Art Gallery of Newfoundland and
Labrador (AGNL)
Shaped by the Sea
Permanent Collections
Another of Newfoundland's talented landscape artists, Scott Goudie differs from others in that he works primarily in mezzotint prints and chalk pastels and has as his main focus the wilds of Labrador.
Born in St. John's in 1955, Goudie became interested and committed to art early in life. Rather than attending art classes, he opted for private tutoring. From 1962 until 1972 he studied drawing, watercolour, and oil painting with Paul Parsons. As he entered his teens, he also began taking lessons from well-known Newfoundland artists, such as Gerald Squires, Don Wright and Frank Lapointe.
In 1972, he left Newfoundland and did not return until 1977. During that time he continued to develop his talents by briefly attending the Vancouver College of Art. However, the director of the school felt that with Goudie's way of working, he would be better off continuing with private instruction. Goudie took this advice and spent the next few years studying and travelling in the United States and Canada.
|
|
A Play of Light 1988 Chalk Pastel on Black Arches Paper 112.8 x 76.3 cm 
(47KB)
|
After returning home, Goudie's work began to gain attention. He started to exhibit, worked at St. Michael's Printshop in Newfoundland and at Sword Street Press in Toronto, and took a trip to India. He also worked as an Artist-in-Residence for Sir Wilfred Grenfell College in Corner Brook in 1983 and spent time in Cape Dorset, Baffin Island, as a visiting artist for the Baffin Eskimo Co-operative in 1985.
In the 1970s, Goudie experimented with different subjects, including portraits, animals, architecture and landscapes. But by the early 1980s his taste had changed and he began to paint landscapes almost exclusively. He found himself being drawn more and more to the wilderness of Labrador. Now, Goudie often spends four to six months a year in Labrador.
Although skilled in a variety of techniques, most of Goudie's works have been watercolours or mezzotints, a complex kind of printmaking. His artwork about Labrador falls into two groups. The first includes the larger prints with dark, intense blues, browns and blacks that illustrate the more dramatic aspects of the Labrador wilderness. The other group is comprised of smaller, more intimate works. In almost all cases, however, there is no human presence.
Besides being a talented artist, Goudie is also considered one of the best blues musicians in the province. When not playing with his band in clubs in St. John's, he can be found painting in his studio in Salmonier, about one hour southwest of St. John's.
