David Caldwell RP | Royal Society of Portrait Painters

Self Portrait
Portrait of John Amabile
Portrait of Zephie
Portrait of Justin Currie
Studio Portrait

About David Caldwell RP

Artist details wrap

Biography

Artist's Statement

I paint primarily from life. This direct engagement with the sitter is an important part of my work. A portrait is not only about achieving a likeness but also about capturing the sitter’s individual energetic presence.

I am concerned with translating my ‘experience’ of looking. I want my paintings to suggest the sensation of stereoscopic vision, as the camera lens cannot, and to amalgamate the layers of looking - indeed the layers of time - into one image. Ultimately I would like my work to express the sensation of having been there, of having stood in my shoes.

Each sitter represents a new proposition, calling for a unique solution in response. The artist might consider many factors in a portrait: personality, anatomy, facial expression, body language, aura, style, scale, perhaps even the human condition. This for me is the thrill of portraiture and the reason that I find it to be so endlessly engaging.

Composition, colour, tone and all the other considerations of the painter are also answerable of course. The portrait must function as an interesting painting in its own right. Various arrangements inevitably need to be made, and as the layers of time elapse it is vital that the work maintains its freshness in order that the energy and vitality of the living subject be contained in the finished work.

The paint-strokes map the journey of eye and hand, whilst colour and value are constantly weighed against the whole. Nature is not mimicked but rather translated and retold. An equivalent harmony is sought.

In my opinion, it is the representation at once of both the formal structure of the visible world and the intangible psychological insight - or ‘inner life’ – of the sitter that represents the greatest challenge in portraiture, as demonstrated in the portraits of Velasquez, Goya or Rembrandt.

I look forward to many more journeys in portraiture to come.

Biographical Details

David Caldwell was born in Helensburgh in the West of Scotland in 1977. He studied at the Glasgow School of Art (1994-98) and the Royal Drawing School (2003-05). He has won several awards and residencies including the Royal Society of Portrait Painters’ own Bulldog Bursary and The Founder’s Purchase Prize at the ING Discerning Eye (adjudged by the late Brian Sewell).

He has twice been short-listed for the BP Portrait Awards, most recently in 2013 when he displayed 77 miniature portraits at the National Portrait Gallery.

In recent years David has been short-listed for various other major awards including the Seven Investments Management ‘Conversations’ Prize, the Ruth Borchard Self-portrait Prize, the Threadneedle Figurative Art Prize, the Lynn Painter-Stainers Award and the W. Gordon Smith Award. David lives and works as an artist and portrait painter in Highgate, London.

Society Memberships

Royal Society of Portrait Painters

Scholarships, Awards, Prizes

2017: The Hayman-Moritz Pignano Residency, Tuscany Italy

The Dimplex sponsored Dumfries House Residency, Ayrshire Scotland

2014: Regional Prize winner at The ING Discerning Eye Annual Exhibition

2010: Winner of the Founder’s Purchase Prize, at the ING Discerning Eye Annual Exhibition

2009: The Bulldog Bursary, awarded by the Royal Society of Portrait Painters

2007: Artists Residency in Collioure, France, by invitation of the Mairie de Collioure

2006: Artists Residency in Port Vendres, France, awarded by the Charles Rennie Mackintosh Association

2005: End of year Drawing Prize, at The Royal Drawing School, London.

2004: Artist in Residence –Lewisham College, London

2002: The Ruth Davidson Memorial Award – 3 month Artists’ Residency in South of France

1999: The John Cunningham Memorial Award, at the RGI Annual Exhibition, Glasgow

Exhibitions

Royal Society of Portrait Painters Annual Exhibition 2017

Royal Society of Portrait Painters Annual Exhibition 2016

Royal Society of Portrait Painters Annual Exhibition 2015

Other exhibitions

2017: The Scottish Gallery & Ewan Mundy Fine Art at Duke Street St James

“Tales in Light”, Tregony Gallery, Cornwall

2016:

The Discerning Eye Prize-winners Exhibition, Temple Church London

The ING Discerning Eye, Mall Galleries London

The Lynn Painter-Stainers Prize, Mall Galleries

London Art Fair

The Scottish Gallery & Ewan Mundy Fine Art at Duke Street St James

The W Gordon Smith Award Exhibition, Dovecot Gallery, Edinburgh

2015:

The Ruth Borchard Self-portrait Prize, King’s Place London

The London Art Fair Islington, represented by Ewan Mundy Fine Art

The ING Discerning Eye Collection at Temple Church

2014:

The Royal Society of Portrait Painters Annual Exhibition

The ING Discerning Eye Exhibition, Mall Galleries London

The Lynn Painter-Stainers Prize Exhibition

2013:

The RGI Annual Exhibition, McLellan Galleries Glasgow

The ING Discerning Eye Exhibition, Mall Galleries

The BP Portrait Awards, National Portrait Gallery London

The Ruth Borchard Self-portrait Competition, King’s Place

2012:

The Threadneedle Prize Exhibition, Mall Galleries, London

The Ruth Borchard Self-portrait Collection Exhibition, University of Northumberland

The Royal Society of Portrait Painters Annual Exhibition

The Lynn Painter-Stainers Prize Exhibition

The ROI Annual Exhibition, Mall Galleries, London

The New English Annual Exhibition, Mall Galleries, London

2011:

The Lynn Painter-Stainers Prize Exhibition

The Royal Society of Portrait Painters Annual Exhibition

The Ruth Borchard Self-portrait Award Exhibition, King’s Place

2010:

The ING Discerning Eye Exhibition, Mall Galleries London

The Royal Society of Portrait Painters Annual Exhibition

Group exhibition in Plyos, Russia

“David Caldwell - Snow Paintings”, Albert Drive Studios, Glasgow

2009:

“David Caldwell: Paintings from Russia and other Places”, Cyrll Gerber Fine Art, Glasgow

2008:

“David Caldwell – Works from France”, Alliance Francais, Glasgow

Solo show at L’ancienne Mairie, Collioure, France

2007:

“Hinterland”, Thomas Williams Fine Art, London

2006:

The Royal Society of Portrait Painters Annual Exhibition

2005:

Notes from the New City”, Centre for Recent Drawings, London

2004:

“London Calling”, Mansfield Park Gallery, Glasgow

The Summer Show, Thompson’s Gallery, London

2003:

BP Portrait Award, National Portrait Gallery, London

Solo show at Mansfield Park Gallery, Glasgow

2002:

“Still Life”, solo show at The Tron Theatre, Glasgow

Solo show at Elaine Somers Gallery, Belfast

1999-2009:

A regular exhibitor at The Royal Glasgow Institute and Royal Scottish Academy Annual Exhibitions.