Artist Statement and CV

Is there a natural order to seemingly random events in our lives? The founder of Psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud believed that our lives are on a linear path and the experiences we have are based on cause and effect. At this end of the spectrum lies Order. Unpredictability, surprises, chance meetings, perhaps the feeling that you’ve met a person before, coincidence, is Chaos. Is there an Order to the Universe? Are the events that occur in our lives completely random? Or is unpredictability hardwired into every aspect of the world we live in, is Chaos written into the basic fabric of life? Is it possible to accept, and believe two ultimately contradictory truths?

Each work has a life of its own. Each piece that I create has an aspect of life ingrained into it. When creating new works I always keep in mind that artistry is progressive and because of this, my work continues to evolve. At one time, I used oil paint, roofing tar, encaustic, and liquid enamel to create my paintings. I have since started using acrylic, cold wax, spray paint, art crayons, charcoal, and sometimes incorporate torn sections of photographs or various types of papers to create my paintings. Combining these materials in a mixed media collage creates something that I am truly inspired by. My intention in these pieces is to portray reflection onto the canvas of the studies and theories of Chaos and Order.
This is an aesthetic that I continue to experiment within my work. Each of the materials I use allows me to create various layers and textures on the canvas. I am fascinated with texture and surface manipulation, through this I work to create a sense of space and dimension by building layer upon layer using palimpsest. I believe this process has allowed my paintings to become more organic in nature. My work continues to evolve. Painting is a lifelong pursuit.

I begin my painting by writing in charcoal on the canvas a few words, observations, hopes, dreams, or regrets that I have. With a very loose framework of the image in heart and by noting compositional elements, I begin to draw on the canvas with charcoal and water-soluble art crayons, then apply paint. At this point, I do automatic drawing across the canvas. I smudge those areas with cold wax and apply more paint, and where there are large areas of color I lightly spray, sometimes heavy, with a water bottle to create paint runs and drips. I then step back for a few minutes to give thought to the piece. I need to have a silent dialogue with the painting. I don’t want to impose my will onto the canvas but instead, reflect and respond to what is in front of me. I tear out portions of printed photographs or insert different papers and affix them to the canvas, then I begin to construct the image while allowing myself enough room for those “ah-ha” moments that I believe are so important to have when painting. Then I start the whole process all over again. This is how I build a painting.

Palimpsest - something having diverse layers or aspects apparent beneath the surface, something altered but still bearing visible traces of its earlier form.

I was born and raised in eastern Oklahoma, I earned my BFA from Oklahoma State University in Stillwater where I primarily studied painting, drawing, mixed media, and art history. I studied painting with Marty Avrett, a former student of Richard Diebenkorn, and I studied painting and drawing with Dean Bloodgood, a former student of Adolph Gottlieb. I lived in Los Angeles for a few years, I then moved to upstate New York. There was a lapse in my work as a painter for a few years due to a personal tragedy, I started taking photographs and I worked in graphic design and advertising/marketing. My wife and son and I then moved to Albuquerque. A few years ago I returned to painting, my muse, the thing that I’m most passionate about was there waiting for my return. Since returning to painting, I have shown in numerous galleries in Albuquerque, including Santa Fe, Taos, and the Denver area.

https://dmckee2020.wixsite.com/fineart

Artist CV

Personal Details

David S McKee, (b. 1964, Oklahoma)

DavidSMcKeeFineArt@gmail.com | http://dmckee2020.wixsite.com/fineart |505.239.4929

Education

Bachelor of Fine Art, Oklahoma State University, 1995

Bibliography

Neeley, KD, Creative Encounters Blog, The Music of Painting with David McKee, March 2016

http://www.neeleyarts.com/index.php/interviews/creative-encounters/417-the-music-of-painting-with-david-mckee

Collections

I have pieces in private collections in the states of Arizona, Massachusetts,
New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma, Texas, Vermont, and Wisconsin.

Current Gallery Representation
David Anthony Fine Art, Taos, NM

Previous Gallery Representation
Ghostwolf Contemporary Fine Art Gallery, Albuquerque, New Mexico
Ute Stebich Fine Art Gallery, Lenox, Massachusetts
The Store Gallery, Essex, New York
Young's Studio and Gallery, Jay, New York

View my 2020 Art Show Calendar

View my 2019 Art Show Calendar

View my 2018 Art Show Calendar