Wesleyville, Burning of the Methodist Church David Blackwood
The TV ads for Newfoundland and Labrador are clever. They present the gorgeous scenery at its best and they never depict a rainy day (of which there are plenty) or mosquitoes (of which there are billions.) In reality the arms of the guy in this photo would be a blur of swatting anytime in the summer. Newfoundland is beautiful, but it is also fierce at times. It has a history of destroying the weak and even today the weather can be frightening.
The current exhibit of art by David Blackwood at the Art Gallery of Ontario gives the counterpoint to those idyllic television spots. His work is often dark and brooding and even the images of celebratory and playful events such as weddings and mummers in the night have an ominous quality. We love it because it reflects another reality of this often harsh and unforgiving land.
Blackwood now lives in Port Hope but his early years were shaped by the stern Methodism of the Straight Shore and the town of Wesleyville (named after John Wesley.) The preachers were fiery and the biblical stories were vividly told. I had the good fortune to sit next to Mr. Blackwood at a dinner party and we chatted about Newfoundland's religious heritage.
Churches show up in a number of Blackwood's prints and when we were at the AGO we were surprised to see a sketch book with a drawing of Frederickton, one of the outport communities I served. I preached from the once Methodist pulpit of that little church again last summer, although I'm sure that I never came close to ramping up the hellfire and damnation to the satisfaction of some in the congregation.
Do you know the work of David Blackwood? Have you experienced the wild beauty of Newfoundland? What about scary religion? Has your experience been fairly benign or was there an element of fear in your upbringing?
Ah - the wonderful works of Nfld artists like Blackwood, Mary Pratt and others.
ReplyDeleteFriends who have resided there chuckle at the perfect weather conditions depicted in the tv ads and the background scenery of Republic of Doyle!
Have you noticed the tourist ads for Nova Scotia?
"So when are you comin'?"
He's an interesting artist, and an interesting guy too. I first ran into him in Port Hope, as well.
ReplyDeleteWe drove to Nfld. in August 2009, and it was an amazing experience. The trip alone really hammered home how immense and beautiful our country is.
The people we met were fantastic, warm and funny - would give you the shirt off your back if you asked. I hope to go back some day ... by air, though!
The pictures are beautiful. We are travelling East mid June to mid July. We are not visiting Newfoundland this year, but will be spending time in NB, NS, and PEI. The campsites are booked, and the only other thing we have confirmed is to see Anne of Green Gables in Charlottetown. I'm open to suggestions if you have any. Rain does not bother me, but mosquitoes are another story. Are they really that bad?
ReplyDeleteA little off topic, I know, but I just received this and we were talking about mosquitoes.
ReplyDeleteA great man once said "If you think you're too small to make a difference, you've never slept with a mosquito in the room." Moment to moment, it's the small things that determine which direction our lives will go. This week we've got the opportunity to do one small thing that will define us: pick up a pencil and make a mark. Monday May 2nd is Election Day.
Well, Nan, the good news is that Newfie nippers are in a unique class, all their own. I can't remember bugs in PEI.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you mentioned Mary Pratt Jan.
I agree Ian. David Blackwood is low-key but very interesting.