We caught up with the brilliant and insightful David Dauncey a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, David thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Earning a full time living from one’s creative career can be incredibly difficult. Have you been able to do so and if so, can you share some of the key parts of your journey and any important advice or lessons that might help creatives who haven’t been able to yet?

It was not a day one thing,like most things it takes time to foster relationships,to earn the trust of clients and to discover whether you can trust them (a few things didn’t work out with a couple of clients as they were not trust-worthy or ethical,and in this art community that sort of behaviour is usually communicated and passed on along the grapevine) I never really have thought about whether I could have sped up the process ,it took the time that it took for that to happen and my part in engineering success was applying the principle of good communication,no bullshit ,and sending in -process pictures of all projects ,as usually there are 3 phones involved; my phone,the art consultants or gallery phone,and the end-user/client at the end of the chain..

Word of mouth has been beneficial in this industry for me,and I have worked with new clients thanks to a good review of my habits that an existing client has passed along,which I deeply appreciate..

This is a job for me,I don’t romanticize it nor do I have a reason to gloat that I am an artist,I simply am good at it and I get paid to do the best work that I can and then once it is completed I move on to the next thing in line.

David , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I was educated at Bristol University in the West of England, studying ceramics and Fine Art, and it was at this University that I met my first future wife, an American Photography student, and a few years later, after we married,I relocated with her to the United States.

After a few part-time jobs I eventually was hired to work for an Art/poster production company here in Phoenix.
It was here I met many other skilled creatives ,and learned many skills regarding art making, (canvas prep and stretching,a little print-making,solvent transfer etc) and also how to interpret information,a deeper knowledge of colour,and also the awareness of meeting deadlines for many clients throughout the United States.

It was during this 4 year period of employment that I realized that I was going to move on and start out on my own as a full-time artist,and so in 2001 I did just that,and I have been self-employed ever since.

I have learned a lot of things on the journey so far,such as the value of experimentation,taking colour notes,being organized and direct with clients,and encouraging them to do the same for me,as well as the all-important deadlines that need to be met,as well as handling creative criticism and input on projects which you may think you have completed but the client adds on little work amendments ,and so you keep your professional hat on and finish out the project and satisfy the client who ultimately is paying for it,which I really enjoy doing.

I have fostered a few relationships that amount to 20+ years and I take it as a compliment that these clients return to me for work ,as it informs me that I am doing things as right as I can,and also that they have confidence in me to fulfill the brief,plus being and Englishman I have discovered that you can get a way with being quite cheeky!

I also have 10+ years of experience as an Art Installtion technician,which has taken me to CA,UT,TX,NM,ID,NV and many other locations within AZ.We have many clients such as Museums,frame shops,art galleries, the hospitality and medical industries,as well many private clients who have needs such as transport,storage,crate fabrication, and installations that range from small family photos to large scale sculpture placement.

My brand is primarily large scale contemporary paintings and portraits and I have been placed with The Walt Disney corporation,Saks Fifth Avenue, to name just a couple, many private homeowners as well as corporate and healthcare businesses.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

I suppose a lesson that I learned was to be patient…prior to my approach to a local gallery here in Scottsdale (Costello Gallery,we have now worked together for 8 years) I was well aware of them and knew that I was going to approach them with some of my work, and I decided to do a collection of paintings and curate them,rather than rush in with anything that I considered as not up to speed ,or choosing a piece that was in the studio at the time. This took more time than probably necessary but it was worth it to be patient and the finished work was strong and gave me confidence to meet with them,regardless of the outcome,which happily was that they added me to their roster of artists.

I suppose this illustrates patience rather than resilience,although I have many artist friends that I have known for a long time and they are still creating,still restless and experimenting,so I suppose this counts as resilient in my book.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

Setting my own time,learning new techniques,making mistakes,sharing concepts and visions with my clients and the people who sell my art,meeting a deadline and being fair and honest regarding my pricing,my timing,and my communication. Also having people who walk up to my studio door just to see what I was doing here behind closed doors and to have a chat.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: David Dauncey Art
• Facebook: David Dauncey
• Linkedin: David Dauncey
• Other: ddauncey68@yahoo.com

Image Credits
All photographs taken by David Dauncey.