Yvonne Leverett » About the Artist

David Leverett was born in 1973 outside New Orléans, Louisiana and raised in Texas and Arkansas. His mother an RN, his father a Chemist, art was the last place one would think David would find his future.  His love of art was clear from a very young age but his love of painting and drawing came later when nurtured by a family friend and U.S. Navy veteran.  Even though he had an extreme talent and skill set for art David chose the responsible and dependable path in life by joining the military right after high school and leaving his love of art on the back burner, until he met his future wife who pushed him to chase his talent and follow his dream.  In 2001 David earned an associate degree in Commercial Arts from Nossi College of Art in Tennessee.  With degree in hand he chased the dream and realized that working two jobs was what he had to do to pay the bills.  After no success he put the paintbrushes down once again and turned to being a Chef for his sole income but life had other plans and after 25 plus years in the culinary industry health issues took their toll and David once again turned to art as an outlet and future. In May 2015 David graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point with a Bachelor of Fine Arts.  Currently David teaches his skills to others with hopes of establishing a non-profit and helping others through art.

 

David believes Art is the best therapy anyone could ever hope for.  Whether he's Plein Air Painting the many facets our world has to offer or creating a work strictly from his imagination, art gives him a way to communicate, art has become his strongest means of communication (He speaks through image).  Thus art has become his coping tool for the different challenges we face everyday.  He believes that, through art, everyone can heal.  Equally, using art as a teaching tool expands his world in art.

 

He finds the various opportunities in art very exciting.  Multiple opportunities in expressing oneself through art gets people involved.  Just as he is not only a painter of automobiles, landscapes, and marine life, he also draws renderings of buildings; Having developed these skills, it is now his intent to share these insights with others by way of teaching. David's past adventures involved teaching open studio at Center for Visual Arts in Wausau, Wisconsin and helping people across the United States by traveling and hoping to establish his non-profit ArtForLifeChange. In which he plans to help Veterans, people with disabilities, and people effected by natural disasters. The ultimate goal of ArtForLifeChange is  "Helping Change Lives One Piece Of Art At A Time".  This has brought him to Hawai'i via Key West, Florida where he found a love of painting Honu's or green sea turtlers and other marine life giving a voice to those who cannot speak for themselves. He currently resides in Hawai'i on the island of Oahu with his wife of 30years where he spends his days in his studio giving a voice to the voiceless. 

 

 

CURRICULUM VITAE

 

 

EDUCATION

University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Bachelor of Fine Arts- 2D Emphasis/3.53GPA /May 2015 

Nossi College of Art, Goodlettsville, TN. 1999-2001 

Associate Degree of Occupational Studies in Commercial Art/ 3.75 GPA

 

GRANTS & AWARDS

2018 41^st Best of Show, Annual WVAA Memorial Exhibit, Center For The Visual Arts, Wausau, WI

2015 Chancellor’s Leadership Award,UWSP College of Fine Arts & Communication

2014-2015 Thomas Meiers Memorial Scholarship,UWSP College of Fine Arts & Communication

2014 Dean’s Distinguished Achievement Award, UWSP College of Fine Arts & Communication

2014 Certificate of Achievement, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point

2013 Artist Choice Honorable Mention, ChalkFest, Wausau, WI

2000 GPA 4.0 Nossi College of Art, Goodlettsville, TN

 

TWO PERSON EXHIBITIONS

2014 Transitions Gallery, Center For The Visual Arts, Wausau, WI  

 

GROUP EXHIBITIONS 

2018 41^st Annual WVAA Memorial Exhibit, Center For The Visual Arts, Wausau, WI

2016 ArtPrize Eight, Garage Bar and Grill, Grand Rapids, MI 

2015 ArtPrize Seven, Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum, Grand Rapids, MI 

2015Visions XVII, Riverfront Art Center, Stevens Point, WI

2015 Senior BFA Exhibition UWSP,Edna Carlsten Gallery, Stevens Point, WI

2015 Centertainment Productions Centercase for the Arts UWSP,Dreyfus University Center, Stevens Point, WI

2015 38^th Annual WVAA Memorial Exhibit, Center For The Visual Arts, Wausau, WI

2015Arts Bash UWSP, Edna Carlsten Gallery, Stevens Point, WI

2014 Student Art Show Mezzanine Level,NFAC UWSP, Stevens Point, WI

2014 CVA Annual Student & Volunteer Art Exhibit, Center for the Visual Arts, Wausau, WI

2014 Student Art 335/435/535 “Plein Air Painting”, Schneider Gallery, Stevens Point, WI

2014 24th Annual “Midwest Seasons”,Center For The Visual Arts, Wausau, WI

2014 37^th Annual WVAA Memorial Exhibit, Center For The Visual Arts, Wausau, WI

2014Arts Bash UWSP, Edna Carlsten Gallery, Stevens Point, WI

2013-2014 Artist Wausau ChalkFest, Wausau, WI

2013 Art By The Foot, Center For The Visual Arts, Wausau, WI

2013 Student Art 335 “Plein Air Painting”, Schneider Gallery, Stevens Point, WI

2012 Art By The Foot, Center For The Visual Arts, Wausau, WI

2010 Floyd County Crit Club Annual Art Exhibition, New Albany, IN

 

