Artist Bio

Dave Denson was born and raised in Victoria, British Columbia and became interested in art as a teenager, illustrating the scenes and figures from television, books and his own imagination. After graduation, Dave was intrigued by the film industry which was just starting to make its mark in British Columbia.  Dave enrolled in the Professional Film-Making Certificate Program at Camosun College in Victoria, where he learned how storytelling can be transformed by visual imagery, light, and sound.

Dave moved to Vancouver, BC in 1989 and worked in the film industry for 10 years, primarily in the area of lighting design. This experience provided a strong foundation in understanding elements of tone, light, and contrast which continues to influence his work to this day.  After the birth of his daughter in 1999, Dave left the film industry to focus on his pastel painting.  Life as a stay-at-home dad afforded Dave with many opportunities to find beauty and meaning in the small day to day rituals of family life.

He began his artistic career working primarily in pastels, painting cityscapes and intimate urban scenes from Canada and abroad.  Soft pastels provided the opportunity to express his vision in an immediate way.  Now Dave mainly paints with oils and explores both the urban landscape from home and abroad and British Columbia landscapes, with a focus on Gulf Island representations from his cottage on Mudge Island.  His work in either medium favour a bold palette with intense colour, strong contrast, and an invitation to explore deeper within each painting. 

Largely self-taught, Dave is inspired by the work of renowned Vancouver photographer Fred Herzog, whose photos motivate Dave to create authentic and thoughtful representations of urban life. Dave’s current exploration in plein air painting has been hugely influenced by classic Canadian artists Lawren Harris and Tom Thompson, and by work and mentorship of fellow Portside Studio artist Dennis Brown.

Dave regularly shows his work at the Eastside Cultural Crawl and is a member of the 901 Artists’ Co-operative, located at Portside Studios in East Vancouver.  He is a Signature Member of the Pastel Artists of Canada and an Active Member of the Federation of Canadian Artists. His work can be found in numerous private collections and he has presented his pastel and oil paintings in juried and popular shows in Vancouver and other parts of Canada.

If you are interested in Dave’s work or would like to commission a painting, feel free to contact him anytime.