ABOUT DAVID

Beginnings

David Lawrence Lacy was born on 6 May 1960 in Richmond, Victoria. He spent his early years in Glenferrie, where a natural gift for art announced itself early — winning numerous junior art competitions and drawing the attention of teachers who saw something worth nurturing.

Influences

His earliest influences were cartoons, comic book art, and graphic novels — the bold lines and flat colour of the page. In time, the canon expanded to the artists who changed what images could do: Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, and the extraordinary illustrator Frank Bellamy. You can still feel their DNA in every piece David makes.

Education & Craft

David studied art and craft at Auburn Central Primary School (1965–71), Swinburne Technical College (1972–76), and Box Hill TAFE (1977), building a rigorous foundation in design and technique.

In 1978, he commenced a screen printing apprenticeship — a discipline that would shape his visual language permanently. On completion, he worked for ten remarkable years (1983–1993) alongside Robert A. Wade, the celebrated and highly decorated watercolour artist. Bob Wade took David under his wing: sponsoring him to workshops with visiting overseas artists, offering personal encouragement, and expanding his horizons in ways that still resonate in every stroke.

Re-emergence

After a period away from active painting, David enrolled on a whim in ArtMasters classes in Eltham in 2000. Under the tutelage of noted local artist Jenny Roe, he quickly re-established himself as an emerging local artist — rediscovering a voice that had never really gone quiet.

Music & the High Country

Painting predominantly in acrylic and mixed media, David's subject matter is heavily shaped by music — rock icons, bands, and the raw energy of live performance. He has completed many commissioned works of rock legends and bands, finding a loyal audience in that niche where art and music meet.

Based in Cranbourne, David spends much of his time in the Jamieson and Mansfield area of rural South Eastern Victoria — a landscape of alpine peaks, gum trees, and clear mountain streams — where he exhibits his work at the Jamieson Brewery & Grill. His paintings now hang on the walls of the famous bar, speaking to locals and visitors alike.

David is still employed in the graphic arts industry, and looks forward to more time to devote to the work he loves most.