Known primarily as a painter, David Niec has always also made sketches while outdoors. His drawings are made with micron ink pens and ink washes. Approaching the paper almost like an etching plate, he creates layers of small marks as if he is not simply rendering or recording the night sky but trying to imprint the very notion of darkness and light onto the page. The drawings and paintings hold immense depth and subtly of shadow and nuance. 

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David Niec earned his BFA in painting and drawing at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 1988. He has had solo exhibitions at Dean Jensen Gallery, The Alice Wilds, Grace Chosy (Madison), The Land Gallery (New Mexico). He was an artist in residence at Gallery 224, Port Washington, WI. and at The Land/An Art Site in New Mexico. His work is in the collections of David Nash, North Wales; Concordia University Art Gallery; Mark Iwinski, Durham, NC.

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ARTIST STATEMENT

"In a lunar month, the moon goes through a repertoire of phases, from new moon when it is in shadow to full moon when it appears as a bright white circle back to new moon at which point the cycle begins anew. It’s appearance as well as it’s pull on us is constantly shifting. At the same time it returns to familiar points.

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Nature is constantly in flux. Any attempt to study, represent or understand it makes one very aware of this. It is fascinating yet very elusive. It moves too fast to make sense of it. Nature is also cyclic. This problem  can be approached with a strategy.

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I am routinely placing myself in environments at specific times to observe and interact with the moon. Over the years, my knowledge and understanding of it accumulate and the experience somehow deepens. The moon however always remains beyond my grasp."