David Holmes
United States
I was raised in a small New Hampshire town. From an early age I loved to draw, filling book after book with complex scribbles. Even then I gravitated toward realism. Something about it appealed to me, and I struggled to make things look as perfect as possible.
Fortunately our town had Bill Swank, a great local artist who taught classes. Under his instruction I learned the fundamentals of perspective, materials and composition. He was also a great storyteller and I spent many happy hours practicing art and memorizing corny jokes. This was the first lucky break that helped lay the path towards an art career.
The second break came at sixteen, when I learned that I needed glasses. Until then I'd planned on becoming a pilot like my father. Poor vision made that problematic, however. My artistic skills provided an ideal back-up. In hindsight it's clear that this was for the best. My personality is much better suited toward "creative" endeavors such as art…
My third lucky break came when I was accepted to the Rhode Island School of Design. RISD opened my eyes to the vast potential of the art world. I discovered a field called Graphic Design, which combined visuals and typography to communicate a message. After graduating in 1984 I began work as a designer, then art director, and ultimately creative director for marketing/design/ad agencies.
I loved the work, but it was demanding. At the end of the day I was creatively drained, with little energy left to make any original art for myself. I missed the freedom of painting, and found myself longing to return to my artistic roots. In 2002 I decided to switch gears and try painting full-time. It was difficult decision to leave advertising after 18 years, but necessary in order to focus on the new work. After a decade, I'm happy to say that things have worked out pretty well. I'm blessed by the opportunity of a second career that provides thrills, excitement and great personal satisfaction.
* This statement has been provided directly by the artist in association to their 14th International ARC Salon entries. This content has not been edited for typos or grammatical errors and has not been vetted for accuracy.
