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Colorado painter Dave Stout was born in
Grand Island,
Nebraska.
After moving to Denver at the age of six, Dave's interest in
art began to develop. Many summers were spent camping and
fishing in the mountains of Colorado, where Dave developed a
tremendous appreciation for the landscape.
Dave's formal training began at
Rocky Mountain School of Art and Design. He studied there for
a year and a half. The main emphasis was in commercial art
which Dave became disenchanted with. Dave went to work as a
custom picture framer in a gallery in
Denver. There he met a co-worker who had attended the American
Academy in Chicago.
This artist, who specialized in
landscapes, encouraged Dave to come outdoors painting with
him. "I stood there looking at the incredible color and light
in awe. The excitement began to grow and grow. As I began to
paint that first landscape I knew this is what I wanted to
pursue with passion." After many starts, and more than
adequate amounts of failures, Dave knew studying and painting
the landscape would be a lifelong pursuit.
"I realized with these
challenges there would be many obstacles. However, I have
learned more from my paintings that have not been successfully
completed than from the successes I've had."
"Working in the studio is very
helpful in more deliberate planning of design, color and
value, but in painting outdoors, everything is changing, and
it forces you to work loosely and rapidly to capture the
fleeting moments of that particular experience. That loose,
spontaneous quality of painting on location is so alive and
exciting."
Dave primarily works in pastels
and oils. The approach to each media is basically the same.
Their rapid application qualities and intense color make both
medias conducive to Plein Air painting. As a result of years
of painting from life, his paintings display a strong sense of
design and handling of light.
"We live in a fast paced,
complex world. I hope that when viewing my work someone can
slow down and see forms simplified and more clearly. If I can
in some way intensify a viewers senses by clarifying, through
my interpretation, then I feel we both have experienced what
arts intentions should be."
Dave has exhibited in the
following national and regional shows:
The Knickerbocher Artist 38th
Annual
New York, NY.
The Pasted Society of
America 1989 and 1992 New York, NY.
The Pastel Society of the West
Coast, 1993
Sacramento,
CA.
Artists of the West Exhibition,
1993 Colorado Springs, CO.
Awards: Art Students League of
Denver Scholarship (Pastel Society of the West Coast) |
