The artist’s touch

Feelings of peace and calmness overcome you the moment you meet Dr. David Burnsed. With his friendly smile and easygoing demeanor, you feel as if you have known him your entire life.

But his personality is not the only thing that lights up his house. You are equally impressed by his oil paintings that hang prominently on walls throughout his home. His seascape oil paintings, in particular, are fascinating depictions of magnificent scenes such as windy days with frothy waves crashing onto boulderstrewn shores.

Of course, a healthy love for seascape scenes comes natural for Dr. Burnsed, a native of Jacksonville who spent much of his youth near the beach. He is also an admirer of the late Winslow Homer, an

American artist whose famous seascape portraits are featured in the book Winslow Homer: Poet of the Sea.

“Winslow was a remarkable talent,” says Dr. Burnsed, a general surgeon in Lake County for thirty-seven years. “His ability to capture the essence of the sea and nature in general is second to none.”

Dr. Burnsed’s introduction into arts occurred as a freshman attending Florida State University. His roommate was a third-year fine arts major who spent much of his free time oil painting. Intrigued, he asked his roommate to teach him the basics of this art medium. He soon became hooked after several lessons, and the rest is history.

Although Dr. Burnsed has never officially catalogued his work, he estimates he has produced between 200 and 300 oil paintings throughout the years. He has sold some of his work and gave others away. His paintings have appeared in shows such as the Leesburg Art Festival, which gives him an opportunity to interact with and learn from other artists.

“I am definitely passionate about oil painting because it is different from what I do as a surgeon,” he says. “I’m fulfilled with what I do as a surgeon, but I am trying to achieve the best result instead of creating something wonderful.”

When beginning an oil painting, Dr. Burnsed uses a pencil to create an outline of his subject on canvas. He then applies color to fill in the outline. Once the paint dries, he may repaint the picture if he is unsatisfied with the overall detail and quality. In some instances, he will repaint the picture once more. Then, he lets it dry for one month and applies varnish to protect it from dirt and dust.

“After the third time, most artists consider the oil painting finished,” he says.

One of his favorite creations to date is a copy of a Winslow Homer painting depicting a seaman aboard a ship trying to navigate the waters with a sextant. “I think this is a magnificent painting even in my copy of it. I have it hanging in my study because I will never grow tired of looking at this particular oil painting.”

In addition to seascapes, Dr. Burnsed enjoys painting portraits of individuals and couples. “That is fascinating for me because I can idealize those people and convey a point of humanness,” he says.

For him, oil painting is the perfect complement to being a general surgeon, a profession that requires him to work long, unpredictable hours. “This is a hobby you can pick up and put right back down when an emergency call comes in,” he says. “Day-to-day hobbies need to be something you can practice comfortably and within your circumstances.”