Born in Hammersmith, London to an English mother and Scottish father, David moved next to St. Leonards Forest, Sussex, which had a significant effect on his experience of landscape, as did visits to his family in the Scottish Countryside.

In 2024, he was awarded the Winsor and Newton prize at the Royal Institute of oil Painters Annual Exhibition.  He exhibited at Regency Townhouse Museum, Hove, with Cameron Contemporary Art and at Petersfield Gallery & Museum.

In 2023, he exhibited with the Royal Institute of Oil Painters and in 2022, he exhibited at the London Mall Galleries, SW1 at:  The Royal Society of British Artists, The New English Art Club and the Royal Institute of Oil Painters.

A solo exhibition of 20 of his paintings was showcased in 2021 by Cameron Contemporary Art, Hove.  He continues to exhibit en plein airs and studio works with them as a gallery artist and at Battersea.

From 2017 to the present, he has exhibited widely in London and the South East and presently also regularly shows with The Art Buyer, Hampton Court and Nadia Waterfield, Hampshire Art Fair.

In 2017, he was invited to show a group of paintings at the ING Discerning Eye, Mall Galleries, London SW1.

In 2016, he won first prize with ‘Sienna Panorama V’, in Paint-Out & Sussex Life Magazine’s Landscape Painter of the Year.

He reached the final judging for selection of the Lynn Painter-Stainers Prize, Mall Galleries London SW1, in 2015, exhibiting in the show 2016. 

Somerset House Art Critic, Stephen Doherty, selected David’s painting ‘New Forest Landscape I’ for the ING Discerning Eye Exhibition 2015 at the Mall Galleries London SW1.   

Background

David was taught by painter John Macraffry during Foundation Art Diploma, gaining a distinction, then achieved an honours degree in 3D Art from Manchester Metropolitan University, which included correspondences with Turner Prize Sculptor, Richard Deacon, in his thesis. 

He worked on the large works of Anselm Keifer and Anish Kapoor as a sculptor.  Afterwards, he taught as a lecturer, before finally becoming a full-time, studio based, landscape painter.

In 2019, he donated to the South Downs Trust Auction, Goodwood and donated to the ‘Big Heart Auction’ exhibition at the Brighton Dome.   He has been featured in Saatchi Art artists to look at – Invest in Art, 2015, Saatchi Featured Artist, 2016 and Saatchi Art’s Artist of the Day, 2016.  In 2019, he completed a vineyard painting residency.

Sussex Life Paint Out, Landscape Painting of the Year, 2016, Sienna Panorama V (above).

“The winning entry was chosen for its drama and powerful capturing of not only the landscape but also of how the light can shape that landscape. The work revels in the scale of the subject and plays with the concept of landscape through its square format. It is immersive: the viewer is seduced to come ever closer to the work, much as we are when the landscape is before us” 

(Editor C.Burns)

Awards

Winsor and Newton Award, Royal Institute of Oil Painters, Mall Galleries, London, SW1, 2024

Winner, Landscape Painter of the Year, Sussex Life Magazine/ Paint Out, 2017

Winner, Painting for the Environment Exhibition, Horsham Arts Centre/ Collyers student – European Parliament Strasbourg Visit Award

Reviews & Testimonials

“David’s dramatic abstracted landscapes are a masterclass in light and tone, evoking the outdoors in its all awe, wildness and romanticism”  – Mall Galleries, London SW1, 2018

“I loved the landscape paintings … which have been selling very fast and I can well understand why!” – ‘ING Discerning Eye Exhibition – ‘Making a Mark Blog’, Katherine Tyrrell, 2017

“I was drawn to ‘Sussex Downs Sunset XXVII’ so much is because of the incredible way  it captures the mood and light of what is at first glance a dark day.  It actually seems to get brighter as the day gets darker.”  – A. Barras, University of Brighton, 2016

“We love the dramatic and intensely colourful sky!” ‘Sussex Downs Sunset Crimson I’ – Big Heart Auction Team, Brighton Dome, 2015

Articles Interviews Reviews Residencies

Review Of Sussex Arts Magazine, ROSA, 2021

Interview, The Art Buyer, 2021

Sussex Life Magazine, 12 Sussex Art Galleries, August 2020

Highbrook Vineyard Painting residency, Summer 2019

Marking a Mark Blog, review ING Discerning Eye, Mall Galleries, London SW1, 2017

Discerning Eye catalogue, pg. 79, London, 2017

Feature – Sussex Life Magazine/ Paint Out, Landscape Painter of the Year Winner 2016, competition, January 2017

Interview – Sussex Life Magazine/ Paint out, Landscape Painter of the Year Winner 2016 – Winner, April 2017

Lynn Painter-Stainers Prize exhibition catalogue, pg. 51, London, 2016

Inside Sussex Magazine, Artist Interview, July 2016

Discerning Eye Exhibition catalogue, pgs. 64,65, London, 2015

Absolute Brighton,  ArtWave Festival article, Project Manager, 2005

Art Industry Roles

Sculptor – large sculpture works of Anish Kapoor, Anslem Kiefer, MDM -2006-2011

Team leader Galleries – ‘Frieze Art Fair’, Regents Park, 2006

Project Manager – ‘Artwave Visual Arts Festival’, Lewes District Council,  2006 –2007

Fund Raiser – ‘Arts Council’ fund, ‘Soundwave Festival’, Cultural Services, 2007

Gallery Committee – Phoenix Arts Studios, 2004

Lecturing (Art)

National Foundation Diploma in Art – Eastbourne Sussex Downs College

A Level Fine Art & Critical Studies – The VI Form College of Richard Collyer

AS Level Art & Design – Lewes South Downs College

Education

Manchester Metropolitan University – BA(Hons) Three dimensional Art & Design /WMCT

University of Brighton – PGCE (full-time) – Further & Higher Education

Collections outside UK: 

New York, South of France, Spain, Portugal, Australia, China, Switzerland