Emerging Artists | David Gluck

A classical realist for today

David Gluck, Vanitas With Eggs, oil, 8 x 8.

This story was featured in the December 2013 issue of Southwest Art magazine. Get the Southwest Art December 2013 print issue or digital download now–then subscribe to Southwest Art and never miss another story!

David Gluck’s works are reminiscent of 17th-century classical realism. At 34, his style, aesthetics, and many of his techniques hark back to Rembrandt and the old masters. He is drawn to both figurative and still-life genres but eschews plein-air work and landscapes, saying, with trademark humor, “I hate bugs!”

As this story was going to press, Gluck’s paintings were on view in a group show at Gallery 1261 in Denver, and he was hard at work in his studio preparing for a possible one-man show in 2014. While he originally set out to teach art, earning a degree in art education from Pennsylvania State University, after graduation he found there were few jobs in the field. Gluck decided to move to Canada to be with his future wife, painter Katherine Stone, and set out on the life and career of a full-time fine artist.

David Gluck, The Trapper, oil, 30 x 20.

Inspirations for paintings spring from many different directions, including common, everyday experiences, he says. FISH FRY, for example, was inspired by a meal Gluck made with his father-in-law after what he describes as “a rather successful fishing trip where we met a very unlucky ling cod.” The ingredients he paired with the fish included flour, pepper, and rosemary. “Throughout the course of the painting, inspiration began to wane as the fish sat under my studio lights for six hours,” Gluck says. “I cannot stress enough how important it is for artists to work in a well-ventilated area when it comes to painting seafood.”

In general, however, Gluck prefers to keep his inspirations for paintings to himself so that viewers have the freedom to interpret the works. “More than just a personal narrative, I always want to convey mood in my paintings. I know what one of my works means to me, but I like to let the viewer bring their own narrative to a painting as it relates to them,” Gluck says. “Art is a very personal experience, and I don’t like to direct people on how to feel when looking at my work.” —Bonnie Gangelhoff

representation
Gallery 1261, Denver, CO; S.R. Brennen Galleries, Palm Desert, CA; M Gallery of Fine Art, Charleston, SC; Principle Gallery, Alexandria, VA; www.davidgluckart.com.

Featured in the December 2013 issue of Southwest Art magazine–click below to purchase:
Southwest Art December 2013 print issue or digital download Or subscribe to Southwest Art and never miss a story!