other studies, if identified, would document other stages or details of the same project; their existence would not turn this drawing into an editioned work.

The $19,500 CAD asking price is for the original graphite drawing, with the corresponding etching and both current frames included. The drawing is the principal work in this offering; the numbered print allows its working details to be compared with the completed image. The price covers this combined offering, rather than the etching alone.

Dimensions and Details

  • Title: Studies for the Plate: Granda Glover on Bragg's Island, with the corresponding etching included
  • Artist: David Blackwood
  • Drawing medium: Graphite on 100% rag paper
  • Drawing outside frame size: 25″ H × 36″ W × 1½″ D (63.5 × 91.4 × 3.8 cm)
  • Included etching year: 1991, inscribed in the lower margin
  • Etching size: 11″ × 14″ (27.9 × 35.6 cm), excluding frame
  • Etching framed size: 13¼″ H × 19¼″ W × 1″ D (33.7 × 48.9 × 2.5 cm)
  • Etching medium: Etching and aquatint on paper
  • Edition: 53/75; this number applies to the etching
  • Original drawing: Original graphite drawing on 100% rag paper, framed, annotated and signed by David Blackwood himself
  • Condition: Recorded as received in good condition on the gallery's September 26, 2026 consignment record
  • Display: Framed etching and a study framed come framed. The drawing by David Blackwood was framed himself; his written annotations are on the reverse of the study's frame
  • Set: The $19,500 CAD listed price is for the original graphite drawing with the corresponding etching included; both works retain their current framing

Acquisition Enquiries

This original graphite drawing is available through West End Gallery with the corresponding etching included. To acquire the work or arrange a private viewing, please contact the gallery. Shipping is quoted by destination, complimentary delivery is available within Edmonton, and layaway options are available upon request.

Collect This Work

Accessibility Description

The horizontal graphite drawing contains a central rectangular scene of a house, fence and walking man. Outside this rectangle, an enlarged boot and bare hand with a patterned cuff appear on the left. Alternate figures and a partial boot sketch occupy the right, with a diamond-shaped window study above. Pale construction lines remain around darker shading. A gold-coloured frame and broad pale mat surround the drawing. The included colour etching shows a man beside a teal house, pale fence and pink gate, with bare branches and rocks on the left beneath a rose-coloured sky.

Provenance and Documentation

Offered on consignment through West End Gallery, Edmonton. The gallery's September 26, 2026 intake record identifies the numbered etching and graphite study as a set. West End Gallery confirms that David Blackwood himself framed, annotated and signed the study; his written annotations are on the reverse of its frame.

Sources for the Printmaking Process
  1. David Blackwood, The ‘Nickerson’ Passing on Our Starboard Quarter: Step-by-Step Production, production guide hosted by Heffel. Read the illustrated guide. This concerns another etching and is cited for Blackwood's working method, not as documentation of this particular study.
  2. Matthew Rolfe, “Inside David Blackwood’s Studio,” Foyer, Art Gallery of Ontario, January 7, 2026; account by studio assistant Janita Wiersma. Read the studio account.
Disclaimer

This description has been prepared by West End Gallery using original documentation and current scholarship. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, minor variations or additional information may emerge through ongoing research. Prospective purchasers are encouraged to contact us to confirm any details critical to their acquisition decision.

Granda Glover on Bragg's Island — Graphite Study with Etching

About the Artwork

The original graphite study for Granda Glover on Bragg's Island is a drawing on 100% rag paper by David Blackwood, framed, annotated and signed by the artist himself. The corresponding 1991 etching and aquatint, numbered 53/75, is included with the drawing.

The graphite drawing gathers several stages of the composition on a single sheet. A house, fence and walking figure occupy a central rectangle. To the left, an enlarged buckled boot and a bare hand below a patterned cuff extend beyond the scene; to the right, alternate figures and a partial boot study explore the clothing and stance. A separate diamond-shaped window sketch sits above the house. Pale construction lines cross these more fully shaded passages, making the changes in scale and degree of finish directly visible.

The included colour etching carries the scene into deep teal siding, a pink gate and a rose-coloured sky. Fine lines articulate the house and clothing, while aquatint gives the ground a granular tone. Placing the print alongside the drawing makes the shift from graphite modelling to etched line and printed colour directly visible.

The Study and the Printmaking Process

Preparatory drawing was a working stage in Blackwood's printmaking, not simply a record of a finished image. His production guide for The ‘Nickerson’ Passing on Our Starboard Quarter describes developing smaller studies into a full-size design, then reversing that design in a tracing for transfer to the copper plate. The reversed tracing prepared the image for the reversal that occurs when a plate is printed.1

His studio assistant, Janita Wiersma, describes transferring the drawing onto a wax-grounded plate, opening the lines with an etching needle, and biting them with acid. Aquatint and successive proofs developed the tonal passages and allowed the image to be checked and refined before the edition was printed.2

In the study offered here, the alternate figures and enlarged boot, hand and cuff details show the scene being explored on paper. It is an original graphite drawing rather than an impression from the plate. Although documented as a study for this print, it has not been identified as the specific tracing used to transfer the image. The study was framed, annotated and signed by David Blackwood himself, with his written annotations on the reverse of the frame.

Understanding the Original Drawing

A study is a drawing made while an artist develops an image. Here, the alternate figures, enlarged clothing details and construction lines preserve decisions that are resolved in the finished etching. Its interest lies in that direct record of Blackwood working through the scene, together with his signature, annotations and framing.

Blackwood's documented method involved several smaller drawings before a full-size design.1 We have not established how many related drawings he made, or how many survive, for Granda Glover on Bragg's Island. This sheet is an individual original drawing, not one of the 75 printed impressions. Other studies, if identified, would document other stages or details of the same project; their existence would not turn this drawing into an editioned work.

