ArtistGallegos, David Maes

Artist Years1954-living

Artist NationalityAmerican

TitleSunset, Lake Tahoe

Year1992

MediumPrint > Serigraph / Screen Print

DimensionsComposition: 14.5 X 17.7 inches
Sheet: 18.5 X 21.8 inches

NotesDavid Maes Gallegos was born in Denver, Colorado, in 1954. His father was a veteran of World War II who served in the 3rd Army under General George Patton, and was awarded the Silver Star for valor, and the Purple Heart. David’s family moved to San Francisco in 1947. A serious hand accident required yearly reconstructive surgeries up to age 15. Drawing materials were at his side during his recovery after operations, while his right hand was bandaged. His first visual experiences of Art were at his doctors' offices, where he saw the hands of Michelangelo’s David sculpture and Mondrian's tree paintings. David moved to Los Angeles for his last surgeries and high school, winning his first award at the age of 14, First Place – Graphic Arts – California State Fair for Silkscreen. He won drawing and painting scholarships at University of California Northridge, and attended UCLA in 1968 and 1969. The work of Picasso and Matisse influenced him at this time.

David received his Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree “With Distinction” in 1976, winning two full tuition portfolio scholarships from California College of Arts and Crafts in 1976. During this time, he was the chromist for Antique Restorer Arlyn Petersen in San Francisco, delivering Objects de’Art to many prominent San Francisco collections, where he privately viewed paintings by Matisse, Picasso, Renoir, Bonnard, Mondrian, Rembrandt, privately viewing “Woman With a Hat” by Matisse with Elise Haas before the painting was donated to the San Francisco MOMA permanent collection. In 1975, David met Anton Gintner, graduate student of Richard Diebenkorn, who passed on his influence of Bay Area figurative painting to him. In 1979, David then received his Master of Arts degree from San Francisco State University, with painters Robert Bechtel and Richard McLean. David Maes Gallegos was given his first one-man show at a Nob Hill gallery in San Francisco in 1978. From 1978 to 1990, David had numerous solo and group museum and gallery exhibitions in northern California. During this time he also was invited to work with the Tamarind Lithographer, Ernest DeSoto Workshop. In 1985-86 David produced five limited edition lithographs, including his 1984 Chicago No Defense Against Nuclear Weapons - Art for Peace Lithograph. He sent a poster of the work to every member of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. The START treaties followed a year later 1985.

The period of 1982-86 was a time of extensive travel in the U.S. by David, who attended every major museum in the U.S.A., absorbing as many works of Impressionist, Post War and Pop Art works as possible. A 1985 summer teaching internship at St. Anne’s Convent in Colorado inspired a series of works that he entered in the Interfaith Forum on Art, Religion and Architecture International Art competition, winning the prestigious Merit Award at the Judah L. Magnes Museum in Berkeley, California, for his “St. Anne’s” series of paintings. In 1986-90 David completed numerous commissions for corporate, public and private collections. In 1990, David Maes Gallegos was discovered by Zephyr Cove Publishing, who signed him to a five-year contract. From 1990 to 1994, and again from 2000 to 2003, David traveled to Japan annually for exhibitions of his work in Japan, including Sendai, Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka, Kyoto and Fukuoka. By 1995, David had saved enough money to paint full time.
(source: Kawika Spriti Arts Studio)

Price $375.00

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