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"That's a photograph, right?"

Why would someone spend several months making a painting that looks exactly like the original picture? I believe the answer is best summed up in a quote from Louis Armstrong regarding jazz music: "There are some people that if they don't know, you just can't tell 'em."

The fact that you are reading this means that you probably already do know (or at least are curious). Thanks then, for your interest in my work. To those who appreciate photorealism, the challenge of creating a flawless image is the ultimate test of artistic ability. I approach each project with the goal of besting the previous one, striving to achieve the ultimate, impossible perfect painting. This can lead to certain problems, including anxiety, indigestion, irritability, heartburn, eye strain and hair loss (from pulling out handfuls during moments of frustration).

Just kidding. Actually I find the whole process usually to be quite relaxing. I'm thrilled when I can spend eight hours focusing on a piece uninterrupted. However with two young children about, that can sometimes be difficult to manage.

Verisimilitude: The appearance of being true or real.

Ever since I started drawing as a young child, I've always gravitated towards realism. My early heroes were Andrew Wyeth, Maxfield Parrish, Leonardo DaVinci and in particular Norman Rockwell. Being from a small town in New Hampshire, I identified with the famous artist from nearby Stockbridge, Massachusetts. To me, Rockwell was a genius. I spent hours studying his work, amazed that anyone could paint with such life-like precision. Although I also enjoyed other genres of art and experimented with impressionism, abstraction and other "freer" styles, none provided the satisfaction that I got from realism. I was very fortunate to take art lessons from Leslie "Bill" Swank, who helped me develop my abilities and gave me a wonderful introduction to the world of art. Mr. Swank was like a second father to me, and I'll always be grateful for his warmth, friendship, humor, support and encouragement.

Another early influence was my uncle Phil, who was a commercial artist. Through him I learned that it might be possible to make a career out of art. With the support of my parents, I enrolled at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) in 1980, intending to become an illustrator or architect. During my first year however, I discovered a field that I'd never heard of, "graphic design". It combined art with communication, which was more stimulating to me than simply drawing or painting. This became my major and thus set the course of my professional life for the next 18 years.

The career years

After graduating RISD in 1984, I took a job in Florida with a small design firm that also did some advertising. I found that I had a knack for marketing, which led me to pursue work as an Art Director for ad agencies in Chicago. I'd always wanted to live in a big city, and Chicago provide plenty of everything that a young man starting out could desire. I had a great time, working hard and steadily advancing through a series of positions. After marrying my wife Katia in 1998, we moved to San Francisco to enjoy life in the most beautiful city in America. By this time I had risen to the position of Creative Director, overseeing the production of ads and materials for a wide range of clients. The job was intense and demanding. By 2003, after 18 years in advertising, I found myself at a career crossroad. The hands-on creative work I enjoyed had been replaced by dull managerial duties. Ultimately I concluded that it was time to change course-- but which direction?

For some time I'd had an urgent desire to paint. After a long day spent wrestling creative problems at work however, I found little energy left over for myself. In order to help refocus, I decided to take a sabbatical from advertising. It was slow at first. My drawing abilities had atrophied somewhat during their long hiatus. Like muscles warming to exercise though, I found the rhythm and was soon able to pick up where I'd left off. Luckily I had a good idea about the kind of work I wanted to do. While at RISD, I'd learned of a new genre called "photorealism". This movement began in the mid-60's, as a reaction to the art world's 30 year abstract fixation. It adhered to the classical disciplines of drawing and draftsmanship while emphasizing truth, precision and purity.

This message appealed to me. Although I respect all styles of art, my personal taste favors those which demonstrate craft and a mastery of material. I also felt that the time was right for representational art to be rediscovered and appreciated anew, since it had been out of the spotlight for so long,

My subject matter would be the people and streets of the city. Choosing scenes that appealed to me, I was surprised by an curious phenomenon: in several early paintings, the main subject featured was torn down soon after the picture was completed. At first I thought it coincidence, but eventually recognized a trend. The images I was attracted to also happened to be landmarks, many of which lay in the path of new construction. I realized that this pattern was part of a larger story-- the destruction of urban icons in the name of "progress". I decided that this would be an interesting subject to explore, and have made it the central theme underlying my collection. (If you would like to learn about this in greater detail, please read my Artist Statement).

Onward & Upward

In 2005 our family moved to Minnesota. Although we loved California, the cost of living there while raising two small children had become prohibitive. We chose Minneapolis due to the wonderful combination of city/country, excellent schools, business environment and overall quality of life. Having painted in San Francisco, Los Angeles and New York, I was thrilled to find fresh new subjects of interest so close to home. I continue to paint full time and am gratified by the positive response to my work from around the world.

Although I have really just begun to explore this new path, I'm thankful to all for the help I've received. As an early supporter of my work, Larry Evans provided valuable exposure and feedback. Likewise Paul Mahder, Andra Norris, Robert Berman, Nancy Elliott and the gang from Taking the Leap. Special thanks to my lovely wife Katia, who has made it possible for me to turn my dreams into reality.

David Holmes
August 2008