Art is all around us. Whether it is on the stage or on canvas, the inspiration of creativity is alive and well in Louisville. We are excited to showcase the artists behind these creations in our Audience Artist Spotlight Series.
This month’s spotlight is on Louisville native, David Schuster, whose work can be found throughout the city in large format murals on walls and storefronts, as well as on canvas inside homes and offices.
I started drawing at a young age, mostly copying newspaper comics and comic book art. Before I entered high school, art had become a passion of mine. I received an excellent education in the fine arts while attending Trinity High School. By the time I graduated, I was one of the top high school art students in the country,” says Schuster. “I continued to pursue art while in college because I loved to create.”
Flying Colors by David Schuster
While his academic focus was in medicine, not art, he began his professional career painting murals in Charlottesville, Va., while completing his undergraduate degree at the University of Virginia. After graduation, he moved back to Louisville and continued painting murals for several years, which led him to traditional studio work, including portraiture.
The People’s Champ by David Schuster
“By the early 2000s, I had completed 100’s of murals and paintings for private and corporate collections across the country,” he says. “In 2003, I bought a building in what is now the NuLu area and began teaching and holding my own shows.” He has been teaching for over twenty years now and is just as passionate about teaching and helping others on their artistic journey as he is about making his own work.
Today, Schuster continues to create original and commissioned work in a wide range of styles and genres, from equine to abstract. While he works mostly in 2-D media, he is primarily an oil painter and is probably most well-known for his horse-racing art. In 2015, he became a member of the Kentucky Fine Art Gallery, which is primarily where he displays his work.
The facade at Silvio’s Restaurant in St. Matthews was crated by Schuster.
When it comes to deciding on his subject matter, Schuster relies on everyday inspiration. “My work is primarily a response to the world around me, a recording of my thoughts and observations,” David says. “I love the creative process. I love brainstorming and concept development. I love making things with my hands. I love transforming the ordinary into the extraordinary. The process is more important to me than any specific media or subject matter.”
Forging and maintaining a career as an artist has been challenging and often requires staring uncertainty and the unknown in the face and jumping anyway, he adds. “My journey as an artist has required a lot of self-discipline and a tremendous amount of time and hard work. Although it is an individual pursuit, I could never have made it without the tremendous support of my family, friends, students and patrons.
Bardstown and Bonnycastle by David Schuster
“Despite the difficulties, it has also been incredibly rewarding,” David says. “I love what I do! I especially love that what I make teaches, touches, and inspires others! I love that my art brings joy to people, and that it will continue to do so long after my time on earth is done. I literally get to leave my mark on the world.”
Schuster is happily married and a proud father of three boys (23, 22 and 19) and he enjoys sports as a participant, coach and fan, especially University of Kentucky athletics. He is also a craft beer enthusiast (or beer snob as he refers to it) as well as a passionate music fan.
“My wife and I love attending concerts and live music” He said. “Music has been my lifelong companion. If you walked into my studio while I was painting, you might hear just about anything depending upon my mood that day.”
David’s playlists in the studio include anything from Radiohead, Bon Iver, Sigur Ros or Explosions in the Sky, while at home they likely include My Morning Jacket, Strand of Oaks, Lord Huron, Futurebirds and Hiss Golden Messenger, to name a few.
Be sure to check out David’s latest work at DavidOSchuster.com and KentuckyFineArtGallery.com.