COMMISSIONS

2017 ResidentEagle Hammock RV Park -Pastel Drawing,Kings Bay, GA

2016 Michelle Bommarito Lupico-Oil Painting, Cedar Springs, MI

2015 The Lindsey’s-Architectural Renderings of Home, Jeffersonville, IN

2014 Pete Steinke-Acrylic Painting 1959 Impala, Wausau, WI

2008-2010 Roger Bognar Jr.- Murals in Home, Jeffersonville, IN

2009-2010 Various Studios-Illustration Work,Jeffersonville, IN

2004 Dave/Debbie Embry/Rite-Way Industries-Murals in Offices, New Albany, IN

2003-2004 Dave Smith-Series of Paintings,New Albany, IN 

2003-2004 Band Elysium-CD Design Work,Louisville, KY

2002 Mrs.MacDougall-Archetectural Renderings,Clarksville, IN

2003 Freeze Frame Studios-Photographer, Jeffersonville, IN

2001 Confidential Client- Architectural Renderings, Nashville, TN

2001 Dave Torrence-Design Layout Future Extreme Sport, Nashville, TN

2000 Chuck Moore-Architectural Rendering & Logo, Jeffersonville, IN

1999 AliceCooke-Illustration Work, Nashville, TN

 

COLLECTIONS 

Paintings are held in numerous private collections throughout the United States                

 

PUBLICATIONS

2015 Visions XVII Brochure, Riverfront Arts Center,Stevens Point, WI

2014-2015 Brochure Exhibition Schedule, Carlsten Gallery, Stevens Point, WI

2014 Brochure ChalkFest Wausau, Center for the Visual Arts,Wausau WI

 

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

2017 Visiting Artist, Rural Rembrandt's Wisconsin Art Club, Wautoma, WI

2017 Visiting Artist, Art Classes,Ben Franklin Junior High School, Stevens Point, WI

2015-2016 Assistant &Visiting Artist, Plein Air Classes,UWSP, Stevens Point, WI

2013-2015 Instructor, Painting & Drawing Classes,Center For The Visual Arts, Wausau, WI

2013-2014 Pittsville Pottery Throw Project,Pittsville School District, Pittsville, WI

1998-Present Private Art Lessons Tennessee, Indiana, Wisconsin

 

LECTURES/WORKSHOPS

2015 Festival of the Arts Workshop-Children’s Activities NFAC UWSP, Stevens Point, WI

2014 Pastel Painting Workshop (Ronald Reagan High School Students) NFAC UWSP, Stevens Point, WI

2014 Painting Demonstrator AmVets Post 3929 Veterans Car Show, Wausau, WI

2014 Demonstration Coordinator -WVAA Art in the Park, Wausau, WI

2014 Festival of the Arts Workshop-Children’s Activities NFAC UWSP, Stevens Point, WI

 

PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES

2014-2018 WVAA – Wisconsin Valley Art Association

2014-2015 President/Coordinator for UWSP Wood Turning Club, Stevens Point, WI

2013-2015 SAL-Student Art League, UWSP, Stevens Point, WI

2013-2015 Wisconsin Valley Wood Turners 

2012-2015 SCULPT, UWSP, Stevens Point, WI

2009-2010 Vice President FloydCounty Crit Club, New Albany, IN

2000-2001 Louisville Artisan’s Guild, Louisville, KY

 

GALLERY AFFILIATIONS

Eagle River Gallery, Eagle River, WI(Past)

Center for Visual Arts, Wausau, WI(Past)

Q Gallery Cooperative, Stevens Point, WI(Past)

 

VOLUNTEER ACTIVITIES

 

2018 The Key West Turtle Club, Key West, FL

          I created a 24” X 36” acrylic painting on canvas of a sea turtle named “Freedom” that was used for raising funds for turtle conservation, rescue, and rehabilitation for turtles in the Florida keys. 

 

2013-2015 Center For The Visual Arts, Wausau, WI

          I perform various duties at the CVA such as cleaning, organizing, setting up and taking down of exhibitions, or anything else asked of me that would benefit the overall operations of the CVA.  

 

2012-2015 University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, Art Department, Stevens Point, WI

         In my three years at UWSP I have always tried to help any student or faculty member that has asked for my help whether it be moving something, cleaning up, or helping out with an art project I have always tried to help where I can to the best of my ability.