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Approach to Art

When painting, David has two primary objectives: to bring the "wild" within reach of those who have not had the opportunity to experience it for themselves, and to provide a permanent reminder to those who have.

David has always been intrigued by nature's intricate details. As he likes to point out, "God is an amazing designer. The closer you look, the more there is to see…"  It is this intricacy, combined with the subtleties of mood and environment, that David attempts to capture in his paintings.

"For me, there are four main steps in creating a piece of art. The first step, the idea, is the most important and also the hardest one."

The ideas for David's paintings are the result of his experiences with his subjects.  Some people write their experiences in a journal; David paints them.  Because accuracy and integrity in the depiction of wildlife are of primary importance to him, David travels to where his subjects live.  His observations go beyond appearance, proportion, light, and colour, to the animal's behaviour and interactions within its natural habitat.  While there, he also gathers as much reference as possible, from actual specimens (fallen feathers, fur, grasses, etc.), to photographs and slides.  Back in the studio, David will sift through the references he has gathered, re-living the experience, and deciding which story he wants to tell at that particular time.

"In the second step, drawing, all my observations, sketches, specimens, slides, and photographs, must converge into an accurate, yet meaningful image. The third step, the actual painting of the piece, is an easier one. The last step, the signature, is my final stamp of approval."

People are often told to "stop and smell the roses." As a visual artist, David uses his work to remind us to stop and "look" at the beauty that surrounds us.