This exhibition represents examples from the last 20 years of David Sieh’s career as an artist. This is a showcase of years of experimentation with mark making and delighting in the medium of paint. Growth as an artist is never-ending and Sieh’s work shows the effort of always learning and improving. Nature and science inspires him in all of his endeavors, whether peaceful meditation or a moment of anxious inspiration. Throughout his various ways of working there is a throughline of his use of color and interest in composition. There is a curiosity and beauty that moves through the artwork from pure representation to abstract action painting, to everything in between.
David Sieh is an artist living in Sioux Falls, SD. Born in Aberdeen, SD and raised in Hastings, MN, he grew up exploring the flood plains of the Mississippi River while being active in the urban environment of the Twin Cities. As a young man, nature provided inspiration for Sieh to draw and paint. The act of drawing and painting became a form of communication. The juxtaposition of industrial and natural landscape continues to influence his style and choice of process. Nature is the source of his inspiration and a space for contemplation, providing David the energy to create. David’s paintings are an exploration and a dialogue of the visual world and deeply influenced by the landscapes of South Dakota. Living in South Dakota allows Sieh vast opportunity to connect with the natural world. This connection with nature and the world is the source of inspiration for Sieh to create. David’s deep and personal connection to South Dakota has been forged through countless hours working and living on the land. David is grateful for a small off grid family property, where he maintains the property and can be present to observe the environment and its ever-changing conditions. The expansive skies and open landscape of the prairie envelope the soul affirming a sense of freedom and belonging. To stand on the land and look out onto the horizon one can appreciate our smallness while feeling a connection to the past and present. The South Dakota skies and prairies are the inspiration for many of David’s paintings whether they are landscape or nonrepresentational abstraction. David works in several different mediums or styles including oil paint, acrylics and mixed media. Sieh’s primary focus includes landscape painting and nonrepresentational abstraction. These mediums fit his personality and his desire to share a personal experience. Landscape painting is an opportunity to share direct observation. While nonrepresentational abstraction is an expression of the unknown or felt experience. These mediums allow the opportunity to explore the natural world and its complexities. Being out in the environment is a way for Sieh to connect, recharge and be inspired. David’s nonrepresentational works are an exploration into a micro and macro view of the world, expressing connections to creation, science allowing free expression of movement, color and a felt harmony. For Sieh the act of painting regardless of medium is inspired by the natural world.
I’m curious about pushing boundaries and expressing connection through my process. The process of creating perpetuates my personal sense of wellbeing. They say trust the process; this process has taken me on a long journey towards embracing my aesthetic. I work in several different media. These media allow me to express a variety of thought. I enjoy the quietness of observational Plein-Air and studio landscape paintings. These landscape paintings offer me the opportunity to share direct connection to the land while nonrepresentational work affords me an expression of felt the experience. Quest for truth lies somewhere between the two. I often work impulsively in moments of inspiration or what may appear to be desperation. In the impulsive moments, I can apply paint without the need to observe the outside world giving me freedom to trust my own aesthetic. Landscape painting is the contemplative observation of the visual world. Plein air painting (French for open air) is crucial to understanding color and harmony. These plein air studies can then be used as reference for studio painting. The studio and the act of painting are the process and what remains is the painting. Paintings are the evidence of a desire to be more than oneself, they are an expression of the known and the unknown. The paintings are a series of actions and reactions until the visual relationships have been resolved. This process may be short lived, or a progression of many sessions taking several months. When the paintings take on a harmony of their own, they may be deemed complete. Whichever medium I am using is an opportunity to connect with others.
South Dakota Arts Council support is provided with funds from the State of South Dakota, through the Department of Tourism, and the National Endowment for the Arts.
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