As a long-time resident of East Hampton, much of David Demers‘ work (a collection of which is currently on display at the Museum) is inspired by the East End’s celebrated landscapes. From the oceans and beaches to the farms and fields, his abstract and colorful canvases emphasize flow, organic shapes and layering to evoke the area’s abundance of natural beauty. Recently, Mr. Demers was kind enough to offer some irreverent views about being an artist.
What’s your favorite part about being an artist?
My favorite part about being an artist is that I can talk to trees—when I am not driving—and people say, “Oh, yeah. That guy? He’s an artist.”
How does living in the East End shape your work?
Living in the East End is like living on a ship…it’s hard to paint stationary things.
How do you decide what to paint?
When I start a painting I have no idea what it will look like. I paint and paint and paint, layer over tedious layer, until I am satisfied that my painting can stand up and say, “Hi! I’m BOB the painting! I’m not a camel and I’m not a carrot… don’t look at my feet…Come in, have a cup of tea, and take the weight off, mate.”
Has having young children changed your artistic work at all?
Having children has been disastrous for my artist career! They cry and scream, and break my crayons, and throw food at me and then they go and paint a masterpiece in 5 seconds! Remember the movie “Chitty, Chitty, Bang, Bang” where all the kids were captured and put in a cave called Faraway Island? Just sayin’…
What advice would you offer the Museum’s young artists?
The advice that I would offer to the young artists of the Children’s Museum would be: Learn to draw a frog first because then you will be able to draw most people.
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A collection of David’s original works—all of which are available for purchase—can be viewed at the Museum during normal business hours (9am – 5pm). David will also be on hand during next month’s Pizza and Pajama Night to share his love of vibrant colors and flowing shapes during the evening’s craft.