David McKay — Galloping Horse, Linocut/Woodblock Print, 31/70, 1980 — Framed Original Art

A striking original limited-edition relief print by David McKay, RCA — one of Canada's most respected self-taught artists. Depicting a galloping horse in a dramatic open landscape, the composition is built entirely from bold horizontal striations, conveying raw motion and energy. The technique — likely linocut or woodblock — is confident and expressive, with strong contrast between dense black fields and the white silhouette of the horse.

Signed, numbered, and dated in pencil by the artist:
• Edition: 31/70
• Year: 1980
• Signature: lower left, "David McKay"
• Presented in a black frame with white mat/mount

Condition: Very good vintage condition. Some minor surface marks consistent with age, visible in low light.

Dimensions (framed): Please inquire — we are happy to provide exact measurements on request.

This is an early work from a pivotal period in McKay's career, when he was actively exhibiting across Canada and building his reputation at major galleries in Montreal, Toronto, and Halifax.

About the artist

David McKay (b. 1945, Fredericton, New Brunswick) is one of Atlantic Canada's foremost artists. Self-taught, he left a career as a structural technologist in 1972 to paint full time — a decision that would define his legacy. Over the following five decades, McKay exhibited in more than 100 shows across Canada, the United States, and Europe, and was elected to the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts (RCA) and the Society of Canadian Artists (SCA). He served a four-year term on the Board of Directors of the Canada Council for the Arts.

His work is held in numerous public and institutional collections including the Beaverbrook Art Gallery, Mount Allison University, the University of New Brunswick, the New Brunswick Art Bank, Irving Oil, and the collection of His Royal Highness Prince Andrew. In 2019 he was honoured with the Fredericton Arts Achievement Award.

McKay's practice is rooted in the landscapes and vernacular buildings of New Brunswick, rendered through watercolour and egg tempera. This 1980 print — with its dramatic equine subject — represents a compelling departure from his better-known landscapes, making it an unusual and collectible piece from early in his career.