David Gleeson
Biography
David Gleeson was born in Manchester and studied Fine Art at Aberystwyth University and Wolverhampton University. His work has been exhibited extensively in major open exhibitions, including the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition, The Discerning Eye, the Sunday Times Watercolour Competition, the Royal Society of Portrait Painters Annual and the Royal Society of British Artists Annual.
He has received numerous awards, including the Anthony J Lester Art Critic Award at the RI Open in 2019, Best Drawing at the SGFA Open Drawing in 2016, and prizes at The Discerning Eye, NEAC Annual, R.B.S.A. Open All Media, Grosvenor Museum Open Art Competition and Hunting Art Prizes. He is also an Associate Member of the Society of Graphic Fine Art.
Artist Statement
David Gleeson RI’s work is representational and grounded in observation, combining the everyday with ideas, symbols, narrative and conjecture. His paintings invite us to look again at a world that is often barely glimpsed or overlooked.
Painting is a slow and thoughtful process for Gleeson. Working for long periods on a piece creates an internal tension alongside a sense of silence, while the craft itself holds an element of mystery and alchemy. He prefers his paintings to contain a story that is not fully explained, allowing the viewer to complete the narrative.
The development of a work involves continual putting in and taking out, meaning that the narrative is constantly changing. This process keeps him intrigued, allowing ideas and possibilities to evolve as the painting takes shape.