The $19,500 CAD asking price is for the original graphite drawing, with the corresponding etching and both current frames included. The drawing is the principal work in this offering; the numbered print allows its working details to be compared with the completed image. The price covers this combined offering, rather than the etching alone.

Dimensions and Details

  • Title: Studies for the Plate: Granda Glover on Bragg's Island, with the corresponding etching included
  • Artist: David Blackwood
  • Drawing medium: Graphite on 100% rag paper
  • Drawing outside frame size: 25″ H × 36″ W × 1½″ D (63.5 × 91.4 × 3.8 cm)
  • Included etching year: 1991, inscribed in the lower margin
  • Etching size: 11″ × 14″ (27.9 × 35.6 cm), excluding frame
  • Etching framed size: 13¼″ H × 19¼″ W × 1″ D (33.7 × 48.9 × 2.5 cm)
  • Etching medium: Etching and aquatint on paper
  • Edition: 53/75; this number applies to the etching
  • Original drawing: Original graphite drawing on 100% rag paper, framed, annotated and signed by David Blackwood himself
  • Condition: Recorded as received in good condition on the gallery's September 26, 2026 consignment record
  • Display: Framed etching and a study framed come framed. The drawing by David Blackwood was framed himself; his written annotations are on the reverse of the study's frame
  • Set: The $19,500 CAD listed price is for the original graphite drawing with the corresponding etching included; both works retain their current framing

Acquisition Enquiries

This original graphite drawing is available through West End Gallery with the corresponding etching included. To acquire the work or arrange a private viewing, please contact the gallery. Shipping is quoted by destination, complimentary delivery is available within Edmonton, and layaway options are available upon request.

Collect This Work

Accessibility Description

The horizontal graphite drawing contains a central rectangular scene of a house, fence and walking man. Outside this rectangle, an enlarged boot and bare hand with a patterned cuff appear on the left. Alternate figures and a partial boot sketch occupy the right, with a diamond-shaped window study above. Pale construction lines remain around darker shading. A gold-coloured frame and broad pale mat surround the drawing. The included colour etching shows a man beside a teal house, pale fence and pink gate, with bare branches and rocks on the left beneath a rose-coloured sky.

Provenance and Documentation

Offered on consignment through West End Gallery, Edmonton. The gallery's September 26, 2026 intake record identifies the numbered etching and graphite study as a set. West End Gallery confirms that David Blackwood himself framed, annotated and signed the study; his written annotations are on the reverse of its frame.

Sources for the Printmaking Process
  1. David Blackwood, The ‘Nickerson’ Passing on Our Starboard Quarter: Step-by-Step Production, production guide hosted by Heffel. Read the illustrated guide. This concerns another etching and is cited for Blackwood's working method, not as documentation of this particular study.
  2. Matthew Rolfe, “Inside David Blackwood’s Studio,” Foyer, Art Gallery of Ontario, January 7, 2026; account by studio assistant Janita Wiersma. Read the studio account.
Disclaimer

This description has been prepared by West End Gallery using original documentation and current scholarship. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, minor variations or additional information may emerge through ongoing research. Prospective purchasers are encouraged to contact us to confirm any details critical to their acquisition decision.

Shipping & Exchanges

SHIPPING

All artwork is professionally crated and shipped via insured courier service. Shipping rates are calculated based on artwork dimensions and destination.

Delivery Methods:

• Local Pickup — Free at our Edmonton gallery (10337 124 Street NW)

• Local Delivery — complimentary within of Edmonton area

• Canada-wide Shipping — Canada Post, Canpar, Purolator or private courier

• US Shipping — DHL Express

• International & Overseas — DHL Express

Final shipping and handling costs will be confirmed with a quote before payment. Delivery times may vary due to weather, supply chain disruptions, or other factors beyond our control.

INSURANCE

Insurance coverage is not included in shipping estimates and is available upon request.

Exchange

We do not offer refunds, however we allow exchange or store credit within 72 hours of receipt, provided the artwork is returned in its original condition and packaging. Read more

Artwork Care

CARING FOR YOUR ARTWORK

Display
Hang artwork away from direct sunlight, heat sources, and air vents. UV exposure causes fading over time — UV-protective glazing is recommended for works on paper and photography. Avoid hanging artwork above fireplaces or in bathrooms where heat and humidity fluctuate.

Cleaning
Dust frames gently with a soft, dry cloth. Never use household cleaners, water, or solvents on the artwork surface. For oil paintings, a soft-bristle brush can be used lightly to remove surface dust. Professional cleaning is recommended for valuable or delicate pieces.

Temperature & Humidity
Maintain a stable environment — ideally 18–22°C (65–72°F) with 40–55% relative humidity. Rapid changes in temperature or humidity can cause warping, cracking, or flaking. In Alberta’s dry climate, a humidifier can help protect your collection during winter months.

Handling & Moving
Always handle artwork with clean, dry hands or cotton gloves. Carry framed works by the sides of the frame — never by the hanging wire. When transporting, wrap in acid-free tissue or soft blankets and keep upright. For valuable pieces, professional art handlers and custom crating are recommended.

Storage
Store artwork upright in a cool, dry, dark space. Use acid-free materials for wrapping. Never store artwork in attics, basements, or garages where temperature and humidity are uncontrolled.

Insurance
We recommend insuring your art collection. An up-to-date appraisal (every 2–3 years) ensures proper coverage. West End Gallery offers professional appraisal services — please enquire for details.

Questions?
Contact us at info@westendgalleryltd.com or 780-488-4892. We’re always happy to advise on the care of your collection.