The October speaker for our Studio Seminars was Charleston Artist, David Boatwright. Here is Boatwright’s work in his own words:

“I began paintings on the side of buildings more than 20 years ago – either glorified signs or murals, almost always on commission. Still, I have kept up a studio practice. Though I’m not affiliated with a gallery, I do occasionally sell a painting straight out – and even more occasionally, get commissioned to make a painting.

Sometimes to make ends meet, like most people who choose the arts, I had to take work that I was not particularly interested in. The lucky part comes in that I only did these side jobs for a few years. I’ve always felt that whatever the work was, it was always a valuable undertaking and helped me to develop discipline. Maybe luck comes into play only when you prepare for it by dint of hard work and perseverance.

For my Studio Seminar, I want to address the tension between painting for personal reasons and painting in the public sphere with commissioned work.”