DAVID NIELSEN
I was Born in Ottawa in 1966 to a French-Canadian mother and Danish father.  Travel was an important part of my formative years. My family resided in the varied cityscapes of Montreal, San Francisco, the Northeastern United States, and Geneva, Switzerland.  This nomadic existence accounts for my varied cultural and artistic influences. 

Since moving to Alberta in 1992, my subject matter has been the backyard of this province: rolling foothills dotted with hay-bales; Rocky Mountain vistas from Banff and Jasper; the badlands and prairies.  

I begin each painting on-site, whether it's 9 inches by 12, or 5 and a half by 8 feet. This style of painting, known as plein aire demands that I create my image quickly - which has resulted in my work having a certain economy that only painting outdoors can bring.

I try and represent my surroundings, not duplicate them. I am working hard to be more free with paint. Ultimately, my goal is to create paintings that are like Alberta: beautiful, grand, and un-tamed. Paintings with Natural Energy.

My style has evolved, and continues to grow. While I still begin each canvas with a coat of Venetian Red; I now pay special attention to, and give greater emphasis to my initial “drawing”.  I no longer attempt to cover up my lines, but intentionally leave them exposed. This gives my paintings an illustrative quality which results is a more physical painting.
A painting with energy…like my backyard of Alberta.

Recently, I have returned to Europe and I now divide my time between Alberta and Southern France. I have been taking everything I have learned from painting in Alberta, and applying that particular vision to the villages of the Languedoc wine making region.

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I am working hard to be more free with paint.