David Krivin: A Self-Taught Artist in Oneonta

David Krivin: A Self-Taught Artist

The heartfelt paintings of David Krivin¿a self-taught realist painter who first put brush to canvas at the age of 44¿will be on display beginning July 5, 2006 at the Yager Museum of Art & Culture. Krivin was the father of Martin Krivin, an Oneonta resident.

When he began painting in 1939, Krivin, the son of a Polish immigrant, worked as a successful house painter and decorator in Rockland County, NY. Like many self-taught artists, he copied works by famous painters in order to learn the craft of painting. Continuing to work by day to support his wife and children, Krivin painted into the late nights, often getting only four or five hours sleep.

Thanks to his innate creativity and passion for painting, Krivin's art quickly began to sell, and during the next 40 years, he produced more than 1,000 works. His art ranged from copies of the works of great artists to original landscapes and abstract paintings. As a self-taught artist, he was not afraid to experiment. Besides the use of conventional media such as oil and watercolor, Krivin freely explored painting on ceramics, marble, glass, barn wood, and grass cloth. Yet he is probably best known for his landscapes, which are rich in the earth tones of fall and winter in the rural Rockland County scenes that he knew so well and felt so deeply.

With stamina and dedication, Krivin continued to paint houses and create works of art simultaneously until his retirement in 1961. In 1968 he moved to Florida where, influenced by a new environment, his works took on a brighter color palette and he often painted in watercolors. He continued to paint and sell his art until his death in 1982.

Categories: Performing Arts

This event repeats on various days: