(b. 1954) David Mutton, born in Ontario, Canada, was drawn to art at an early age by his grandmother, an avid amateur artist. Her drawings and watercolours decorated her dining room and fascinated David whenever he visited.
In his early twenties David travelled extensively throughout Europe with a close friend in what can only be described as a artistic awakening. Mutton’s travails in a Volkswagen van exposed him to contemporary artists like Freud, Bacon, DeKoning, as well as the classical masters, Giotto, Michelangelo, and Goya. Visiting archeological sites in England, Italy, Greece, and France, David drew ancient ruins and contemporary cityscapes in his sketchbooks solidifying his ambition to pursue a career in the arts. Upon his return to Canada he began by enrolling in an Art Fundamentals Program introducing him to ceramics, printmaking, drawing and painting.
David attended John Abbott College in Montreal earning a diploma in Ceramics. Honing his artistic voice through pottery and drawing, he then attended University of Guelph earning him a BFA in Studio Art with a specialization in printmaking and drawing.
As a top honour student at Guelph, he had the opportunity to study in London, England and spent all his free time visiting galleries and viewing art. While there, he witnessed major historical events including the fall of the Berlin Wall and the Poll Tax Riots during Margaret Thatcher's term, which had a profound affect on his personal and artistic development. His art continues to be imbued with emotion, expressive textures and societal reflections from those experiences.
David's lengthy and varied artistic career includes working with the Peter Whyte Gallery in Banff, working as a background painter for PIP animation in Ottawa, and as an educator with YRDSB in Newmarket. He's participated in numerous exhibitions including the Tom Thompson Art Gallery, Art Gallery of Kitchener, and the Art Gallery of Guelph.
David currently attends classes at the Academy of Realist Art to hone his technical ability while working on portrait commissions and exhibiting his work.
