My name is David Rourke. As an artist, I am mostly self-taught. For as long as I can remember, I’ve liked to draw and paint. Over the past eight years, I’ve worked at becoming as good an artist as possible. That’s included lots of practice, as well as two years of study with Dennis Cheaney at the New England Realist Art Center in Boston, Massachusetts. Dennis is a student of Ted Seth Jacobs, one of the great modern realist masters, and I have benefited greatly from his instruction. I currently work mainly in oil and egg tempera, as well as drawing with graphite. In my own work, I’m mostly interested in the nature of ordinary things, people, and places. I want my art to be unpretentious and simple, but not simplistic. We’ll see over time how well I achieve that.
Beyond making art, I freely admit that I am an art geek. I am very interested in most kinds of representational visual art. One of my main interests is Renaissance art, as well as the materials and methods of artists in various periods. I’m particularly fond of early Netherlandish art (Robert Campin, Jan van Eyck, Rogier van der Weyden, Hans Memling) and slightly later Italian art (Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Bellini, Michelangelo Buonarroti, Raphael Sanzio). I’m also a big fan of Albrecht Durer, Hans Holbein, and Diego Velazquez. I like some 19th century painters, such as James Whistler and John Waterhouse. I love the great illustrators such as Howard Pyle, N.C. Wyeth, and J.C. Leyendecker, and some 20th century realists such as Pietro Annigoni and Andrew Wyeth.
Why this weblog?
Largely because it helps to keep me focused on things I want to focus on. I like to communicate about art. As someone with an interest in art materials and methods, I think I can be helpful to the many artists who don’t like to read and research the technical details of how to make paintings, but do want access to practical knowledge of how to best do their work.
What I do other than art
I live in Auburn, Massachusetts (in the United States) with my wife Kirsten, our son Brendan (born August 2006), and our cat Pasha. I was born and raised in Rhode Island.
I am not a professional artist. I have a bachelor’s degree, majoring in psychology, from the University of Pennsylvania, and a Master’s degree in psychology from Villanova University. I have worked in clinical treatment settings for the past 18 years. I’ve worked with adults and children who present with developmental disabilities, traumatic brain injuries, psychiatric disorders, and behavioral problems. I now work for a small company called QBS Inc., providing consulting and training on difficult cases to schools, residential programs, rehabilitation facilities, and other places. It’s not the easiest kind of work to do, but every day it feels like I’m helping people who really need it, and that makes it worthwhile to me.
Aside from art, my other big hobby is the Society for Creative Anachronism, a Medieval re-creation group. Within the SCA, I participate in the full-contact sword-fighting martial art the organization has developed, and I teach Medieval and Renaissance painting methods.
I also like to read about history and art, as well as science fiction and mystery novels.
Also of interest
Tags: personal
11 comments
Comments feed for this article
Trackback link
http://rourkevisualart.com/wordpress/about_me/trackback/
14 January 2007 at 7:59 AM
Susan Flockhart
What a fantastic website! So full of interesting information. I was reading your renaissance workshop thread on wetcanvas.com and I’m so glad I clicked on your homepage. Keep up the good work.
Susan
17 January 2007 at 2:24 AM
Anna Rhodes
Thank you for creating your wonderful and informative web-site which I will forward to my students and my artists commmunity.
I greatly appreciate your research and sharing all of this valuable and inspiring information.
Anna
Seattle Wa.
27 January 2007 at 4:44 AM
TK
Hi David,
Thanks for an excellent and well written resource! I added a link to you on my blog, and hope that is okay. I did notice I could not get your .com by itself, but all the articles come up fine. I am reading a few articles at a time, you’ve helped me out, and I am grateful. :D
I have also enjoyed reading your posts on WC!.
All best wishes,
TK
4 February 2007 at 7:51 PM
Jock Young
Hi David, congratulations on your website. I would like to buy some Doak Fra Angelica blue from Robert Doak but he is in US and I am in Australia. Any suggestions. Does he have a website to order from. regards, Jock Young
4 February 2007 at 8:04 PM
David
Jock,
Thanks.
Robert is not a 21st century kind of guy. He does not have a website; in fact he only began accepting credit cards a couple of years ago. So far as I know, this email address is current:
rdoakociatesinc@msn.com
If that doesn’t work, you will probably need to make an international phone call to his shop. The number is (718) 237-0146. He should be able to work with you on the least expensive way to get his stuff to Australia.
Good luck.
9 February 2007 at 11:28 PM
Augusto Vyhmeister
Hello David:
Great Site !!! Congratulations.I have already read your profile. I am Electronical Engineer, but interested to become a good artist and arranged to leave this profession as I become more good painter and artist. I am interested on your thoughts you expose here. About psichology, I have experienced good personal, family and professional growth with some techniques , look at http://www.vladhuber.cl site, he works in Chile with some advanced techniques in clinic psichology. Tell me back at my mail augusto.vyhmeister gmail.com.
Have a good day.
Augusto
11 April 2007 at 10:19 AM
Margret Short
Dear David,
I feel as if I have found a kindred spirit with so many shared interests, especially a passion for pigments. I also love the historic colors and have been involved in a project of experimentation over the past many months.
Your diary is very interesting and informative. I love all the images of palettes and color swatches.
All the best,
Margret Short
18 June 2007 at 3:13 AM
Kathryn
Hi David,
I love your art geek! I am another kindred spirit with a very similar background as you being that I am an organizational psychologist - so trained in psychology albeit to different ends and am raising a child with multiple disabilities. I just started painting again to regain my sanity and heart and my friend Troy sent me you blog link. I am so glad he did. I hope you don’t mind if I link to your site on mine. thanks for all this valuable information on oil painting - which is what I am doing. You really know your stuff and we live in the same area so i can take advantage of some of the same resources.
GReat blog! Thanks for sharing!
19 June 2007 at 10:47 AM
David
Thanks, Kathryn.
Good luck with your daughter. In my work I’ve encountered many families who simply amaze me with the dedication they have to their handicapped children.
Of course I’m always happy to get links.
1 September 2007 at 12:16 PM
Minjung Park
Hi, David !!
I’m South-Korean girl. I’m university student, my major is art-education.
I can’t do well english. ^^ ;;;; So you can’t read easy my writing .
I prepare a product for graduation, and work to oil painting
I happened into your blog. And I read your article about oil painting.
It was very useful for me. But I need study english very hard ;;;;;;;;;.
I will visit soon once agein your website next again~~. bye ^^
ps. You’re so handsome!!
13 September 2007 at 6:56 PM
Ellen Eades
Hi David,
I just discovered your site while googling. Great thoughts, nice paintings. You’ve obviously spent a lot of time and energy thinking about and working on your art. I’m impressed.
I’m currently on my third (or is it fourth?) career move, studying painting at Gage Academy in Seattle, http://www.seattlefineart.org. Your blog’s very informative. I look forward to reading more about what you’re up to.
We also have similar interests, although my SCA years are in the past. I enjoyed your photos of Pennsic.
Cheers, Ellen