David Bates (b. 1952)

With his paintings, sculptures, and collages, David Bates claims, “I make art of the things I know.” The sources of his knowledge range from national events (like Hurricane Katrina) to local activities to the people and things that fill his own life. Accordingly, his works range widely from tabletop still lifes to bayou swampscapes to portraits. An avid art lover, Bates is quick to quote in his work painters he admires, such as Henri Matisse, Georges Braque, Marsden Hartley, Arthur Dove, and Philip Guston.