‘STILL LIFE WITH ELEPHANTS!’…and landscapes and seascapes

‘STILL LIFE WITH ELEPHANTS!’…and landscapes and seascapes is how Paignton-based illustrator David Webb describes his forthcoming one-man exhibition, being staged at The Gallery, Torbay Hospital, from the evening of Friday August 7.

An early interest in both drawing and animals led David Webb to a twenty-year career in illustration. His paintings and drawings have appeared in magazines, children’s books and on greetings cards.

About ten years ago, though, he decided to branch out a little and began painting on a larger scale. David explains: “I wanted to break away from the tight restrictions of illustration to paint more freely (and with bigger brushes!).” It was around this time that he started to run classes and workshops, after gaining his certificate in Adult Learning. He now runs painting weekends and week -long breaks.

He is also a popular demonstrator at art societies around the country. This usually entails completing a painting in front of an audience of between 30-50 in the space of a couple of hours.

David says: “This represented a complete change from the hermit-like existence of an illustrator.” On conquering his stage fright, he says: “I took up amateur dramatics for a couple of years and was part of a Shakespeare summer theatre group. Once you’ve done Shakespeare, wearing green tights, in front of a couple of hundred complete strangers, you can do anything.”

A few years ago, he branched out into exhibiting, showing an exhibition of animal and wildlife paintings at Paignton Zoo. Being Paignton-based gave him plenty of opportunity for close study of his models.

David has also written and illustrated two art books: Still Life in Watercolour (Search Press 2003) and Animal Painting Workbook (David and Charles 2007).

David now divides his time between painting, writing articles for UK art magazines and running art courses.

This new exhibition, running for seven weeks until September 25, contains work on a variety of subjects in both watercolour and acrylic.

For more information visit http://www.sdhct.nhs.uk/