Bathsheba Answering King David’s Letter
30 x 24 in.
Oil on linen
$12,000
Currently available through the artist
This picture portrays Bathsheba as she reluctantly comes to the call of her king knowing that she will have to betray her husband. She appears between the rich red drapes caught in a moment of accepting her fate and aware that the life she has had now comes to an end.
“When I work, my intention is to create an image that is intimate and enduring,” states David Stallings. “There are times when sketching an idea, my method is free and rapid. Other times, the process is lengthy and undergoes many changes. Some paintings I have worked on over several years.”
“Timelessness is an important feature of my work. It is an aspect that has always appealed to me. Even in my earliest pieces, I represented scenes in a way that created a distance from the present while at the same time dealt with relevant themes like loss and friendship.”
“Whether in music, poetry, sculpture or painting, I always admire works that transcend their age to remain relevant and meaningful. I enjoy how they seem to be in one sense not real yet go on delivering some vital message from across the void of space and time.”
David M. Stallings was born and raised in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. He attended the Pennsylvania School of Art and Design where he received his Fine Art Degree in 1991.
His work is in several private collections, both locally and abroad. In June of 2009, David’s painting Contemplating Submersion was acquired by the Lancaster Museum of Art through a purchase award and is part of the museum’s permanent collection. David was also a member of the PA Arts Experience until its close.
In August of 2011, David spent three weeks studying with master painter Odd Nerdrum at his home in France. In 2015, he returned to study for 3 more weeks with Nerdrum at his home in Norway.
In 2015, David presented a paper he wrote entitled Sensibility and Intent at The Representational Art Conference held in Ventura, California.
David is also the creator of the podcast “Drawn to Depict” that covers topics dealing with representational works. “Drawn to Depict” is now available in Apple Podcasts.
David’s latest show was a group exhibition at Lancaster Galleries.
Visit David’s website www.davidmstallings.com, Facebook @dmstallingsstudio, and Instagram @dmstallings to view more work and previews of works in progress.
