Painting an Icelandic Horse in Norway.
Accepting the torch from the grand tradition of European painting, I am most influenced by Titziano, Da Vinci, and Rembrandt. Unlike these painters of the past that have based their narrative imagery on the Bible and fables, I compose scenarios that are sourced from life experience. However, my intention is to bring to light moments that contain a sense of mythology. Informed by the studies of Jung and Joseph Campbell, I strive to construct archetypes: stories that contain significance without a heavy stamp of cultural conditioning. A quality in these scenarios and interactions between players and symbols comes forth that they are somehow familiar despite being viewed for the first time. In todays technological mayhem, it has become more challenging to maintain the sense of meditative calm required to keep ourselves open to experiences of mystery. Our upbringing in society has trained our minds to think rationally and this has lead to a neglect for these faculties of our mind that exist for the experiencing the fantastic, wonderful, and enigmatic in life. For me the slowness of painting provides an important counter point to the acceleration of modern culture. In the stillness of the handcrafted image, I reflect my experiences. David Molesky Rome, Italy May 2013
Scout, 2012 oil on linen 9 x 12 inches
Hussar, 2013 oil on twill linen 60 x 80 inches
Chariot, 2007/2011 oil on canvas 16 x 20 inches
Man with Two Horses, 2011 oil on twill linen 79 x 95 inches
Profit, 2007 oil on canvas on wood 10 x 14 inches
Svarten, 2007/12 oil on canvas 16 x 19 inches
Horses, 2007/2010 graphite on paper 16 x 20 inches
DAVID MOLESKY! davidmolesky.com 415-844-0828
EDUCATION: 1999! !
University of California at Berkeley, Bachelor of Arts Dept. of Art Practice & PreMed emphasis in Neurobiology
1997!
Universitas Gadjah Mada, Semester Abroad, Jogykarta, Indonesia
STAGIAIRE: 2006-8! Apprentice to Odd Nerdrum. Iceland, Norway, and France
SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS: 2014!
Copro Gallery, Santa Monica, CA (forthcoming)
2013!
A Long Moment: Allegories. a.Muse Gallery. San Francisco, CA (forthcoming)
2012!
AIR/WATER, the fridge, Washington, D.C.
2011! ! ! !
Protean Dreams, Artspace 712, San Francisco, CA A Journey Back, 12 Gallagher Lane, San Francisco, CA Smoke, Basement Gallery, Oakland, CA Eclipse of an Undercurrent, Marjorie Evans Gallery, Sunset Cultural Center, Carmel, CA
2010! !
Turbulent Mirror, Rae Douglass Gallery, Berkeley, CA Spume, Canessa Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2007! !
Equinox, Terrence Rogers Fine Art, Santa Monica, CA Northern Lights, Radhus, Tonsberg, Norway
2005! !
Recent Landscapes, Las Fuentes Villa, Carmel Valley, CA State of Being, Municipal Building, Raleigh, NC
2004!
Pan in Arcadia, Lisa Coscino Gallery, Pacific Grove, CA
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS: 2014!
Suggestivism, Copro Gallery, Santa Monica, CA (forthcoming)
2013! ! ! ! !
Risky RisquĂŠ, Long Beach Art Museum, Long Beach, CA (forthcoming) Summer Group Show, Copro Gallery, Santa Monica, CA (forthcoming) Suggestivism: The New Horizon, Rene Museala, Cosenza, Italy (forthcoming) Suggestivism Rome, Mondo Pop, Rome, Italy Surreal Salon, Baton Rouge Gallery for Contemporary Art, Louisiana
2012! ! !
100 Grand, Sullivan Goss, Santa Barbara, CA Suggestivism NYC, Bold Hype Gallery, New York, NY
2011! !
Suggestivism, Grand Central Art Center, Cal State Fullerton, Santa Ana, CA 100 Grand, Sullivan Goss, Santa Barbara, CA
2010! ! !
A History of Flight, Terrence Rogers Fine Art, Santa Monica, CA Empty Time, The Fridge Gallery, Washington, D.C. 100 Artists See Satan, Grand Central Art Center, Cal State Fullerton, Santa Ana, CA
2009! !
The Genesis of Bay Area Figurative Art Now, Art Space 712, San Francisco, CA Kitsch mer unn kunst, Telemarksgaleriet, Nottoden, Norway
2008!
Kitsch Biennale, Pasinger Fabrik, Munich, Germany
2007!
Intimate Landscape, Sesnon Gallery, University of California, Santa Cruz
2006!
All Wet, Lisa Coscino Gallery, Pacific Grove, CA
2005! !
