David Seiler, California Dreaming

May 9, 2011 in ARTIST STUDIO VISITS, THE WINE BAR GALLERY

David Seiler is one of our big local stars. His figurative expressionist style is definitive and immediately recognizable. When he is not at Live Art Wednesday, you can usually find him at his studio/gallery called Victorian Rat of West Mac in Oakland. You can see his latest work at Zza’s Wine Bar Gallery when it opens this weekend, May 14th. 6pm. 550 Grand Ave, Oakland. You can also see his drawings in a show entitled “Celestial/Terrestrial” at Five Points Art House, 72 Tehama, San Francisco, CA through the end of May. David’s paintings will be at Levende, home of Live-Art-Wednesday in August. I got a lot of pics of David’s huge painting but it will not be exhibited as such. He is going to cut it up and exhibit pieces of it as individual pages.

Obi: You have always been inspired by California in your work, but lately it seems more so than ever. What has recently inspired you about this place?

David: When things in every day life from all around are spinning in chaos I feel the need to ground my self and look to the past. California…Oakland…The Bay is my ground. I realized I know nothing of this place but feel her love… So I am reading, looking, feeling, trying to find a way for her to work through me. The people of this land before the alien invasion (missions) had it made. I constantly day dream of Oakland before then.

Obi: You have three shows coming up this summer in the Bay Area: Five Points, Zza’s and Levende. How is your approach differing between the three shows?

David: Yeah! I’m so lucky and have a shitload of work still to do! So i draw draw draw. Each show is like showing my “work” for the next. Drawing for Five Points is planning for Zza’s and after those two shows I will work for Levende. I’m painting on a huge 30ft x 13ft canvas that I’m painting in my studio folding and painting in sections. It’s exciting for me when I’m all done. I will edit and “photoshop” in reality…no computer necessary… cutting and pasting using layer effects, then more layers. Working and thinking like that program makes it fun for me. It’s all coming together while falling all apart.

Obi: You were talking to me yesterday about animal dreams. What are your dreams like? Are they like your paintings?

David: In talking about animal dreams I wish I had them. People fill my dreams. The natives of the bay costantly hoped they would be visted by animal guides. I’m still inviting them to come and teach me. My paintings and drawings are more like plans and designs for my dreams in which I hope the animal spirits play and guide me in. Ha! I sound like my dad. That’s great!

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