Biography

I wish I could say I was born with a pencil in one hand and a paintbrush in the other! But, really, I only dabbled in the arts growing up. Actually, I pretty much ignored it my whole adult life until I was into my 40's and, then, for some reason I can't put a finger on, I suddenly became obsessed with art! Since then, I'm seldom without a sketchbook nearby.

Being somewhat old-fashioned, I am drawn to the simple things in life. I love natural and rural landscapes. I also enjoy sketching and painting older trucks & tractors, especially when nature is in the process of reclaiming them.

As far as painting, I prefer acrylics. They allow me the freedom to layer and adjust to my hearts content. For sketching and drawing, my favorite medium is pen & ink. I like the bold statement it makes and will, occasionally, combine it with watercolor. Graphite, however, is my first love and I often return to it for sketching. Like I said above, I appreciate the simple things, which means I want to enjoy my art journey, not complicate it.

In my opinion, a painting should look like a painting. It's not dogma, just my preference. One should be able to see the hand of the artist in their art. I would classify my work as representational and impressionistic since my subjects are recognizable, but not quite realistic. I like the more painterly approach and want to see brushstrokes, pencil strokes, lines, exaggerated color and artistic compositions.

All images are copyright David King