About the Artist
About
West Reading Plein Air (PA)
Suffolk Plein Air (VA)
Paint Lexington (VA)
Tidelands Plein Air (VA)
In May, David traveled to the isle of Jersey, off the coast of France, to take a plein air workshop with the noted Irish watercolor artist Grahame Booth. Coincidently, it was the 80th anniversary of the Nazis' departure from Jersey, and the island was celebrating. A vintage Spitfire did a victory roll over St. Brelade -- an inspiring sight.
David grew up in Kansas City, Missouri, and attended Washington & Lee University in Lexington, VA. He earned his Masters in English literature at the University of Texas at San Antonio. He taught English at the United States Military Academy at West Point, NY, and, after retiring from the military, taught high school English in Frederick County, VA. David retired from teaching eight years ago and now paints full time. He and his family live in Charlottesville, VA.
Artist’s Statement
Like many other artists, I try to spin the straw of the mundane into the gold of the unexpected. It is an alchemy that only occasionally succeeds -- all artists have to endure disappointment, no matter how accomplished they may be. My artist statement is simple: "When the coffee kicks in, the painting begins." That sounds flip, but it reflects my practical approach to the painting process. When it' s time to paint, I find a subject that attracts me, plan my composition, lay out my supplies, and then get to it. Art is like a distant oasis. Sometimes the artist reaches the cool of the shade; often the oasis, maddeningly, recedes into the distance.
