Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Backstory



In preparing for a speech on my artwork a couple of weeks ago, I uncovered some relics from my past. Seeing that this blog started little more than 2 years ago, I though I might give some backstory on myself and show these first paintings.

I am the eldest of 3 children born to Rosalyn and David Boyd of Newnan, GA (just south of Atlanta). I have 2 younger sisters, Rosalyn Moore and Bonne, both married now with children. My father is an editorial cartoonist and illustrator for comedian Jeff Foxworthy and the series of You Might Be a Redneck If... books.

The folks always encourage my artistic endeavors as did my teachers in high school. I attended SCAD from 1991-95 and returned with home with no job and no hope and a degree in illustration, a field that was in revolt as the computer came into being. Having been a house painter for a construction company during summers and winter breaks, I created The After Midnight Painting Co. Being from a respected family brought many great painting opportunities for me, however the long days and hard work quickly drove me into the ground... managing clients, workers and painting 12hrs a day was killing me.

As, luck would have it, my old art teacher had enough and was retiring. I filled in for her and quickly grew to love teaching. I have been the middle and upper school art teacher at the Heritage School in Newnan for over 15 years now.

I continued to teach and die a little bit every day as I was doing nothing for myself. I was in a town that cared little for art, I had friends who really never understood what I did or what I loved. In that type of environment I withered away. I did logos and painted murals here and there, but that was just for the money and never went anywhere.

In 2003, my father was diagnosed with lung cancer and I had to take his place at Mark Morgan Syndicated Features, Inc. My father started this company in 1970, three years before I was born and he had never missed a cartoon deadline. This helped me get back on the horse, but It was very difficult. Three cartoons a week, holding down a full time job, watching a ton of news and dreading every weekend.

I dabbled a bit in painting around this time as well, I will show those images in a future post. In 2005 I quit smoking in an attempt to quit drinking so I could clear my head. Out of the haZe came the realiZation that I wanted to be a painter, but know nothing about it. I had my first workshop with friend and mentor Millie Gosch in the winter of 2006 and I have never looked back.

My life was changed forever. I dream in oils I can't wait to get home everyday to paint. Vacations are time for me to paint LARGE which is all I want to do. Small pieces are great, but nothing feels better than knocking out a giant.

These image that I have posted are the first real paintings I ever did. The tree still is a recurring image and theme in my work. 15 years after the first piece, I still paint trees... mostly from south Georgia, born out of the windshield of my '79 Toyota Land Cruiser as I made my midnight runs from Newnan to Savannah and Charleston.

I see these paintings now, and I am surprised. Sometimes I feel like I knew more then that I do now...

Enjoy!


2 comments:

  1. It's interesting to read about how other painters try to juggle making a living and making art. I work full time in a cubicle and can certainly relate. Were you able to cut back on the day job?

    Your paintings have a lot of life and movement in them, but I know what you mean about seeing old paintings and wondering if you've lost something...

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  2. Hi David, this is my first visit to your blog, as I am perusing painters' blogs these days for inspiration. I started five years ago, into the collage world, then into assemblage, and this year, started painting acrylics. I love your work. Dad is from Hickory, NC...so, these landscapes of yours, with fields, shacks and tractors...really appeal to me. It was nice to read about your way into painting. I can relate, since I loved art and drawing for a long time, but just recently got around to doing it again...this time, it has meaning for me.
    I'll be back to see what new creations, and insights you have posted here.

    All the best,
    Roberta

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