Picturescape

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David Blackwood

David Blackwood, a descendent of fishing skippers and sealing captains, is a maritimer through and through. He was born in 1941 in the Newfoundland town of Wesleyville, and still maintains a studio there. Tall tales of fishermen filled his childhood, and influence his art to this day. A recognized prodigy, he was only 23 when he had one of his etchings purchased by the National Gallery of Canada. He is regarded as Canada’s most accomplished printmaker.

These illustrations were based on Wesleyville: Seabird Hunters Returning Home, Loss of the Flora Nickerson and Wesleyville.

davidblackwood.com Gallery 78

02 / 12

Emily Carr

Emily Carr was born in Victoria in 1871, and is most famous for paintings that reflect Native culture and the lush forests of British Columbia. She struggled for recognition and abandoned her art for a time, but The Group of Seven artists encouraged her to persist. Her ghost is said to haunt Victoria’s James Bay Inn Pub, which was once the hospice in which she died. She is regarded as Canada’s first major female artist.

These illustrations were based on Big Raven and Skidegate.

03 / 12

Alex Colville

Alex Colville paints in the style of Magic Realism, depicting reality with a hint of fantasy. He was born in Toronto in 1920, and spent most of his youth in Amherst, Nova Scotia. After graduating from university, he enlisted and served in Europe as a war artist, recording the troops’ activities. Since 1973 he has lived in Wolfville, Nova Scotia. His work is acclaimed internationally and found in major collections around the world.

These illustrations were based on Horse and Train and To Prince Edward Island.

04 / 12

Ivan Eyre

Ivan Eyre is best known for his large pointillist paintings of prairie landscapes, but his work is also inspired by Symbolism, an art movement that uses the symbols of mythology and dreams. He was born in Tullymet, Saskatchewan in 1935, and was a Full Professor at the University of Manitoba until his retirement in 1993. He remains an active member of the Prairie art scene.

This illustration was based on Spotted Hills.

05 / 12

Clarence Gagnon

Clarence Alphonse Gagnon was born in Montreal, Quebec in 1881, and died in the same city 61 years later. He spent a number of years studying and working as a painter and etcher in Europe, and also illustrated a number of books, including L.F. Rouquette’s classic Le Grand Silence Blanc. When he returned from Europe, he was awarded an honorary doctorate from the Université de Montréal. His paintings and drawings have a light, impressionistic touch.

This illustration was based on October, from the collection of illustrations created for Maria Chapdelaine.

06 / 12

Lawren Harris

Lawren Harris was born in Brantford, Ontario in 1885. He was a founding member and a driving force behind the Group of Seven. He was an heir to the Massey-Harris fortunes and was free to pursue his art without financial worries. He even supported the studio in which the Group would work. He continued to explore new artistic styles until his death, in Vancouver, in 1970. His work is characterized by bold shapes and abstract composition.

These illustrations were based on Untitled and Lake and Mountains.

07 / 12

Edward John Hughes

Edward John Hughes was born in North Vancouver, BC, in 1913. He was an official WWII war artist, traveling to England and Alaska to record the activities of the armed forces. Following the war, he settled in Vancouver Island and struggled financially until he was discovered by Dr Max Stern of the Dominion Gallery in Montreal, with whom he signed an exclusive contract in 1951. He is known for his bright paintings of island life and scenery.

These illustrations were based on Freighter and Coastal Steamer near Sidney BC and Steamer arriving at Nanaimo.

ejhughes.ca

08 / 12

William Kurelek

William Kurelek was born on a farm in Whitford, Alberta, in 1927, to Ukrainian immigrants. His family’s struggles are reflected in his work; in addition to his striking prairie landscapes, he painted scenes depicting the difficult life of new immigrants. Kurelek was also a children’s author and illustrator. He died in 1977, in Toronto. His famous book To My Father’s Village, a record of his visit to his father’s childhood home, was published posthumously.

This illustration was based on The Ukrainian Pioneer.

09 / 12

Jean Paul Lemieux

Jean-Paul Lemieux was born in Quebec City in 1904. He gained his inspiration from the scenes of everyday life, and painted family portraits, village scenes and landscapes. Over time his work evolved into a more figurative and impressionistic style. He taught at the Ecole des Beaux Arts for 28 years, and died in Montreal, Quebec, in 1990. He is best known for his haunting images of lonely characters in vast empty landscapes.

This illustration was based on Les Ursulines.

10 / 12

James Edward Hervey (J.E.H.) MacDonald

James Edward Hervey MacDonald believed that art should express the “mood and character and spirit of the country”. He was born in Durham, England, in 1873 and moved to Canada at age 14. While working at the Grip Engraving Company in Toronto, he invited fellow staff members to paint with him on weekends; this became the impetus behind the Group of Seven. He is known for his use of rich, dark colours and vast panoramic paintings.

This illustration was based on The Solemn Land.

11 / 12

Christopher Pratt

Born in St. John’s, Newfoundland in 1935, Christopher Pratt studied engineering and general arts before his future wife, Mary, convinced him to join her in Fine Art studies at Mount Allison University in New Brunswick. He continued his studies in Glasgow and later returned to Canada to study with Alex Colville. He paints in a highly stylized fashion that is sometimes called ‘hyper-realism’, and is regarded as one of Canada’s leading artists of today.

This illustration was based on Clothesline.

12 / 12

Tom Thomson

Born in 1877 in Claremont, Ontario, Tom Thomson worked as a commercial illustrator in Toronto with fellow artists who would later form the Group of Seven. His paintings of rugged landscapes and bright fall colours inspired other artists to explore the Algonquin Park region in which he loved to paint. Three years before the first Group of Seven exhibition his life was tragically cut short in a drowning accident. Nevertheless, he remains one of Canada’s most celebrated artists.

This illustration was based on The Jack Pine.