The Westminster College Department of Fine Arts currently is featuring a public viewing of the work of Missourian David Kuczynski in the Champ Auditorium Gallery on the Westminster College campus. The exhibit will run April 1-May 9 with an artist reception to be held April 25 at 6 p.m. “I paint what I feel about a subject,” Kuczynski says. “I believe it is important for artists not to limit their subject matter because their skills and imagination will also be limited. My desire has always been to paint each painting better than the last.”
Kuczynski studied classical European oil painting at the American Academy of Art in Chicago for four years. He won the distinguished “Mosby” Scholarship Award under the guidance of Joseph Vanden Broucke.
Upon completing school, he served four years in the U.S. Air Force based in Great Falls, MT.
He continued to paint local and regional landscapes and became interested in painting the American Indians.
After military service, he located in Southern California to support his family by painting. He entered juried art shows and competitions where his award winning work was seen on television and in newspapers.
Some of his recognitions include: First Place, Orange Art Association Show, Knotts Berry Farm; Best of Show, Anaheim Juried Art Show; Best of Show/First Place, Puente Hills Arts Festival; and Best of Show/Special Award, Traditional Arts 14th Annual Exhibition, Sand Pedro, CA.
His work now resides in private and corporate collections in the United States and abroad as well as in educational facilities and the collections of other artists.
Kuczynski was invited to join other artists in a book depicting top professional western artists titled Contemporary Western Artists by Peggy and Harold Samuels.
“These paintings on exhibit may appear very different in style,” Kuczynski says. “But my aim has never changed over the years. It was always about painting what I felt about the subject, whether it was a landscape, still life, figures, or faces. Some lend themselves to a kind of loose bravado and others begged for a more careful finished approach to ‘get’ what I was feeling.”
The Champ Gallery is open from 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday-Friday, or by appointment. Those seeking a special appointment can contact Kevin Dingman at 573-214-2457.