Dis widely recognized as one of North America’s leading portrait painters. Originally trained in London, England, where he was born, David has completed over 300 portrait commissions all across the continent since arriving here with his family in 1992.
In political life he has painted Their Excellencies Iona Campagnolo and James Dunsmuir, Lieutenant Governors of BC, the Hon. Deborah Grey MP, the official Parliamentary portraits of Former speaker Gilbert Parent and Prime Minister Kim Campbell. He recently completed portraits of the retiring Presidents of both The University of Alberta, Trent University, the Chancellor of UVIC and the President of Canadian Pacific Railways.
In the USA he has painted many leading business figures and their families, working - so far - in 20 States, commissions he won through his agents Portraits Incorporated, The Portrait Group and Portraits North.
Other sitters have included leading figures in the arts - the painters Robert Bateman and Ted Harrison, internationally acclaimed Tenor Richard Margison, Soprano Valerie Gonzalez, the actor Colin Skinner, dance impressario Constance Darling, Opera Maestro Timothy Vernon, composer Paul Cantelon and the writer, Hanif Kureishi, as well as philanthropists Eric Charman and Michael DeGroote and others making a difference in the fileds of commerce and education.
Bateman described him as “A truly fine painter in the Sargent style who works with confidence and grace and a true respect for the quality of the paint”
On painting, David says:
" When I think about what I do, every portrait seems like a fresh journey, a voyage of discovery, as I am privileged to explore the uniqueness of others. Portraits have absolutely nothing to do with vanity and everything to do with the value of each and every one of us. Dr Johnson said: ‘ portrait painting is a reasonable and natural consequence of affection’ I can only agree - and who is not worthy of being recorded in that spirit? "
Goatley has also painted several large scale works for churches, private homes and public spaces, including the mural 'Letters from the Front' on the Post Office in Chemainus, Canada's world-famous mural town..
Although a busy portrait schedule has limited his time for a gallery career, David’s Solo exhibitions have included ‘Stagestruck’ a series about the backstage world of theatre music and dance, ‘Into the light’ an exploration of contemporary Christian themes, Oil and Water’ an exhibition of portraits and other works, ‘A journey to India’ his response to travels there and ‘My London’ a celebration of his original home. He has been a prize winning participant in many group shows and events.
David has been a finalist in Artist Magazine’s portrait of the year competition and his work has been featured in International Artist five times. He was a founding member of the Canadian Institute of Portrait Artists and was elected a senior signature member of the Federation of Canadian Artists in 2002.,and awarded their prestigious Early Achievement Award for gaining international recognition in a relatively short time. He is proud to be a ‘Painter at Painters.’ and a member of Oil Painters of America
David teaches many classes and workshops throughout the year, in BC, and for Summer Schools and Art Societies across the country and in the US.
On art, David offers this thought:
" When civilisations collapse, when Empires are gone and the speeches and those who made them are footnotes and the politics are a memory, what is left behind is the art that gave those cultures their identity. Art matters. It is all those who will follow us will have of who we were. " |
