David Lazarus

Project Description

David Lazarus came to Nantucket Island from London, England in 1976, making the island his home for the next forty-three years until moving to Portland
in 2019. As an established scrimshaw artist he has also gained a reputation as an accomplished printmaker, watercolorist & oil painter. His work can be found in
galleries, museums & in private collections across the country, as well as in Europe and other parts of the world.

Artist Statement

As an artist, I wear a number of hats, each one fitting differently according to the medium, however, my painting hat is one of my most comfortable because,
like my artwork, it is not too tight. Consequently, when least expected, it may tilt to the left, fall back, or even blow right off the canvas. These are the moments when I believe the painter is free of self-conscious decisions and can then let intuition guide the hand. I believe strongly in technical knowledge, but am often held back from finding the language to express myself because of the formal processes I have learned. To put it another way, I need to slip up and what better medium for the
job than oil paint. I often find that the most interesting paintings are the ones I paint over on an existing reject. Pieces of the painting underneath break through the intended design suggesting a different route to take. Similarly, an overloaded brushful of paint applied without hesitancy can create the energy on the canvas that all my perspective classes failed to achieve. These are the great moments of joy for me when I can get something to work without working at it. This is when my work
becomes play.