David Shannon

David Shannon graduated from Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, CA with a BFA in illustration in 1983. He began his career working as a free-lance editorial illustrator in New York City. His work has appeared in many publications including Time Magazine, The New York Times, and Rolling Stone, as well as numerous book jackets, CD covers, and theater posters. David has also received international acclaim as the author and illustrator of over 40 books for children, including A Bad Case of Stripes and No, David!, which received a Caldecott Honor. For the past several years he’s been concentrating on creating oil paintings which have been exhibited in a number of group shows and a solo show, Incognition, at the SPARC Gallery in Los Angeles, CA.

Interplay between abstract and representational elements allows for multiple, often conflicting, interpretations and reflects the difficulties of making sense of contemporary culture. Elements of the picture seem to be something recognizable but aren’t exactly.

There’s intention behind the images, but I also want to leave plenty of room for the viewer’s interpretation. There’s a lot of subconscious stuff going on, too, some of which I recognize and emphasize, but others that are discovered later. In many instances, there are several related ideas going on, ranging from apocalyptic to whimsical – again reflecting the nature of the world today. And usually some humor sneaks its way into the painting. To me, humor represents hope and I try to be optimistic – even during these strange times.