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.

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 over all, 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, Cost 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.

A final note….Before devoting himself to his fulltime 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

Westmount Gallery, Montreal Solo Show………………….1980

Annual Buckhorn Festival of Fine Arts………………………1981-2007

Pastel Society of Canada Annual Exhibitions……………..1981-1987

Pastel Society of America, Signature member……………1984

Thanksgiving Images Tour, Simcoe County…………………1986-today

Peninsula Gallery, Sidney, British Columbia………………1990

Dave Beckett Retrospective, Orillia Museum of Art and History…2019

Grand Hotel, Kamloops, BC………………………………………1995

ASSOCIATIONS

Pastel Society of America…………………signature member………..1984

Pastel Society of Canada ………………….signature member ……….1982

Pastel Artists, Canada……………………….signature member ……….2018

PUBLICATIONS

International Artists………………………………………………………………..1998

American Artist………………………………………………………………………..1996

“Work Small, Think Big”, published by American Artist…………….1997

Numerous articles and reviews in The Globe and Mail, Toronto Star

WORKSHOPS/TEACHING

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 giclee formats. Many of his works, both original and reproductions are regularly donated to worthwhile fundraising events in his area.