South Park Fine Art Gallery

David Schluss

1943-
David Schluss, born in 1943, began studying art at an early age. He was fascinated by form and texture even as a child and as a young boy was eager to paint. He attended school in the ancient city of Jaffa, the historical seaport in central Israel. It was there that the mystical walls of the city and the austere religion of the historic churches, temples and monasteries captivated him. It was during these early years in Israel that Schluss sensed his overwhelming desire to paint.

Unable to afford the necessary painting materials as a young artist, Schluss began sketching with charcoal and cheap pencils. He gave his sketches away to anyone who showed interest in his work. His main objective was the development of his craft.

Influence from great masters such as Chagall, Miro, and Botero inspired Schluss to create his own individualized style and technique of painting. He began experimenting by using different approaches. Once when working on a painting he created an area on the canvas which he did not like. As artists do, he grabbed a rag to wipe the area of its image and in the process made an accidental discovery. The image that he had created by using his hands and a rag was far more interesting than what he had created with his brush.

His recent works reflect celebration, joy and enthusiasm rather than sadness and sorrow, which he attributes to his move from chilly Montreal to sun-drenched Florida. It is with this unique insight that Schluss creates his joyous playful images. Elegant musicians and dancers adorned with rainbows of color are signature figures that appear in his current works. Their whimsy and gracefulness exemplify the beauty of his artistic style.

David Schluss continues to perfect his painting technique in his studio in Fort Lauderdale, Florida that he opened in 1983. He travels back and forth from Florida to Israel drawing inspirations for his work.

Recently Schluss embarked on a new creative endeavor, which turned out to be a very gratifying medium; bronze sculptures. Since Schluss has always felt that he "sculpts" his paintings onto the canvas by using his hands, this new medium allows Schluss to transform his style into three-dimensional bronzes. The subdued, soft-colored patinas are hand applied to each sculpture creating a sophisticated elegance to the image.