Art Stories: David Scheirer

Vintage Indie would like to welcome David Scheirer artist of Studio Tuesday as our featured artist and creator this week.

 

Hi David and welcome to Vintage Indie. Can you tell us what is your preferred medium?

I mostly paint with watercolors. They lend themselves well
to my sensibilities. I like the subtlety you can achieve with them and really
like the process of layering colors and tones.

I have been painting since I can remember.  I was lucky to have a very good and
tough art program in my high school. During this time I decided to pursue some
sort of career as an artist and to attend the Maryland Institute College of
Art. I received a degree in painting and studied under many wonderful
professors.  My grandmother and great grandmother painted as well – and my
family has always been very supportive.

Other painters are, of course, a big influence. I’ve found I
am most drawn to American realist painters. Some of my favorites are Thomas
Eakins, Winslow Homer, and Andrew Wyeth.

I also have to mention that comics like Tintin and Calvin
and Hobbes fueled my love of art as a kid (they still do).

Nature is another big influence in my current work. I love
hunting for fossils, bird watching, and exploring outdoors. All of this plays a
big part of inspiring and providing subject matter for my artwork.

Have fun and experiment. Watercolor is a medium that lends
itself well to beautiful accidents and a loose style.  My favorite watercolors
use these techniques and then layer crisp details. There are many different
ways to use the water and paint; wet on wet, drybrush, etc. Experiment or read
about different techniques. School and classes are great for getting feedback,
critique, inspiration, and encouragement.

I love incorporating quirky vintage and antique objects into
my still lifes. My favorite sorts of items include glass floats, fishing lures,
bottles, toys, and pulleys.

I have a lot of fun going to antique shops to look for these
kinds of things – and always keep an eye out for cool boxes and anything
nautical as well.

I use the materials that I find to be the best quality. I
paint on Fabriano Artistico heavy weight watercolor paper, which is archival,
uses no animal by-products, and has a durable painting surface.  I have painted
on many different papers over the years -  and chose this paper for its
longevity, durability, and surface.  I would recommend it for any other artists!
I also paint with lightfast and high quality watercolor paints.

I apply these principles when producing my prints as well.
They are all archival and printed with pigment based inks – which are water
resistant, fade resistant and produce a much more superior image overall. 

This is the first year I have set specific sales goals for
my business. My goals are divided in sections such as commissions received,
originals sold, Etsy sales, etc. For example I have a “Prints Sold on Etsy”
goal of 200 sales for the year. I started selling on Etsy around September last
year and have found it to be a great venue for selling my prints, so far I am
on track for my yearly goal.

I also very recently created a blog. I think this will be a
great way to connect with people and I hope to expand my readership over the
next year.  

And as always I am trying to find ways to increase my
presence in “the real world”.

A special thank you to David for sharing his inspirations with us and his beautiful artwork. Please visit David at his following sites.

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