Hwy 62 Artist Profile: David C. Greene
David C. Greene, of Twentynine Palms, California, is a self-taught artist who made his artistic debut as a caricature artist at Ameriflora 92, an international floral show held in Columbus, Ohio He followed that debut with his first public show of his paintings in the summer of that year.
In early 1993, David joined Acme Art Co., a non-profit alternative art space in Columbus' Short North arts district. He volunteered with Acme for seven years, and served on the organization's board of trustees for three years, including one as president. His artwork has been shown in numerous central Ohio galleries and museums, and is included in the Ohio Arts Council's permanent collection, as well as in private and corporate collections in the U.S., Canada, and Europe. Prior to moving to California, David spent three years as the artistic director, designer, and production manager of the "Signature Series" line of hand-painted ceramic bathware for Mansfield Plumbing Products.
Since moving to Twentynine Palms in the hi-desert, David has been exceedingly busy. In 2008, he was commissioned to paint six 4' x 8' murals for the Holiday Inn Express in Twentynine Palms. Then, after receiving private commissions to paint murals on desert water tanks, he was commissioned by The Glass Outhouse Art Gallery to paint their 12 foot high, 5,000 gallon water tank to look like a vintage Pepsi can.
"My work is as about as regional as it gets," David says. "Localism taken to the point where I don’t even leave my yard to look for subject matter. Not that I planned it that way , it’s just a function of living in a wilderness area with unobstructed views of the surrounding mountains and clear skies most nights.
"Wonder Valley is in the eastern part of the Morongo Basin , which runs along the north border of Joshua Tree National Park. Starting at the east slope of Mt San Gorgonio, the basin stretches about 40 miles east to the Coxcomb Mountains. It’s the only mountain basin on the continental U.S. that runs east-west. The site of an ancient sea bed, and skirting the edge of the San Andrea’s Fault , the area has always been considered a locus of natural energy. All the raw forces of nature are at work on a grand scale. Standing in my yard I have a clear view from one end of the basin to the other. All of these paintings are inspired by what I see every night when I take the dog out for his walk.
"My wife, dog & I live in a wilderness community in the middle of the desert. It’s a 20 minute drive to get milk, we love it."
David is a versatile artist. His works include "Hy Desert" brand artwork for a fictional (we think it's fictional, anyway), brand of desert products ranging from tarantula oil to big skies; Movie Star Zombie; Mojave Noir; nature, and modernist works, as well as illustrations, and murals. Art lovers on the 2017 Hwy 62 Open Studio Art Tours will be able to visit David's studio, meet the artist in person, and purchase his art directly from the artist in October.
For more information on David C. Greene: http://dcgart.weebly.com/
For more information on the Hwy 62 Open Studio Art Tours: http://hwy62arttours.org/
Selected Exhibitions 2016 "Equinox" group show Joshua Tree Art Gallery, Joshua Tree, CA 2016 “Oculus Clamantis in Deserto” Palm Springs Fine Art Fair Special Exhibit Group Show curated by Peter Frank 2014 “WoodLands” group show 29 Palms Art Gallery 2013 Joshua Tree National Park Art Show Artist Award Recipient 2012 “Moon & Clouds Mojave Noir II” Glass Outhouse Gallery 29 Palms, Ca 2011 “Mojave Noir Paintings of the Nighttime Desert” 29 Palms Art Gallery 2010 "Art in Public Places" City Hall, 29 Palms, CA 2010 "Movie Star Zombie Love Affaire" 29 Palms Creative Center 2003 Ohio State Fair Fine Arts Exhibition 2002 Ohio State Fair Fine Arts Exhibition Ohio Arts Council Purchase Award 2001 Ohio State Fair Fine Arts Exhibition 2000 “Still Life as Metaphore" Keny Galleries, Columbus,Oh 1999 “Tromp L'Oeil" group exhibition Mansfield Art Center, Mansfield, Oh Curated by H. Daniel Butts, Director 1999 Keny Galleries Group Show 1999 Ohio State Fair Fine Arts Exhibition Juried by Paul J. Smith, Director Emeritus, The American Craft Museum 1998 The Ohio Art League Spring Exhibition, Columbus Museum of Art Juried By Klaus Kertess, Whitney Museum of American Art Keny Galleries Purchase Award