White Lies 3

Dave is a Brisbane-based, self-taught artist who began painting through veteran support group, Mates4Mates. After leaving the Royal Australian Navy, he faced ongoing struggles with his mental health and self-medicated with alcohol.

Bouncing between impressionism and realism, Dave enjoys playing with different styles, aiming to achieve the best of both. As a still-life oil painter, Dave uses discarded objects as his main subject, capturing the moment that these items are no longer used for their original purpose. Painting on worn wooden panels that have been salvaged, and framing his work in timber offcuts, Dave gives the old trees a new purpose. He was proud to be selected as a finalist in this years Gallipoli Art Prize.

Follow Dave on Instagram and check out his website.

I began painting beer cans during a time when I was drinking heavily, and had plenty of them around to choose from. Now sober, I continue to paint cans not for their association with alcohol, but because I see them as vibrant, colourful objects with a value that extends far beyond their original purpose.