California and graduated with a fine art degree from the                                                                              University of California in Santa Barbara. With this                                                                             background, one might guess that Skinner began his                                                                               career as a landscape artist soon after leaving art                                                                                 school. Instead,he began as an abstract painter and                                                                                embarked on a ten year odyssey of travel and                                                                                exploration, searching for inspiration from the world’s                                                                                splendors. During this period, he spent a year in Paris,                                                                                  moved to New York City, and traveled extensively                                                                                  throughout Europe and Southeast  Asia. Finally, in                                                                                 1995,  after nine months in India and Sri Lanka, Skinner                                                                                returned  to New York, packed up his car and                                                                              headed west to rediscover his roots in California. It was                                                                            on this trip Skinnerrecalled, "The  land opened up and  the                                                                          sky overhead became more vast and brilliant. I experienced a transformation  that profoundly altered the direction of my work and my life.”

The process of transformation has been the life force of Skinner’s creativity. He strives for a delicate balance between figurative and abstract qualities in his work, always pushing the boundaries of color and composition. Skinner begins each painting by meticulously applying rich colors of acrylic paint in multiple layers across the surface of the canvas, forming a Rothko-like substrata. As soon as he envisions the emergence of a landscape within the underpainting, he starts to weave in the effects of sunlight, terrain and flora. He allows elements of the underpainting to filter through to the surface creating depth and texture in the finished composition. Although Skinner has a conceived direction for each painting, he ultimately taps into his improvisational skills in order to bring each image to a harmonious resolution. This often results in a gradual transformation of the initial concept as he spontaneously interacts with the image.

Skinner is noted for his transcendent use of light and distinctive color harmonies. His expressionistic landscapes have the power to reach across the barrier of space, evoking emotion and triggering the imagination of the viewer. One can feel the presence of the unseen forces of nature looming outside the physical boundaries of his paintings. Skinner’s images are awash with soothing color fields and punctuated by bold elements of flora. He captivates us with his unique vision of the vastness and radiance of the western landscape. Skinner has been honored with numerous solo and group exhibitions. His works are in distinctive corporate and private collections across the country. David Skinner is one of today's most exciting contemporary artists, sure to continue to catch the eye of collectors worldwide.