David Barber

David Barber was born in 1968, and is an English realist painter who utilises techniques handed down from the old masters. His carefully crafted paintings are rich in form, colour and detail, bringing a contemporary feel to traditional genre. David gained a degree in fine art and worked for several years as a commercial artist and illustrator before embarking on a teaching career. He always nurtured a longing to be able to paint for a living, and only in 2021 did he make the momentous decision to quit teaching and start painting in earnest to make it his new career.

Generally, he prefers to paint from life, ‘en plein air’ or from still life arrangements in his studio, because he feels this gives more of a direct connection with his subject matter. David feels that painting from life provides a richer insight into the colour and form of the subject, in a way that a photograph simply can’t do. He does occasionally use photographic reference material for studio commissions where direct reference is impossible, but these paintings also draw extensively from his many hours studying nature directly.

Artist’s Statement
During the years leading up to my career change I tended to paint outdoors ‘en plein air’, something I still love to ...

BA Hons Fine Art

Art_Unlimited Open Art Exhibition 2022