Poetic Painter

Artist David Boyd

The Southern landscape is an ever-changing and always fascinating subject for Boyd.

“I love anything with tires—tractors, cars and especially old red pickup trucks,” says Boyd.

Shrimp boats off the Lowcountry coast document the Southern lifestyle that provides endless fascination for Boyd.

All roads lead home to Newnan, Georgia, where Boyd’s paintings can be seen in his studio and gallery, in addition to Spalding Nix Gallery in Atlanta.

Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles: What inspired you to become an artist? 

David Boyd: I won the lottery with my parents; I’m so glad we were sent to each other. My mother was a ballerina and pianist, and after my father left the army, he became a syndicated cartoonist. My sisters and I were always left to our creative devices—my parents went so far as to leave my walls black so I could draw and paint on them. 

AH&L: Have these experiences from your youth influenced or inspired your subject matter? 

DB: Yes, I derive inspiration from my everyday life and I hope that authenticity resonates in my work. From landscapes to agricultural life to dwellings, I’m fascinated with the life that happens in those spaces. Additionally, I love anything with wheels. Cars, tractors, trucks—they’re all part of my work.

AH&L: You’ve been an artist and a teacher. Does one inspire the other? 

DB: Absolutely, however, it’s difficult to be both at once. I taught professionally for 19 years, and occasionally I’ll offer a workshop or live demo on the internet, but at this point, I’m focused on being an artist. 

AH&L: Where is your studio? 

DB: My wife and I moved back to my hometown of Newnan, Georgia, and started our family, and now my studio and gallery are in the same building that my maternal grandfather owned and where my dad ran his printing business and created his syndicated political cartoons. It feels right—like home. “Bloom where you’re planted,” as they say.

AH&L: Do you always work from the studio? 

DB: No, I love to paint en plein air. Irrespective of geographical location, I love to be outside. Not only do I enjoy creating outside, but I see things differently and the natural light is incredible.

AH&L: You’ve worked in a wide range of sizes and subjects. Are you going to continue with that plan? 

DB: I do occasionally have smaller pieces that I call “little jewels.” However, I’m moving into larger statement pieces—whether ones that I create or commissions. 

AH&L: What’s on the horizon?

DB: I want to explore figurative work—primarily heads and faces. That’s new territory for me that I didn’t previously gravitate toward, but I want to explore that artistically. That said, I’ll always paint my surroundings and I’ll never retire. The art life is a great life, and I’m so fortunate to be able to do what I love.