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Meet the Artist - David Loblaw


One of my most popular series introduces my readers to an artist through a virtual interview of questions. Enjoy.




 

David Loblaw

Toronto, Ontario, Canada



  • Who are you, and what is your background?

I am David Loblaw, and I was born in Chicago to Canadian parents, we lived in Chicago and then Boston before my parents decided to move back to their home city of Toronto Canada, where I grew up. I got an early introduction to the arts as my parents attended The Ontario College of Art and Design, where they met and fell in love. So, I was exposed to all sorts of art from an early age. After high school, I attended The Ontario College of Art and Design. Focusing on illustration. After that, I started working in the design business, mostly a mix of retail store design and graphic design. I spent several years working for a few of the top design companies in Canada and the USA, before starting my design firm with two partners.















  • What is your favorite medium?

Digital paint! I use a Wacom tablet on a Mac with a few different programs.




Click the image for Art Prints on Society6

California Dreaming Art Print by David Loblaw (Society6)

  • Has your practice changed over time?

Yes, I've been at it for a long time. I started with drawing and painting in my youth, and I worked as a graphic designer for several years. Then, about ten years ago, I started going digital with my art, doing fine art and landscapes using a program called Artrage. This software lets you paint realistic-style paintings digitally, and I don’t mean realistic paintings but realistic ones in digital form.

After doing that for a while, I turned my focus to creating more surreal-style images, and that's when things started to take off for me. I had always enjoyed working with Photoshop when I used it for my design work, So I've produced a more surreal style for the last seven or eight years. I still enjoy digital painting, but I have mostly been creating surreal photo manipulation images these days.





 


  • What do you most enjoy painting?

Landscapes mostly, particularly because I grew up in Ontario; the natural landscapes in Canada are wonderful to paint. Such untamed wilderness abounds everywhere. And the fall colours are outstanding.


Click the image to find it on FineArtAmerica.

Tree Fall Camping digital art by David Loblaw

  • What food, drink, or song inspires you?

Baklava, a Cadillac Margarita, and these days any song from the band “Stick Figure” , an awesome reggae band.


  • What has been your favorite response to your work?

I’ve had some great feedback about my artwork over the last few years, and hearing that my “compositions and use of colour” is outstanding is probably my favorite response along with all the wonderful comments. It's all very encouraging.



Click the image to find it on FineArtAmerica.com

Fish Out of Water by David Loblaw digital art


 


Ottawa River by David Loblaw

 



click to Behance.net

Diving in Mega Shark Forest by David Loblaw



 



click image to David Loblaw: "my portfolio"

Winter Forest of Electric Jelly Fish by David Loblaw


 

  • What’s your best advice for someone wanting to start as an artist?

It’s a journey, so be patient and always learn. They say you must do ten thousand hours of practice to become a master. This might be true; I am not sure (it might be faster these days with all you can learn on YouTube). But if you enjoy what you are practicing then those hours will fly by… Also, be observant and keep an open mind. Don’t be afraid to fail.



 


Thank you, David, for sharing your fabulous artwork with my readers.


For more of David's work, please see:


David Loblaw Social Media



 

Visit previous Meet the Artist posts: Michelle Brenmark





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Meet the Artist David Loblaw, art, Electric Jelly Fish









CREATE. Why?



Watching the many web pages, platforms, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, blogs, and other internet places where artists share their creativity is fascinating. When the pandemic hit in early March 2020, I experienced mixed emotions: What will I do? How will this affect my family and me? Whoa...I'll have much more time in my studio.






As the weeks went on, however, I would go into my art studio and find that I would wander around, pick up brushes, find something needing to be moved around, and end up doing nothing. The rest of the day was spent caring for family needs. I often check into Facebook groups (mostly art-related), especially when a notification catches my attention. Two Facebook groups that I belong to, All Animal Watercolors and Women Artists & their Art


I found it fascinating that so many were experiencing a lack of motivation or inspiration, which I was feeling.



Not much had changed. Start and stop. My creative juices were dried up like rotten tomatoes.


Soon, I let whatever was going to happen happen. Personal family issues had taken a lot of attention, and I knew this was another factor in my lack of inspiration and creative momentum.


Where does creativity come from? Why?


Sometimes, it comes from the natural progression of events: Over the last several years, I have set aside the illustrations I did for a book authored by Dr. Bertice Berry. I know how swamped she is...and I am very patient. We both share a "right time, right place" mentality. So this book is going to happen. Why not get it back on its course? I was unhappy with some of the pages...and over the years, I had honed my painting skills, and my confidence had grown. I went through and revised all 24 pages of illustrations to my satisfaction. This book is back on track and will be a real success.


My dearest friend called upon me to paint the canvas seat on a Director's chair for her grandson. I {sighed} because I worried the course canvas fabric and watercolor would not work on this project. I would be using acrylics (not my favorite choice). The design that my friend wanted was a "baseball theme" to match his bedroom décor. I love baseball (Go, Nats!), so this was good.


It turned out that doing something with paint that is not the norm and having the joy of making this for my dearest friend (who lost her husband not long ago) brought "creativity" back into my heart.

Is that where it lies?


CREATE. "Keep Creating Like No One's

Watching."



Creativity is fluid. It sits just below the skin. It simmers and perks while not brewed before its time.



It's spontaneous and cognitive, deliberate yet emotional, and, most of all, unexpected and unanticipated.


Why? Why not? We are all creative in many ways. Maybe no one's watching, or maybe someone is watching over us.





 

Addendum:

Flash forward to 2024. I have a new art studio in our new home. It's a pleasure to be on the ground level and not have to navigate two flights of stairs. My bones say, "Thank you."


I still question CREATIVITY. It's elusive, to be sure. Maybe that's the goal of every artist. The desire to forge new routes and make free and unique associations between ideas, concepts, emotions, memories, symbols, imaginative forms, objects, and words that can be developed into the most fulfilling and original artworks.



Since the original post from 2019, my portfolio has jumped to over 300 works. My style has changed. See A change of pace and style.



*As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

BOOKS

by Lewis Barrett Lehrman. Hardcover.


by Jocelyn Jones. Paperback.


by Harley Brown, Lewis Barrett Lehrman. Hardcover.


by Austin Kleon. Paperback. Kindle. Hardcover.


by Martin Salisbury. Paperback.


by Lisa Gongdon, Maggi-Meg Reed (narrator). Audible Audiobook



Thank you.


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