Auto Show, Charles Campbell Gallery, San Francisco, CA My California, National Steinbeck Center, Salinas, CA
2004! !
Art of the Mediterranean Games, Italian Institute of Culture, San Francisco, CA Objects of Obsession, Lisa Coscino Gallery, Pacific Grove, CA
SELECTED TRAVEL AND RESIDENCES: 2013
Morris Graves Foundation. Artist in Residence, Eureka, CA
2012
Morris Graves Foundation. Artist in Residence, Eureka, CA
2010
Monterey Peninsula Yacht Club. Artist in Residence Award, Monterey, CA
2009!
Fine Art Base. May Artist in Residence,, Sand City, CA
2008! ! ! ! 1999!
Fundacia Nakjelska. Late Spring Artist in Residence. Naklo Palace, Poland Jackowo Dolne. Spring Artist Retreat, Poland Vienna. Summer-Winter Studio, Austria Rome. Summer Studio, Italy
SELECTED PRESS: 2013! ! !
Infinite Water. Works and Conversations. Whittaker, Richard. Infinite Water. May 2013 Art Nouveau. Martin, Paley. Flying Planes and Talking Paint. January 9, 2013 MWAH. bb publications. January, 2013 pg. 51
2012! !
The Surfers Journal. Escalante, Greg & Spoor, Nathan. Politics of Paint. vol 21.5, pg. 70-77 Heaven. Art of Elysium, Audi, & Relativity Media. Paper Chase Press. pg. 61
2011! ! ! ! ! ! 2010! ! !
A Long Moment. Van Proyen, Mark. Protean Dreams Monograph. Electric Works, SF. Suggestivism: A Survey of Contemporary Artists. Spoor, Nathan. Berkeley: Ginko Press. pg. 178-179 Odd Nerdrum: Kitsch, More than Art. Tuv, Jan-Ove; Li, Bjorn; and others. September. pg. 314 San Francisco Examiner. Flood, Greg. “A Journey Backʼ - David Molesky at 12 Gallagher.” December 2 Studio Visit Magazine. Boston: Open Studios Press. pg. 134-135 David Molesky, SPUME. Torres, Anthony. San Francisco: ePressBooks. (monograph) New Amercian Paintings: Pacific Coast Edition, #91. Boston: Open Studios Press. pg. 100 - 103 East Bay Express. Cheng, Dewitt. “Ripple Effects.” December 22
2009! ! !
Kitsch: mer enn kunst. Nerdrum, Odd. pg. 314 Juxtapoz Magazine Website. Spoor, Nathan. “David Molesky.” November 2 Juxtapoz Magazine Website. Link to my video “Making Foam.” May 7, 2009
2008!
ISM Magazine. Spoor, Nathan. “Master & Apprentice” Spring issue 14, pg. 12-15
2007!
Southwest Art Magazine. Fauntleroy, Gussie. 21 Under 31. September, pg.135
2006! !
Intimate Landscape. Galuska, Frank. October, p.29 The Monterey County Herald. Watson, Lisa Crawford. “WaterWorks.” March 30-April 5
2005!
Southwest Art Magazine. Gangelhoff, Bonnie. Artists to Watch. September, pg.30
2004!
Monterey County Weekly. Deragon, Rick. “Be Still My Heart.” February, pg.4
2000!
Raleigh Spectator. Bible, Adam. Gallery. September, pg. 6-12
LECTURES: 2013! !
California College of the Arts. Oakland, CA Bay Area Classical Atelier. Burlingame, CA
2012! !
University of California at Berkeley. Advanced Painting Golden Gate Collectors, San Francisco, CA
2010! !
San Francisco Art Institute. Advanced Painting Undergrad and Graduate ODD. ODC Theatre. Pre-dance performance lecture and live painting. San Francisco, CA
2009!
California College of the Arts. Advanced Painting. San Francisco, CA
2007!
Swihart Lecture Series. Santa Monica, CA
1977!
Born in Washington, D.C. - Lives and Works in NYC
David Molesky BIO
David Molesky obtained his BA from UC Berkeley (1999). In 2009, he returned to the US after an 18 month apprenticeship with the painter Odd Nerdrum in Iceland, Norway, and Paris. Molesky始s work has been featured in numerous museum exhibitions including: the Baltimore Museum of Art; Pasinger Fabrik, Munich, Germany; and the Grand Central Art Center, Cal State Fullerton. In 2010, his work was selected for the Pacific Coast Edition of New American Painting. He is featured in this Fall issue of the Surfers始 Journal with an 8 page article. Currently, Molesky is preparing for exhibitions in Long Beach and Santa Monica, CA. Molesky lives and works in the West Village of Manhattan.