David Gray began his career making gearboxes for PR Motors as an engineering apprentice. His time in the drawing office led him to realise that that was what really interesting him and something he wished to pursue in the future.
During his time at college studying engineering, in the evenings he attended to Coventry college of Art and Design to study Technical Illustration/Graphics.
Illustration skills taught him perspective; an invaluable grounding for the future.
David went on to have success illustrating automotive workshop and parts manuals. Through holidaying in Cornwall, the urge to move there was inevitable and after a long summer in sketching around St Ives harbour, he finally decided to settle in Plymouth before moving to Cornwall in 1986.
David tutored at Truro Art School where he started running his own art classes. The need to produce more of his own work to meet the demands of galleries and clients, though, increased, so he concentrated on his own career in art.
David’s favourite medium is acrylics. He starts using pencil sketches, then cuts up material – usually old denim which is distressed with knives and a wire bush to tease out the threads – which are then applied with texture paste onto board. Layers of paint are finally applied and the finishing details worked in using palette knives, brushes and his fingers.