Dave Kramer
" When I create a portrait, my goal is not just to paint a representation of a person, but to create a piece of fine art in which the person is the main focus."
Life
Award-winning artist Dave Kramer grew up in La Porte, IN, one of six children. He studied fine art at Indiana University and, while still a student, painted illustrations for several design studios. In 1985, he moved to Dallas, TX, and embarked upon a career as a freelance illustrator. He has now moved into the area he truly loves: painting fine art and portraits in a Romantic or Iconic Realism style.
Dave painted book illustrations for:
• Bantam Books
• Harcourt, Brace
• Harper Collins
• Henry Holt
• Reader's Digest
• Scholastic Books
• Tor and many more
Romantic and Iconic Realism:
Romantic means idealizing men and women in their gender. Women are portrayed in an idealized feminine manner and the men are portrayed in an idealized masculine manner. Dave uses light and shadows to evoke deep and dramatic emotions.
• Iconic means simple bold visual statements that create great impact on the viewer's experience with the art.
• Realism varies from photo-realism to not-quite-impressionistic. Realism includes any style that represents the subject accurately. The great artists of the past, like John William Waterhouse, John Singer Sargent, and Adolphe-William Bouguereau, inspire Dave to paint portraits that go beyond a realistic likeness of the subject to a valuable piece of fine art.
Community Involvement
Professional Peers. Because Dave constantly strives for greater drawing and painting skills, he started a life drawing group. Professional artists learn from each other and improve their own techniques by regularly meeting together to draw and paint real models. Dave led the group for its first 10 years.
• Volunteer work. Dave donates several hours every week to different art groups in the community. He also donates artwork every year to be auctioned in a fundraiser for a non-profit art school.
• Teaching. Dave teaches on Saturdays at the Creative Art Center of Dallas, a non-profit art school. He also gives private lessons at his studio.
Awards
Regional and national organizations recognize Dave's excellence in drawing and painting. Dave has received awards from
• The Dallas Society of Artists
• Artist Magazine
• New York Society of Illustrators
• and many others
John William Waterhouse Adolphe-William Bouguereau John Singer Sargent