David Milton, a Bellingham native, lives and works on his sailboat. Currently in the Caribbean, Milton’s work conveys the energy and life of his surroundings. From Spain to Brazil to France, Milton strives to capture an emotional response to each region’s nature and essence.

Born and raised in Durban, South Africa, David Milton was strongly influenced by the colors and rhythm of life around him. “The influences of the South African culture of my youth are ever present in my work. Vibrant color, soulful harmony, resonant beat and rhythm, and raw emotion permeate my paintings. A core theme behind my work arises from my empathy with victims of injustice and racism and my wonderment at the ability of the human spirit to continue to embrace life and the abundant beauty that nature provides in our daily lives, whether or not we stop to smell the roses.” Milton gives expression to his emotional sensitivity by   transferring his feelings to canvas. After moving to the U.S., Milton continued studying at the Design Center in Pasadena, California, and the Otis Art Institute and at UCLA.

Artist Statement: Color for me is a voice, giving expression to emotions. By exploring the richness and variety of color, I strive to harness its power. My technique of fusing colors, distressing, etching and marking, brings about a blending of physical and sensual immersion, creating a primal intimacy between my work and self.

The multi-dimensionality achieved by this layering, transparency and texture creates movement and tension. By focusing on one particular portion of a painting, areas that initially escape our field of vision are revealed. For me, this in part represents the dichotomy of our effort to mask our emotions or hide parts of ourselves, and our desire to explore, discover or be discovered. It also exemplifies my interpretation of the layers of life, where sometimes we see only the surface, until we take the time to look deeper into the inter-connectedness of all things.