Dave West ARSMA

Statement

Born in 1972 in Penclawdd, South Wales, Dave West grew up in Swansea City before moving in 1995 to Ireland. He now lives and works full time as an artist in North County Dublin. He is self-taught and in 2013 graduated with a degree in History of Art from the Open University

Dave is a highly versatile artist working predominately in oil paint but always experimenting with other media including watercolour, printmaking, charcoal, pastel and drawing.

What ties each strand of his art practice together is a focus on working from life whether that be from the model in the life room, trying to capture the movement of performers at the Circus, painting ‘en plein air’ at the edge of an Atlantic cliff or using pochade sketches and memory fragments to reconstruct a larger landscape in the studio.

He believes that it is this single element that gives an authentic, unique character to his work and as a representational painter he is constantly exploring the relationships between mark, gesture, material and meaning.

Dave’s ‘plein air’ landscape painting takes him the length and breadth of Ireland in search of fresh subject matter in addition to occasional trips abroad, he is a regular participant and tutor at plein air events and festivals. He won the Gold Mayoral award at ‘Art in the Open’ Europe’s largest plein air festival in 2025 and 2017, a Silver award at the 2024 event and a first prize at Paint Out Norfolk in 2023.

His work is regularly exhibited at the majority of the most important societies and clubs including the Royal Cambrian, Hibernian, and Ulster Academies. He maintains a strong artistic connection with the UK and shows regularly with the Royal Institute of Oil Painters, Royal Society of Marine Artists and the New English Art Club. For the past 3 years his work was selected for the prestigious Royal Academy Summer Exhibition in London.