WHALEY, Davyd
Click on an image to view a larger image of the art.
Artist’s statement
The genesis of my art comes from my dreams and my subconscious with a basis in spiritual beliefs and Jungian psychological connections. In more technical terms, I am drawn to asymmetrical forms and the energy and power provoked from the contrast of light, depth and color. I paint by building up thick layers of pigment with a palette knife to more effectively achieve special color effects. A raised surface is important in my paintings to convey feelings and contribute a three-dimensional effect to the overall piece. My finished pieces contain meandering strokes, thick with color and texture. I paint in episodes, each work expressing a moment; each canvas a spiritual sequence, like dreams linked in our subconscious by ethereal themes or meanings. We do not get all the information on how to live our everyday lives in just one dream. They come in short, little bursts like thunderstorms. Just like storms, dreams have patterns if we piece them together. My figurative work focuses on women, and our obsessions with beauty. In my Beauty series I’m telling stories about the misunderstandings that occur in our society, when people assume beautiful people are perfect and expected to have all the answers to most questions. In other words they are always being annoyed or pestered because of their appearance. A person sees a pretty lady and decides “Hey let’s ask her.” This continual pressure creates conflict, which I try to depict. As an artist I try to tell these stories through the tools at my disposal using paint, mixed media, collage and the use of light and color. That is the heart and soul of my work.
Awards
- Los Angeles Volunteer of the Year 2012, Public Arts Education
- Honorable Mention – “Defeat of Chaos”- Artist Portfolio Magazine, 2012
- 6th Showcase Winner – “Mary”- Juried by Artslant, 2011
- 3rd Showcase Winner – “Fields of Play”- Juried by Artslant, 2011
- Honorable Mention – “Alchemy Manifest” – Juried by Artist Portfolio Magazine, 2010
- Honorable Mention – “Jiva & the Goddess” – Juried by Artist Portfolio Magazine, 2010
- Honorable Mention – “Anima” – Juried by Moises Camacho – MC Art Gallery, 2011
Teaching
- Parks Systems – Los Angeles County
- Received Grant from the City of Los Angeles to teach painting
Education
Current
- Broad Art Center – UCLA
- Advanced Studies Program – Painting
- Santa Fe Art Colony – 1 of 57 Artists In Residence
2008–11
- Art Students League – New York
- Drawing & painting – studied with Larry Poons
2005-06
- Los Angeles City College, Los Angeles,
- Nursing – CNA, TA (National Dean’s List)
- 1992-95
- North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
- Electrical Engineering
Exhibitions
2012
- Gallery For the People – Group Show: Summer Collection 12 – curated by Eva Daniels & Ally Canosa, Hosted by Harvey Weinstein, Beverly Hills
- LAAA- Gallery 825 – Annual Art Auction – West Hollywood, CA
- Santa Fe Art Colony – Group Show: Studio Showcase - Los Angeles
- Affordable Art Fair – Group Show – Art Expo, Toronto
- Topanga Gallery – Group / Open Show – Juried by Franklyn Liegel
- City of Brea Art Gallery – Group Show: 27th Made in CA – Juried by Rebecca Morse, MOCA – Los Angeles
- Art Expo, NY – Group Show – New York City
- Los Angeles Art Association (LAAA) – Gallery 825 – Group Show: Gem – Los Angeles
- Brit Week – Group Show : T4C – Los Angeles
- LAAA – Gallery 825 – Group Show: Out There – Los Angeles
2011
- Agora Gallery – Group Show: Enigmatic Realms – New York
- Santa Fe Art Colony – Group Show – Studio Showcase – Los Angeles
- Project Angel Food – Group Show: Get Art4 – Siren Studios, Los Angeles
- Shoshana Wayne Gallery – Group Show: Chain Letter - Santa Monica
- Urban Institute of Contemporary Arts – Group Show: 7 x Eleven – Grand Rapids
- Art Prize – Group & Solo Appearance – Fields of Play – Grand Rapids
- Red Dot, Miami – Group & Solo Appearance
- Hollywood Arts – Group Show: Dream Awards – Raleigh Studios, Los Angeles
- Project Angel Food – Group Show: Divine Designs – Beverly Hills
2010
- Brooklyn Artist Gym – – Solo Show : Anima Speaks – Brooklyn, New York
- Studio 12 Gallery – – Solo Show: Flood The Subconscious– Denver
Selected Works Featured in Film, TV & Advertising
2012
- Ghostlight – Palmettp Albums
- Switched at Birth – ABC
- Californication – Showtime
- DirectTV – National Commercial Revenge – ABC
- Up All Night – CBS
- Prime Suspect – CBS
- 2 Broke Girls – CBS
- The Lying Game – The CW
2011
- Pretty Little Liars – ABC Family
- Gossip Girl – The CW
- The Pregnancy Project – Lifetime TV Movie
2008
- Chuck – NBC – Storyboard
- The Middleman – ABC Family – Storyboard
- Greek – ABC Family – Storyboard
2007
- The OC Fox – Storyboard
- “90210 – CBS – Storyboard
