My Process/My Portfolio | David Lussier

David Lussier learned much of the foundation for his painting technique while studying illustration in art school. “I had great teachers—including photorealist and trompe l’oeil painter Ken Davies—who taught me to paint and draw with a precise, classical approach,” he says.

The New England artist was originally drawn to portraiture, but after graduating he soon found himself gravitating toward landscapes. “One day I went outside to paint, and it was like getting hit over head with shovel,” he says. “A light went off and I thought, ‘Aha! This feels right!’” He quickly became an avid outdoor painter.

Today his studio and plein-air works are inspired by subjects that can easily be found outside his home in New Hampshire, where he lives and paints with his wife, artist Pamela M. Lussier. “I’m so fortunate that my soulmate is also a painter,” he says. “We love to travel and paint together, and we also teach painting workshops in New England and along the Eastern Seaboard throughout the year.”

When it comes to his process, Lussier describes himself as painterly, and he believes that less is more. “Both when I paint and when I teach, I focus on simplifying everything—shapes, values, and even color—right down to having only a few brushes,” he says. Ultimately, Lussier’s execution comes down to painting from the gut. “There’s a dialogue that takes place between myself and my subject as I paint,” he says. “When I feel satisfied, I put the brushes down and hope the viewer will feel satisfied, too.”

To learn more about David Lussier’s artwork and creative process, visit https://www.davidlussiergallery.com/davids-paintings. –Lindsay Mitchell