Dave is married with three children and two grandchildren. He took up painting after the demise of the coal industry in which he had worked for twenty five years. His inspiration to attempt painting came whilst watching Ashley Jackson on television as he was completing the ironing. From this he went on to study watercolour for three years with Northumbrian artist Ben Haslam. A little over two years after beginning to paint in watercolours he was invited to take teaching qualifications by the manager at the centre where he was a student and has since taught art (with a big watercolour bias) to a variety of students including a class of blind and visually impaired who held an exhibition at the most prestigious commercial art gallery in the North East of England.
Dave's work covers a wide spectrum- mainly watercolour but also acrylic, pastel, ink and pencil. He has recently begun to paint in oils.
His experience is wide as he continues to work with local art groups and societies demonstrating and leading workshops in a variety of techniques covering any subject that takes his imagination or that of the groups' members.