David Lazarus

David Lazarus was born in London, England, in 1952, and counts among his early artistic experiences a fascination with the art of scrimshaw. The miniature scale of this medium suited him well, as it enabled him to travel with a studio the size of a cigar box. Eventually settling on Nantucket, Lazarus established himself as one of the island’s premier artists.

Over the past 10 years, Lazarus has devoted more time to painting in oils. “The looseness of pushing paint around, after having engraved miles of tiny lines, has been liberating as well as challenging,” Lazarus explains.

Lazarus has had one-man exhibits at several galleries including the Old Spouter Gallery and South Wharf Gallery on Nantucket Island and Stephen O’Brien Jr. Fine Arts, LLC, in Boston. In addition to his increasingly popular oil paintings, Lazarus’ wildlife prints are among the finest etchings being produced today.

David reminds me a little of a modern-day Frank W. Benson in terms of his brushwork. His work is bright, vivid and full of light. His impressionist style allows him to move the paint around the canvas and place it just so. His paintings are a high-wire act with risks and rewards. Sometimes the paint can get a little muddied and he literally discards those works into the trash. But when he nails them, which is more often than not, the results are amazing. My wife Cinnie and I collect his works personally and they are amongst my favorites in our permanent collection.