'My current work is divided between the traditional genres of still life and landscape in oil and more recently in soft pastel. The still life's are concerned with everyday items - some items appeal to me as they verge on the kitsch, some for their jewel-like character while others have a personal meaning or simply feel 'just right'.
I envisage my nocturnal works as giving a poetic voice to everyday, mundane places and spaces - seen through the half-light of dawn and dusk or the neon glow of street lamps. I am concerned with the sublime in the everyday and ordinary, the point at which beauty meets perceived ideas regarding ugliness or banality, for example the meeting of the dusty blues and pinks of dusk with a mobile home, or the intensity of car lights in a line of traffic. These atmospheric works are unapologetically romantic and I consider them successful when they connect with the viewer on an emotional rather than an intellectual level.
'The broadening of my practice to include working with pastel has renewed my passion for the 'sun-soaked' landscape and in visual terms has been a particularly exciting time as I strive to find harmony and balance when working with the saturated colours of pure pigment.'
Dave West was born and raised in South Wales and is now settled in Balbriggan, North County Dublin. He studied at the Carmarthenshire College of Art & Design and recently completed a degree in Art History with the Open University. He has mounted 13 solo exhibitions including 'Nocturama' at Draiocht Arts Centre, 'Spectral' at the Leinster Gallery and 2 with the Blue Leaf Gallery. He has exhibited widely in Group Shows including the Royal Hibernian Academy, Royal Ulster Academy and Eígse, and in the UK with the Royal West of England Academy, Royal Society of Oil Painters, Royal Society of Marine Artists, The New English Art Club, The Royal Society of British Artists, and the UK Pastel Society, at which he won the 2013 Schminke Award.
In Ireland he is a regular exhibitor at both the Royal Hibernian Academy and the Royal Ulster Academy.
In 2017, he won the Gold Award at 'Art in the Open' Plein Air Festival in Wexford, Ireland.
Solo Exhibitions 2007 – 2016
2015 November 2nd, 'Art at the House', The House Restaurant, Howth, County Dublin
2015 October 4th 'Postcards from Somewhere', Easter Snow Gallery, Seamus Ennis Arts Centre, Naul, County Dublin
2014 'Art at The House', The House Restaurant, Howth, County Dublin
2014 'Night Paintings', Iontas, Castleblaney, County Monaghan
2013 'Spectral' The Leinster Gallery, Dublin
2012 ‘Recent works in Pastel’, Village Gallery, Skerries
2012 ‘Nocturama’, Draiocht Arts Centre, Dublin
2011 ‘Seashaken’, The Denis Collins Gallery, Wexford (Opera Festival Show)
2010 Village Gallery, Skerries
2010 Killarney Art Gallery, Kerry
2009 Blue Leaf Gallery, Fairview, Dublin
2008 Art Upstairs, Wexford
2008 ‘Drawings’, Ardgillan Demesne, Balbriggan
2007 Daffodil Gallery, Skerries
2007 Blue Leaf Gallery, Fairview, Dublin
Group Exhibitions 2007 – 2016
2016 Royal Hibernian Academy Invited Artist
2015 Royal Ulster Academy, Belfast
2015 Opera Festival Exhibition, Greenacres Gallery, Wexford
2015 Royal Hibernian Academy Annual Exhibition
2015 Edinburgh Art Fair, Chimera Gallery Artist
2015 Not the Royal Academy, Llewellyn Alexander Gallery, London
2015 Spring Show, Greenacres Gallery, Wexford
2015 'Art at the House' Spring Show
2015 AAF Battersea, Sol Gallery Artist
2015 AAF Singapore, Sol Gallery Artist
2014 Royal Ulster Academy Annual Exhibition, Belfast, NI.
2014 Wexford Opera Festival Exhibition, Greenacres, Wexford
2014 Royal Hibernian Academy Annual Exhibition
2014 The Pastel Society (UK) Annual Exhibition, London (also 2010 to 2013
2014 Irish Pastel Society Annual Exhibition, Titanic Belfast, Belfast
2013 Royal West of England Academy Annual Exhibition, Bristol, UK
2013 The Cavehill Gallery Christmas Show, Belfast, NI. (also 2012 & 2011)
2013 New English Art Club (also 2011, 2010), Mall Galleries, London, UK.
2012 Royal Society of Marine Artists Annual Exhibition, Mall Galleries, London (also 2011 & 2009)
2012 ‘Level’ Dunamaise Arts Centre - Exhibition selected by Joch Nichol
(also 2010 selected by Geraldine O’Neill & 2009 selected by Martin Gale)
2011 ‘Clancy's Memorial Show’, Joan Clancy Gallery, An Rinn, Dungarvan
2011 Royal Ulster Academy Annual Exhibition (also 2008)
2010 Toronto Art Fair, Blue Leaf Gallery Artist
2010 ‘Wildly Different Things’, Blue Leaf Unlimited, Dublin
2009 Mullingar Arts Centre
2009 London Art Fair, Blue Leaf Gallery Artist
2009 Royal Hibernian Academy Annual Exhibition
2009 Eigse Arts Festival
2008 ‘Wilde about art’, Joan Clancy Gallery, An Rinn, Dungarvan, Waterford
2008 ‘Draughtsmen’ Blue Leaf Gallery, Dublin
2008 ‘Irish Art’. Wren Fine Art, Burford, UK. (also 2006)
2007 Balbriggan Arts Festival (Also 2006 & 2005)
Residencies& Awards
2011 Tyrone Guthrie Centre, Annaghmakerrig. (also 2009 & 2008)
2013 Winner of the UK Pastel Societies Schminke Award
2015 Loughshinny Boathouse
