Born in 1961 in Patuxent River, Maryland, David Lawter is an artist who works predominantly in the medium of painting. Lawter lives in and has a studio in Peekskill, NY. When young, he was first inspired by the Impressionism of the late 19th century European artists and by the Abstract Impressionists of the mid-20th century. He immersed himself in the passion to become an artist. From brief studies at the Arts Students League, The National Academy and obsessively seeing every NY gallery and museum exhibit and exhibits in other cities and countries, from the late-70s on, his influences are nearly endless.
Lawter worked at the well-known sculpture foundry Tallix from 1979 to 1986, working along side of artists and skilled crafts-people. Though not working in sculpture himself, Lawter learned the skills and discipline needed to execute quality fine art. Having also worked as a glazier cutting stained glass, fabrication of steel staircases and graphic design, Lawter honed his skills as a craftsperson and artist.
Of all of the influences, abstraction is the one that has risen to the top…with a secondary desire to paint landscapes. But that’s hard to avoid when living in Peekskill, on the Hudson River. There are some of the most inspiring views in the Hudson Valley that just demand to be painted.
Lawter’s passion for abstraction is that it is the creation of something new. Something that has never existed until it has been created by the artist. The painting goes on to have a life of it’s own, or many lives of it’s own, by interacting with each new observer.
Prior to working mainly in painting, Lawter worked on and with paper. His works on paper have been included in two group shows at The Drawing Center in New York. One in 1988, Selections 43 and the other in 2002, The 25th Anniversary Benefit Selections Exhibition. Lawter has been in other group exhibits at Federal Plaza, Stedman Art Gallery at Rutgers University, The Paramount Center for Performing Arts as well as some solo shows in Peekskill at The Bruised Apple Book Store, One Station Plaza, The Bean Runner Gallery, The Robeson Gallery and in Wappingers Falls at The Ground Hog. Lawter has also received grants from The National Endowment for the Arts, The Drawing Center and Artists Space.