Artist Profile
David James
Nelson New Zealand
Artist’s Statement
I am intrigued by both the fragility and the resilience of being human, and the complexities of our humanity in relationship to one another. Through my practice, it is my goal to engage with emotive and personal narratives as they emerge through the process of making, to create images of depth, weight, and connection. My working approach focusses on the sensitivity and discipline of traditional figurative drawing, disrupted by washes of shellac. The resulting images embody in the making, the tension we hold between what we can and cannot control.
Biography
Born in 1976, and living and working in Nelson, New Zealand, David is an artist, an art educator, and gallery director.
David James’ art practice explores the sensitivity and control of traditional figurative drawing, disrupted with expressive techniques to allow emotive and personal narratives to emerge. David's greatest interest is to explore the complexities of our humanity in relationship to one another.
As an art educator, David teaches contemporary and traditional approaches to drawing the figure, and has recently returned to Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology teaching critical studies, and studio practice.
David also directs the not-for-profit initiative ATELIER Studio|Gallery to support, represent, and promote emerging contemporary artists, from where he runs his private studio.
David holds qualifications in the Visual Arts majoring in painting and drawing, and a Master’s degree in Art & Design for which he achieved First-Class honours for his work exploring the human experience of transitory spaces.
Qualifications
Master of Arts (Art & Design)
AUT Auckland University of Technology
2005-2007
Certificate in Adult Teaching
Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology
2009
Diploma in Visual Arts (Level7)
Nelson Polytechnic
1996-1998
Awards
Cretney Award for Excellence in Education (2009)
Selected Exhibition History
Solo Shows
2022 Psalm
2019 Speculum Humanae Dei
2018 Song of all Songs
Group Shows
2020 IMAGE + TEXT
2020 Stations of the Cross
2019 Downscale
2018 Quality of Life
David James
Downpour 2 , 2018
Oil on Board590.0 x 895.0 mm
NZD 1,350
David James
Downpour 1 , 2018
Oil on Board590.0 x 895.0 mm
sold
David James
Notes Project - 6 , 2019
Photo Scanner, 310 gsm Cotton rag paper295.0 x 210.0 mm
NZD 120
David James
Notes Project - 5 , 2019
Photo Scanner, 310 gsm Cotton rag paper295.0 x 210.0 mm
sold
David James
Notes Project - 4 , 2019
Photo Scanner, 310 gsm Cotton rag paper295.0 x 210.0 mm
NZD 120
David James
Notes Project - 3 , 2019
Photo Scanner, 310 gsm Cotton rag paper295.0 x 210.0 mm
NZD 120
David James
Notes Project - 2 , 2019
Photo Scanner, 310 gsm Cotton rag paper295.0 x 210.0 mm
sold
David James
Notes Project - 1 , 2019
Photo Scanner, 310 gsm Cotton rag paper295.0 x 210.0 mm
NZD 120
David James
Where a Heart Finds Home , 2019
Graphite and shellac on paper700.0 x 700.0 mm
sold
David James
To Feel Everything and All #10 , 2019
Graphite, ink, acrylic, and shellac on board200.0 x 300.0 mm
NZD 425
David James
To Feel Everything and All #9 , 2019
Graphite, ink, acrylic, and shellac on board200.0 x 300.0 mm
NZD 425
David James
To Feel Everything and All #8 , 2019
Graphite, ink, acrylic, and shellac on board200.0 x 300.0 mm
NZD 425
David James
To Feel Everything and All #7 , 2019
Graphite, ink, acrylic, and shellac on board200.0 x 300.0 mm
NZD 425
David James
To Feel Everything and All #6 , 2019
Graphite, ink, acrylic, and shellac on board200.0 x 300.0 mm
NZD 425
David James
To Feel Everything and All #5 , 2019
Graphite, ink, acrylic, and shellac on board200.0 x 300.0 mm
sold
David James
To Feel Everything and All #4 , 2019
Graphite, ink, acrylic, and shellac on board200.0 x 300.0 mm
NZD 425
David James
To Feel Everything and All #3 , 2019
Graphite, ink, acrylic, and shellac on board200.0 x 300.0 mm
sold
David James
To Feel Everything and All #2 , 2019
Graphite, ink, acrylic, and shellac on board200.0 x 300.0 mm
NZD 425
David James
To Feel Everything and All #1 , 2019
Graphite, ink, acrylic, and shellac on board200.0 x 300.0 mm
NZD 425
David James
Even in Darkness I Cannot Hide from You , 2019
Graphite, black and white conte, ink, and shellac on paper700.0 x 700.0 mm
NZD 2,850
David James
In Good Faith , 2019
Graphite, ink, and shellac on paper700.0 x 700.0 mm
NZD 2,850
David James
The Suffering One , 2019
Graphite and Shellac on Paper1400.0 x 1000.0 mm
NZD 4,250
David James
No Shadow of Turning , 2019
Graphite and Shellac on Paper1400.0 x 1000.0 mm
NZD 4,250
David James
In Resistance , 2019
Graphite, ink, and shellac on paper1400.0 x 1000.0 mm
sold
David James
We All Fall , 2020
Graphite on Fabriano Paper1800.0 x 740.0 mm
NZD 1,200
David James
When The Light Comes Upon Her (Jeremiah 18 Series) , 2020
Graphite, Shellac and Acrylic on Paper1100.0 x 800.0 mm
sold
David James
To Savour the Void, A Revolution (Jeremiah 18 Series) , 2020
Graphite, Shellac and Acrylic on Paper149.0 x 133.0 cm
NZD 2,200
David James
Cover Me 2 , 2022
Graphite and shellac on paperNZD 1,800
David James
Cover Me 1 , 2022
Graphite and shellac on papersold
David James
Psalm. Like rivers of water in a dry place , 2022
Graphite and shellac on paperNZD 2,750
David James
Psalm. Like shade of a great rock in a weary land , 2022
Graphite and shellac on paperNZD 2,750
David James
Psalm. Like a shelter from the tempest , 2022
Graphite and shellac on paperNZD 2,750
David James
Oh, to be as light as a feather , 2022
Graphite and shellac on paperNZD 3,690
David James
Psalm 51 , 2022
Graphite and shellac on paperNZD 4,200
David James
She is like a Mountain , 2022
Graphite and shellac on paper1440.0 x 1440.0 mm
NZD 6,500
David James
Weep (study) , 2022
Graphite on Paper290.0 x 370.0 mm
sold
David James
Silence (study) , 2022
Graphite on Paper290.0 x 370.0 mm
NZD 265
David James
Solitude (study) , 2022
Graphite on Paper290.0 x 370.0 mm
NZD 265
David James
Lean In 2 , 2022
Graphite and shellac on paper300.0 x 210.0 mm
NZD 250