David Fielding Gough Boyd  (1924 – 2011)

David Boyd was born in Melbourne, 1924, to painter and potter parents, Merric and Doris Boyd,who gave him instruction in pottery and visual arts.He attended the National Gallery of Victoria Art School 1944-1945,and was recognised as a master potter in creative partnership with wife Hermia in Australia and England during the 1950’s and 1960’s. In 1958,he exhibited in Melbourne a series of symbolic paintings on the Australian explorers.In Australia,a storm of controversy surrounded this and subsequent work,based on the tragic history of the Tasmanian Aborigines.The series of paintings “The Tasmanian’s” was exhibited to critical acclaim in one-man exhibitions in London and Paris in the early 1960’s.The insecurity of many critics at the time caused them to ignore the power and the compassion of this young artist,who happened to be a member of the famous Boyd family of artists.Time has allowed us to see clearly the real strength and the passionate imagery of this body of work “The Explorers”series.In 1963-64, David produced his “Church and State”series.In 1966-68, his works called “Sfumato”,were drawn with the flame of candles under oil glazing colours. This series was inspired by facets of contemporary London life called Sfumato, reviving the term Leonardo used to describe imperceptible changes of tone in painting.In 1969 a major retrospective which traveled in England and Scotland was organised by the Commonwealth Institute,London.Reviewing the retrospective,art historian and critic,Edwin Mullins in the Sunday Telegraph,London 5/5/1969,commented that David Boyd is among the very best painters in England and certainly the most powerful image maker’.His ‘Garden in the Wilderness’series,’Scenes of Childhood’and ‘Clown in the Tree’series create the very atmosphere of timelessness.David Boyd’s work has been included in numerous international exhibitions and is represented in all major public art galleries,museums and university collections in Australia,and many private collections throughout the world.In 1988 David Boyd was recognised by the International Academy of Modern Art in Rome,with the award of’Membro Albo d’Oro del Senato Accademico’. David Boyd now in his eighties has become an elder statesman of Australian art (David Boyd died in 2011)

The art for sale on this page is by Australian artist David Boyd