Studio Weathervane, Wesleyville | 1991 | Etching 73 of 75
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Studio Weathervane, Wesleyville | 1991 | Etching 73 of 75
Edmonton
10337 124 Street
Edmonton AB T5N 1R1
Canada
About the Artwork
Studio Weathervane (1991) is an etching and aquatint with hand-colouring by David Blackwood (1941–2022), presenting the whale-form weathervane atop the artist's Wesleyville studio. The vertical composition shows the weathervane at the summit—a dark whale silhouette crowned by compass direction markers N, E, S, W. Heavy chains descend through the centre of the composition toward a foreground dock hand-coloured in salmon-pink and warm coral tones. On this dock, a solitary figure stands with a dog. Beyond them, the frozen Reach stretches toward Bennett's High Island, where children are engaged in "tippypanning"—jumping from one ice pan to another in the after-school ritual that trained generations for the seal fishery.
The studio was constructed with the same view Blackwood had from his childhood bedroom window looking toward Bennett's High Island. In describing Bennett's High Island Trilogy (1981), the artist wrote: "This is now the same view from my studio window in Wesleyville. The building was constructed with this island in mind, on the rocks above Blackwood's Cove."1 The figure with the dog on the dock below echoes Blackwood's own companion, Banquo—named after the Shakespearean character in Macbeth. The artist recalled in 1993: "'Banquo' my dog in Wesleyville circa 1959, named after the Shakespearian character in Macbeth."2 The children on the ice practice "tippypanning"—jumping from pan to pan, "a great pastime after school" that provided "excellent training for the day when this kind of activity was part of everyday life at the seal fishery."1
The composition links three realms: the weathervane marking wind and direction above; the dock at middle register where human companionship unfolds; and the ice field below where childhood learning takes place. The whale weathervane—a real object atop Blackwood's own studio—becomes symbolic: marking direction but also embodying the creature that shaped Newfoundland's economy and mythology. Light appears to emanate from the dock structure, hand-coloured in warm pinks that glow against the Prussian blue ice. This is not an imagined scene but a portrait of the artist's own workspace view, where the tools of navigation, creative work, childhood play, and winter survival converge in a single architectural prospect.
Dimensions and Details
- Title: Studio Weathervane
- Artist: David Blackwood (1941–2022)
- Year: 1991
- Size: 35½" × 15" (90.2 × 38.1 cm)
- Medium: Etching and aquatint with hand-colouring on paper
- Edition: 73/75
- Condition: Pristine. These specific impressions have been stored flat in archival conditions since 1991, never displayed or exposed to ambient light.
Acquisition Enquiries
Studio Weathervane is offered exclusively through West End Gallery. Enquiries are welcome. We invite you to contact us directly to arrange a private viewing. Layaway options are available upon request. Shipping is quoted based on location; local delivery within Edmonton and surrounding communities is complimentary.
Citations
- David Blackwood, artist's statement for Bennett's High Island Trilogy, 1981. West End Gallery Archive.
- David Blackwood, artist's statement for Folded Studies, March 1993. West End Gallery Archive.
Accessibility Description
This vertical composition shows a whale weathervane at the summit, with a dark whale silhouette forming the directional indicator. The cardinal direction letters N, W, E, S are arranged in compass positions around the weathervane mechanism. Heavy chains or cables descend vertically from the weathervane through the composition's centre, their links clearly defined.
In the foreground, a dock platform extends across the lower portion of the composition, hand-coloured in salmon-pink and warm coral tones. On this dock at lower right, a solitary human figure stands in dark clothing beside a dog, both rendered as silhouettes.
The middle ground and background depict frozen sea ice extending toward the horizon. Multiple small figures—children—are scattered across the ice field, engaged in tippypanning (jumping between ice pans). The ice is rendered in gradated hand-coloured blues: pale aquamarine and turquoise for sunlit surfaces, Prussian blue for shadowed areas, deep indigo for open water leads between pans. Ice texture shows dimensionality through aquatint—pressure ridges, individual floes, cracks and channels visible. Distant landforms appear on the horizon—Bennett's High Island.
The overall palette contrasts warm tones (salmon-pink dock glowing like a beacon) against cool blues and greys (ice field and sky). The whale weathervane silhouette provides a dark focal point at apex. Light suggests dawn or dusk, with the pink dock structure appearing to emit light against cooler surroundings. The work is signed and dated by the artist. Medium: etching and aquatint with hand-colouring on paper, 35½" × 15" (90.2 × 38.1 cm).
Full Provenance
- 1991: Created by David Blackwood
- 1991: Edition of 75 published
- 1991–Present: Private collection; never displayed; stored in archival conditions; offered through West End Gallery, Edmonton
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.
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