David Nichols

"Easy to love,
hard to part with"

Academics

My parents and some teachers in my youth helped shape my artistic talents. One outstanding teacher in junior high school, an art teacher in high school, and later two years at New Mexico Highlands University in Las Vegas, New Mexico. And, of course, my old alma mater: the School of Hard Knocks! 

Artistic Techniques

When I begin a painting, I have a theme in mind but I really don’t use any special or secret techniques to produce the picture. I just go at it! The end result--the finished painting--is the most important thing to me. That’s what I’m looking for.

Results

When others enjoy my paintings, that’s nice. But I must be pleased with the result before I even present a picture to the public. Sometimes it’s hard to see what a finished painting looks like objectively, so I will whip out my old trusty mirror to look at the picture totally reversed. It’s like looking at a new painting, and it’s easier to see what corrections and adjustments need to be made! It helps in quality control. And each painting is like a child to me—easy to love, hard to part with!

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do you paint?

I am an artist

What subjects do you enjoy painting?

California and Maine seascapes, landscapes, and (reluctantly) some portraits. But I especially like the Southwest landscape! There is something about the sublime desert that draws me into its panorama of flat lands, rolling hills, rocks, hardy plant life, mountains, and arroyos.

What medium do you like to paint with?

Over the past fifty years or so, I have enjoyed painting with oils, watercolors, conte crayon, pastels, pen and ink, and colored pencil. Each has its own beautiful results, and each has its own difficulties to work with. Painting with any of them is a treasure!