Drive to create
David Kaiser, Vision, colored pencil/watercolor, 23 x 30.
This story was featured in the December 2017 issue of Southwest Art magazine. Get the Southwest Art December 2017 print issue or digital download now–then subscribe to Southwest Art and never miss another story.
David Kaiser likes to experiment. From his striking acrylic works to his incredibly detailed line drawings in pen and ink, the artist is constantly searching for the best way to portray his subjects, including everything from weathered cowboys to galloping hunting dogs.
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- David Kaiser, Bison 1, acrylic, 33 x 33.
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- David Kaiser, Living Large, oil pencil/watercolor, 27 x 30.
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- David Kaiser, Pow, Pow, Pop, acrylic, 30 x 20.
“Growing up, I was fascinated with the process of making things with my hands,” Kaiser says. From a young age he began drawing on the concrete walls of his childhood home until his parents put up sheets of paper to simultaneously encourage their blossoming artist and save their walls. From there, he graduated to paint-by-numbers kits and learned from instructional TV shows. “I thought every kid was doing the same thing, but apparently I did it much more than others,” he says with a laugh.
During his teenage years, Kaiser lived in Montana, where he was immersed in the rural cowboy culture that remains his favorite subject today. “I really admired how hard these people worked, from sunup to sundown, and it was hard ranch work,” he says. Although he shifts between mediums, acrylics have remained constant in his oeuvre because of their durability and quick-drying nature.
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- David Kaiser, Bear Claw, ink, 30 x 19.
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- David Kaiser, Hell Cat, acrylic, 31 x 30.
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- David Kaiser, High Caliber, oil pencil/watercolor, 25 x 35.
The artist describes his style as “messy realism,” letting his hand show through his brushes and pens. He seeks to portray motion and immediacy in every artwork. “Many people comment and say they love my ‘photographs,’” he says, not realizing that they’re actually looking at paintings. “But I don’t want to compete with a camera, I want to put down my own [interpretation] that supports the moment I’m trying to depict.” —Mackenzie McCreary
Kaiser’s work can be seen at www.davidkaiserfineart.com.
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- David Kaiser, Michael Bigham, colored pencil, 38 x 27.
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- David Kaiser, Way Out West, oil pencil/watercolor, 38 x 25.
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- David Kaiser, Wingmaster, acrylic, 36 x 28.
This story was featured in the December 2017 issue of Southwest Art magazine. Get the Southwest Art December 2017 print issue or digital download now–then subscribe to Southwest Art and never miss another story.
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