 David Downes Biography - Education, Commissions and Exhibitions |
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| Introduction |
 David completed an MA at the Royal College of Art in communication design in 1996 and has since worked on a range of projects, from landscapes and drawings to a major commission for the BBC. In September 1999 he set out to record the BBC’s most important architecture at the turn of the century. In June 2000 he became artist in-residence to BBC Heritage. In 2000 David’s life and career were the subject of a book written by Shelia Paine titled ‘Artists Emerging’ which explores the mysteries of drawing fluency through the work of seven artists. David lives and works in London and is available for architectural drawings and paintings and landscapes. |
"My work focuses on the juxtaposition of history and modernity in London, graveyards lie next to modern offices, aging churches stand in built up areas. I often paint my scenes of London from an aerial position, imagining the way the landscape would look when viewed from that angle. In this way my work is a meeting of realism and imagination. I am very focussed and can capture architecture and urban-scapes in vivid detail"
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David Downes |
David Downes “I gave David the near impossible task to record for posterity a sense of the scale and majesty of some of the BBC’s finest buildings. David is adding a new dimension to the BBC’s heritage and building up our collection for the future.” |
The late Justin Philips, Head of Heritage for the BBC |
“The full extent of David Downes’ achievement as a mature professional remains to be seen. He has studied alongside the most able of art students and in the footsteps of the eminent: Henry Moore, David Hockney and other who achieved international status during their lifetimes. Whatever his ultimate achievement, it cannot now be insignificant and in the light of his history, it is already remarkable.” |
'Artists Emerging: Sustaining Expression Through Drawing’, Sheila Paine, Ashgate, 2000 |
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 Education |
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M.A. in Communication Design - The Royal College of Art, London
P.G.D. in Narrative Sequential Illustration – Brighton University
H.N.D. in Commercial Illustration – Anglia University |
| Commissions |
Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens 2009-2010
Tim and Heather Olsen - April 2009
Westminster Cathedral August 2006
St Brides Church April 2005
John Jones London December 2005
Merill Lynch November 2005
Goldman Sachs June 2005
BBC Derry July 2001
Land Registry, commissioned by head office, February 2001
BBC World Service, London Collage for Prague Office 2000
Hodges and Associates, Yell.com May 2000
BBC Heritage Artist in Residence 1999 – 2001 |
| Exhibitions |
[solo] |
Collective Fragments - November 2009 - January 2010
The City To N16 at The Fox Reformed, Stoke Newington Nov 2009 - Feb 2010
Elevation - Scenes of Stoke Newington, Lion Pub, August 2008
East to West, A Journey Along the Thames, Riverside Gallery April 2008
Diverse London Rivercourt Goldman Sachs September 2007
Hungover Shoreditch Gestalt Centre, London November 2007
Citygroup Exhibiton April 2006
Merril Lynch Exhibition November 2005
Goldman Sachs Exhibition September 2005
The Square Mile – St Brides Church April 2005
N16 – The Prince Pub in Stoke Newington December 2004
Above and Beyond – Conningsby Gallery June 2004
High on Stokey 2 – Vortex Gallery July 2003
Drawn to Highgate – The Wrestlers Pub 2003
High on Stokey 1 – Ryans Bar November 2002
Urbanscapes 3 – Vortex Gallery June 2002
Urbanscapes 2 – Stoke Newington Gallery February 2002
Urbanscapes 1 – Lea Valley Rowing Club November 2001
London Scenes - The Fox Reformed Wine Bar February 1999 |
[group] |
Sizzler - Jago Space, Red Church Street, July 2008
Manchester Town Hall Gallery October 2007
Mall Galleries September 2007
Kaupthing Singer and Friedlander - Sunday Times Water Colour Competition
'20 x 20' - White Chapel, July 2007
Juddykes John Jones Arts Space Curated by Ben Judd & Howard Dyke 2007
Jam – John Jones Group Exhibition August 2006
The Artist & Illustrators Art Fair, Business Design Centre, July 2005
Wood through the trees - John Jones Group Exhibition August 2005
The Hunting Art Prize – RCA Gallery February 2005
The Jerwood Drawing Prize – London September 2004
Ooze – John Jones Group Exhibition July 2004
The London Drawing School, St Martin in the Fields Crypt Gallery May 2004
Royal West of England Show Bristol, October 1999
Royal College of Art M.A.Graduation Show 1996 |
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