Event: CULMINATION - Opening Reception: Featuring the work of David Michael Beck

Gallery 506 is thrilled to feature an exciting retrospective of the work of David Michael Beck. David’s breadth and depth of talent will leave a lasting impression on viewers.

Opening Reception: Saturday, September 14 - 6-10pm

Closing Reception: Saturday, October 19 - 6-10pm

This comprehensive sampling of a prolific career represents an amazingly wide scope and range of work including items from the worlds of advertising, book publishing, editorial, entertainment, as well as the focus in recent years on fine art and gallery works.

David’s journey through multiple genres is a testament to his extensive appreciation of the visual arts and his discipline in creating his own imaginative visual voice. David's great strength as a conceptual artist, as well as his masterful technical skills, has developed a style quite unlike any other. The underlying narrative themes and understanding of nature are evident in his work. David’s expressive imagery is grounded in traditional classical art training. In recent years, traditional styles have been challenged by digital techniques and AI. Today we see a welcomed appreciation by individuals and a return by artists to disciplines of classical tradition and narrative themes in the execution of art—no matter how untraditional the art may be.

This life’s collection celebrates the culmination of a professional artist’s many interests and a glimpse into a creative—often startling--imagination. With roots firmly planted in illustration, David paints in a variety of mediums from watercolor, gouache, acrylics, and oils, to full tonal pencil, and pen & ink. Interestingly, most paintings in this exhibit are first meticulously drawn out in a complex full tonal pencil underpinning.

Passionate about art education, David teaches the techniques he uses at the Art Academy of Cincinnati. He has always been generous in giving back to young artists in workshops and lectures with other institutions including The Syracuse University Satellite Program, The Dallas Community College, The College of Medical Illustration, The Cleveland Art Institute, and The Cincinnati Art Institute.

David was born in Springfield, Illinois. His academic training was with Wright State University, The American Academy of Art, and The Chicago Academy of Fine Art.

ARTIST STATEMENT

"My work is an exploration of light, mood, perspective and composition. Much of my imagery is derived from nature, personal experience and my interest in the narrative. It is intended to provoke thought and often to entertain. The wide range of my work reflects my many interests—from my contemporary narrative to traditional landscape, from realism to the didactic—each piece is executed in traditional painting technique."