artist statement / bio

I strive to capture the emotional elements of nature and life in my art.

My abstract work forms a tapestry of several major elements. Color is used to convey energy and boldness. Line expresses movement and form. Blending, layering, transparency and texture weave together to create dimension and depth.

Color for me is a voice, giving expression to emotions. I trust my intuition when working with color. By exploring the richness and variety of color, I strive to harness its power.

I'm drawn to visually expressing the rhythms in music and nature and the feelings they evoke in us. This I achieve with line, which when layered, helps create depth and move perception beyond a two-dimensional view.

My technique of painting and fusing colors, distressing, etching and marking, brings about a blending of physical and sensual immersion, creating a primal intimacy between my work and self.

The multidimensionality achieved by this layering, transparency and texture creates movement and tension. By focusing on one particular portion of a painting, other areas that initially escape our field of vision are revealed. For me, this in part represents the dichotomy of our need to mask our emotions or hide ourselves, and our need to explore, discover and be discovered. It also exemplifies my interpretation of the layers of life, where sometimes we see only the surface, until we take the time to look deeper into the interconnectedness and the unknown.

Overall, I rely on the process of artmaking to guide me. The influences of the South African culture of my youth are very present in my work. Vibrant color, soulful harmony, resonant beat and rhythm, and raw emotion permeate my paintings. A core theme behind my work arises from my empathy with victims of injustice and racism and my wonderment at the ability of the human spirit to continue to embrace life.

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Born and raised in Durban, South Africa, David Milton was strongly influenced by the colors and rhythm of life around him. He gives expression to his emotional sensitivity by transferring his feelings to painting and sculpture.

After moving to the U.S., he continued studying at the Design Center in Pasadena, California, and at UCLA. Having been a partner in a Los Angeles graphic design firm for twelve years, David now resides with his family in Bellingham, Washington.