David A. Amdur, Artist « MN Jewish Artists Directory

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Plymouth

Artist Statement

We live in such stressful times. Even before the covid pandemic, our culture was beset with conflict and isolation. Since 2018, I"ve pushed back by depicting people coming together through music, art, festivals and social justice. Recently, I have primarily focused on painting people gathering in places of recreation. While no overt story is usually depicted in these works, hints of narrative develop from how people hold themselves, how they move, and their expressions. I especially delight in the exuberance of children at play. But sadly, life is not all play. I am particularly proud to depict how Minnesotans have come together to defend the real values at the heart of America’s greatness. While I feel keen responsibility about how I represent my subjects, that's not enough in itself. A good painting is a lot like a musical composition. It builds dramatic force through contrasts and harmonies. I often think a piece of music leads me on a journey— paintings do that too. A painting can be configured so that when you"re looking at a particular part, another part struggles for attention. And then, something else tugs at your eyes, then another, and so on. This creates energy in the experience of looking. In addition, clear presence of color is very important to me. Color should impress itself upon the eyes with the same kind of immediacy as scent which fills the nose.

Artist Biography

I am proud to be a painter that reveres art from the past. I do not ape any predecessors, but have studied many diligently to learn how to engage viewers in rich visual experiences. For Graduate School, I sought out a substantial education in figurative painting, and found it at Queens College of the City University of New York, where I studied with remarkable faculty, including Rosemarie Beck, Gabriel Laderman, and Robert Birmelin. These painters had the courage to row against the predominant tide of abstraction at mid-century to create truly original work informed by tradition. After completing my MFA, I secured a full scholarship for an additional year of study at The New York Academy of Art to gain more skill in figure drawing.

Solo Exhibitions
2025 At Play, Hopkins Center for the Arts, MN
2025 Ambiente Gallery, Mpls., MN
2024 Unity Church, St. Paul, MN
2023 Alliance Française, Mpls., MN
2023 Terms of Engagement, Raymond Avenue Gallery, St. Paul, MN
2022 Paintings of Creative Community, White Bear Unitarian Church, Mahtomedi, MN
2021 St. Paul Art Crawl, MN
2006 Local Landscapes, Hopkins Center for the Arts, MN
1998 Nomad Gallery, St. Paul, MN
1993 Patrick’s Cabaret, Mpls. MN
1988 MFA Thesis Exhibition, Queens College, Flushing, NY
1985 Control Data World Headquarters, Bloomington, MN

Recent Group Exhibitions
2026 "Neighboring," Douglas Flanders Fine Arts, Edina , MN
2026 Burl Gallery, St. Paul, MN
2025 Burl Gallery, St. Paul, MN
2025 Desert Etudes, Oracle Center for the Arts, AZ
2024 Gallery 333, St. Paul, MN
2024 Sonoran Plein Air Painters, Steinfeld Gallery, Tucson, AZ
2023 Calendula Gallery, St. Paul, MN
2023 Gallery 333, St. Paul, MN
2023 Jewish War Veterans: Defending Democracy, JCC Cap Center, St. Paul, MN
2022 Art Against War, The Museum of Russian Art, Mpls., MN

Work Samples