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David Yorke was born 1949 in New Jersey and was raised in South Florida. At
a very early age, he discovered an ambition to express himself through the
visual arts. His family heritage was filled with artistic influences that
encouraged his creative pursuits. His formal training was in advertising
design, at the University of Florida.
David began his art career as a commercial illustrator/designer. His
corporate art spanned about 35 years , starting in Miami as an education
televison media artist, and eventually led to other creative pursuits in
Georgia as a toy prototype designer/photographer, while also freelancing as
a book cover illustrator. In 1995, he trained as an animation background
painter with the Florida Disney Studios. This became a turning point for his
career, and was helpful in further developing his skills as a painter. David
worked on five animated films to his credit.
In 2004, he left the corporate art world to satisfy a long desired endeavor
as a gallery painter. His representational painting style and historical
narrative of Native Americans and the American Western Frontier, have been
the main focus for his work. Being raised in the 1950s culture of the TV
western, played an important role with his fascination of Western Americana.
David works from living models that he photographs, based upon his
preliminary conceptual sketches. A major aspect of his work also involves
extensive historical research and collecting regalia and implements that he
uses for reference. David frequently constructs his own artifacts inspired
from museum collections to ensure the authenticity of the period.
He has exhibited paintings in numerous shows, galleries and auctions,
including The Autry National Center, Buffalo Bill Historical Center,
National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, Altermann Galleries and
Auctioneers and Settlers West Galleries. His work was first featured on the
cover of Western Art Collector Magazine in 2008. He is currently represented
by the Plainsmen Gallery in Dunedin, Florida. His work has been acquired
internationally by private and corporate collectors, including Raymond James
Financial Center in St. Petersburg, Florida, The Booth Western Art Museum
and The Ella Sharp Museum of Art and History.
David's home and studio are located in Clermont, Florida.
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