David Sheldon lives and works in Asheville, North Carolina. A multi-disciplined artist, his work has evolved over the years as both a painter and a sculptor.

 

Sheldon received a BFA in Painting from the Rhode Island School of Design in 1984. His time at RISD included a formative year spent painting in Rome, Italy, as part of RISD’s European Honors Program. As a grad student, he brought sculpture into the mix. His thesis show for his MFA in 1990 at the University of Maryland incorporated large-scale, mixed-media paintings, as well as sculptural works. Mentors included internationally acclaimed sculptor, Anne Truitt, and monumental sculptor James Sanborn. Sheldon worked as an assistant to Sanborn on 'Kryptos' , installed at the CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia, 1990.

 

Sheldon continues to create cutting-edge sculptural works in metal, as well as provocative public art. Modernist sculpture, with its emphasis on the dynamics of form and space, continues to be a major influence in his work. Though, his works may look mathematical and conceptual in nature, Sheldon works intuitively and emotively, exploring what it means to inhabit three-dimensional space with conscious presence and expression.

 

“It’s very satisfying to be able to use my vision as an artist in contributing something both beautiful and stimulating to a community in the public realm, as well as enrich any space, both public and private. Having lived in the Western North Carolina mountains for many years now, I draw from the power and majesty of the mountains, the star-filled skies at night, and a sense that one is connected, in some way, to this vast, mysterious Universe we live in.” His 'Skyworks' series of sculpture are created with what he calls a 'NASA aesthetic', and express his lifelong fascination with Humanity's relation to the Cosmos.

 

Sheldon’s abstract and landscape painting approach follows the Modernist example of letting ‘paint be paint’, with a strong, expressive, impasto approach inspired by heroes such as Joan Mitchell and Vincent Van Gogh. His landscape paintings express deeply personal experiences in Nature. He paints what he calls ‘ecstatic moments', focusing on the play between sunlight, color and form in space. His recent abstractions of  'paintings of paintings' takes the notion of  'pure creation' to another level.

 

“As far as I’m concerned, there’s really no way to depict the sublime reality of Nature with a traditional painting approach, so I don’t even try. But one can still create a painting that is a compelling experience, in its own right, by expressing, through the paint, the artist’s direct experience of Nature (both inner and outer)- and that’s what I try to do”.

EDUCATION

1984   Bachelors of Fine Arts, Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, RI.

1990   Master of Fine Arts, University of Maryland, College Park, MD.

 

 

PUBLIC ART

2022     "Eco-Friendly", 10' high, aluminum entrance sculpture for the Phinizy Water Research Center,

                  Augusta, Georgia.

2020    “Guidance Tower” , 15’ high, aluminum sculpture, commissioned as the frontispiece for the

               City of Roanoke’s new 811/E911 Call Center, Roanoke, VA.

2020    “Fa Sol” , 8’ high, steel sculpture, selected for the Decatur Artway, Decatur, Georgia.

2019   “Orion” , 8’ high, steel sculpture, selected for ‘Salmagundi XXIII”’, by the city of Rocky Mount,NC.

              Installed at the AmTrack station in Rocky Mount. 

2019   “Oracle”, 8’ high, aluminum sculpture, selected for ‘Roanoke Rising’, by the city of Roanoke, VA.

              Installed in Elmwood Art Park, in downtown Roanoke. 

2018    “Mars Cutter”, Madison County Manufacturing Art Park, 10’ high sculpture, steel, Mars Hill, NC.

2018    “Ariel”, City of Asheville, Office of the Mayor. Wall sculpture on view in 

                 Mayor Elisabeth Manheimer’s office.

2017     “Alpha Centauri”, Uptown Tree Project, Greeley, Colorado. 20’ high aluminum sculpture.

2016    “Birds of Different Feathers”, Uptown Tree Project, Greeley, Colorado. 20’ high sculptural “tree”

                 made of one inch thick, painted aluminum forms.

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SOLO EXHIBITIONS

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2021.    Mark Bettis Gallery, “Finding the Light”, sculpture and paintings by David Sheldon.   

2020   Mark Bettis Gallery, “Affirmation and Renewal: Connecting to Nature,

                 New Works by David Sheldon”, sculpture and paintings by David Sheldon.   

2018    Tointon Gallery for the Visual Arts, “Murmuration “ Paintings by David Sheldon. 

                “Field Guide to the Birds of North America” intimate abstractions. Greeley, Colorado.

2017    High Point University, “Ascension”, paintings and sculpture, High Point, NC.

2015    Satellite Gallery, “Dreams and Structures, New Work by David Sheldon”, paintings and sculpture.

            Asheville, NC.

1997   Troyer, Fitzpatrick, Lassman Gallery, “Zoologica Mysterium”, paintings and sculpture,

              Washington, D.C.

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS

 

2019   Asheville Area Arts Council, “Beyond Knowing”, An engaging, interactive, multi-media group

              show, curated by David Sheldon.

2019   Mark Bettis Studio/Gallery, “828”, Oil paintings on wood, with an Asheville theme.

2017    Ciel Gallery, Charlotte, NC. “Build” group show, sculptural installation.

1995    Ellipse Art Center,  “Tributaries”, sculpture,  juror, Lee Fleming, art critic, Washington

               Post, Arlington,VA.

1995     Maryland Art Place, “Critic’s Picks Show”, paintings, Juror, Faye Hirsch, New York art

                critic, Baltimore, MD. 

1994      Arlington Arts Center, “Annual Juried Show”, sculpture,Juror,Howard Fox, curator

                LACMA, Arlington,VA.

 

HONORS

2021   Buffalo Creek Art Center, Sculptor Residency. Created "Buffalo Creek Quartet", steel.

             Gardnerville, Nevada.

2010  Individual Artist Project Grant, awarded by the Arts Council of Henderson County 

             and the North Carolina Arts Council.

1995    Awarded First Place, “Tributaries”, group sculpture show, Arlington, VA,

             by juror, Lee Fleming, art critic for the Washington Post.

1991   Individual Artist Grant, Maryland State Arts Council.

1990   Smithsonian Institute Internship, awarded to the model making department.

1982    European Honors Program, RISD, one year of study in Rome, Italy.

 

TEACHING

2008– 2013 Blue Ridge Community College, Flat Rock, North Carolina.

                          Instructor of Art : Painting, Art Appreciation, Drawing I, II.

2008-2013    Brevard College, Brevard, North Carolina. Painting, Drawing.

2010-2012      Painting Coordinator, The Green River Preserve, Cedar Mountain, NC

 

RELATED EXPERIENCE

1990-91     Principle Sculptor’s Assistant to James Sanborn, “Kryptos”, sculptural installation 

                       on the grounds of the Central Intelligence Agency, Langley, VA. 

1992-94     Artist Assistant to William Calfee, Sculptor/painter and originating chairman, 

                       George Washington University Art Department, Washington, D.C.

          

COLLECTIONS

Public and Private Collections / Nationally, Internationally.