Dave Beckett
Artist Summary
Dave Beckett – Soft pastels were Dave’s first love for many years, during which time his arresting landscapes and still life were highly acclaimed and widely collected across Canada. In recent years however, he has added oil painting to his practice, creating luminous large scale skyscapes and landscapes which continue to demonstrate his exceptional mastery of colour and composition.
Full Biography
While Dave’s years of painting have seen him work in many genres along the realist/Impressionist spectrum, his passion has always been, and continues to be the Landscape; encompassing rural fields and farms, the deep forests, the rocks, trees, and crystal waters of the Great Lakes, and overall, the spectacular skies and clouds that only life outside the confines of the city can provide.
Since the age of 13, to feed this passion, he has traveled extensively across Canada, to the UK, US, Mexico, Costa Rica, Vancouver Island, and Newfoundland where, until recently, he maintained a studio perched on the rocks near Port aux Basques.
Growing up and continuing to live in Simcoe County since 1947, one of his favourite destinations remains the beautiful Great Lakes/Georgian Bay area. In this essentially unexplored Canadian jewel, Dave continues to set out in his red canoe, as he solo paddles around countless islands and into hidden bays, capturing his iconic Canadian scenes.
Soft pastels were Dave’s first love for many years, during which time his arresting landscapes and still life were highly acclaimed and widely collected across Canada. In recent years however, he has added oil painting to his practice, creating luminous large scale skyscapes and landscapes which continue to demonstrate his exceptional mastery of colour and composition.
Throughout his career, Dave has given and continues to provide workshops, demonstrations, and speaking engagements. His expertise has resulted in numerous jurying occasions, he has produced teaching DVDs, and he is currently working on an instructional book based on his lifetime techniques and experiences as an artist. He is self-published and over the years has produced over 20 limited edition print series in lithography and giclée formats. Many of his works, both original and reproductions are regularly donated to worthwhile fundraising events in his area.
A final note … before devoting himself to his full-time pursuit as an artist, Dave was a marketing executive for Southam Newspapers. In 1981, at the age of 40, he traded in his well worn briefcase for boxes of art supplies and an easel. Fortunately for us, he has never looked back.
EXHIBITIONS
1980 Westmount Gallery, Montreal Solo Show
1981-2007 Annual Buckhorn Festival of Fine Arts
1981-1987 Pastel Society of Canada Annual Exhibitions
1984 Pastel Society of America, Signature member
1986-today Thanksgiving Images Tour, Simcoe County
1990 Peninsula Gallery, Sidney, British Columbia
1995 Grand Hotel, Kamloops, BC
2019 Dave Beckett Retrospective, Orillia Museum of Art and History
ASSOCIATIONS
Pastel Society of America – signature member since 1984
Pastel Society of Canada – signature member since 1982
Pastel Artists, Canada – signature member since 2018
PUBLICATIONS
1998 “International Artists”
1996 “American Artist”
1997 “Work Small, Think Big”, published by American Artist
Numerous articles and reviews in The Globe and Mail and Toronto Star
Dave Beckett – September Sky – 24″x48″ – DB0023 – oil on canvas – $4,000
Dave Beckett – Golden Light – 11″x14″ – DB0025 – oil on canvas – $1,100
Dave Beckett – Sunset is Dreamtime – 18″x80″ – DB0026 – oil on board – $6,200
Dave Beckett – Take Time to Look Up – 32″x60″ – DB0027 – oil on canvas – $5,500Dave Beckett – Take Time to Look Up – 32″x60″ – DB0027 – oil on canvas – $5,500
Dave Beckett – Lost in the Clouds – 40″x30″ – DB0028 – oil on canvas – $4,000
Dave Beckett – Split Rail – 36″x18″ – DB0006 – Oil on Canvas – Please inquire for price – On display at Beveragino
Dave Beckett – Spring Runoff – 18″x93″ – DB0014 – Oil on Canvas – $6,000
Dave Beckett – Misty Meadow – 18″x36″ – DB0013 – Oil on Canvas – $2,600
Dave Beckett – Autumn Sky – 12″x30″ – DB0012 – Oil on Canvas – Please inquire for price – On display at Beveragino
Dave Beckett – Last Light – 30″x40″ – DB0011 – Oil on Canvas – $4,000
Dave Beckett – The Rock – 16″x36″ – DB0007 – Oil on Canvas – $2,600
Dave Beckett – Everchanging – 20″x39″ – DB0022 – oil – $3,000
Dave Beckett – Atlantic Surf – 12″x48″ – DB0021 – oil on panel – $3,500
Dave Beckett – Winter Water – 10″x30″ – DB0020 – oil on canvas – $950
Dave Beckett – Running Tide – 23″x16″ – DB0019 – pastel on paper – $2,000
Dave Beckett – Lily Pads – 13″x13″ – DB0018 – pastel on paper – $1,000
Dave Beckett – A Place to Contemplate – 24″x36″ – DB0017 – oil on canvas – $4,000
Dave Beckett – Island in the Sun – 15″x33″ – DB0016 – pastel on board – $2,400
Dave Beckett – Early Light – 10″x14″ – DB0008 – oil on board – $1,000
NOTE: Donna Child Fine Art is proud to be partnering with “Beveragino”. Items which indicate “at Beveragino” in the description can be viewed at our Port Carling partner location.
