Dave Maxwell: February 2006

VAL would like to thank our demonstrator from last month, Dave Maxwell

Dave spent his early years in Illinois and Fort Worth, graduating from Arlington Heights High School in 1952. Upon graduation he attended TCU for two years, and worked as a Cabinet Maker for a period of time after that. He then completed a degree in Industrial Arts from North Texas State in 1958.

He was employed by a Major Oil Company as a draftsman for ten years, then for the next 25 he held various assignments in their Purchasing Department, living in various West Texas and New Mexico locations. After living in Houston for many years, he retired in 1993.Travel became a primary activity until his wife, Mary, decided that it was time to slow the pace a bit. She and an artist friend convinced him to take some free watercolor lessons, which he reluctantly agreed to. He soon became fascinated by its challenge, and began a serious study in 1999 through professional lessons and various workshops sponsored by the Watercolor Art Society-Houston. During that time, he began entering local shows, and had a satisfying degree of success in winning ribbons and various awards. He and Mary moved to Fort Worth in 2002.

A life-long love of automobiles provides the subject matter for many of his paintings. His teacher in Houston, Gerry Finch, recommended that he follow his automotive love for subject matter, even though she is a painter of still lifes and florals. He loves developing mechanical shapes and reflected surfaces on paper, through employing smooth flowing washes contrasted with the crisp line work that reflections require. About the time he moved to Fort Worth he began having success in National Shows, and gained Signature Membership in the Watercolor Art Society-Houston in 2004. Additionally he began study with Mary Kay Krell, and has attended various area workshops sponsored by the Southwestern Watercolor Society and the Society of Watercolor Artists.

During 2005, his efforts were recognized through the attainment of Signature Membership status in the Southwestern Watercolor Society as well as the Society of Watercolor Artists in Fort Worth. One of his works was accepted in the recent VAST Member Show, and he has a painting included in the VAST 2006 Calendar. Additionally in 2006 he has had paintings jurored in to the Spring Shows of the Visual Art Society of Texas, the Houston International, the Society of Watercolor Artists International, and the Artists Showplace Jurored Exhibition in Dallas.

Posted under Art Talk, News on March 6, 2006 by R. H. Evora  |   No Comments »