David Savellano

David Savellano is a native Californian artist who works primarily en plein air (outdoors), creating watercolor paintings that capture everyday scenes—on the street, in nature, and wherever else his portable easel takes him. Although largely self-taught as a watercolor painter, he credits his 40 years as a practicing architect with having given him the drawing skills and strong sense of perspective that have elevated his artwork to a professional level.

“I enjoy working outdoors because it’s unpredictable and lends itself to a kind of spontaneity you just can’t get in a studio,” he says.

Painting outdoors, especially in the urban settings he favors, requires adaptability and above all speed. David’s painting style evolved from the necessity to develop a painting process that captures the changing light and shadow patterns.  He especially enjoys capturing people going about their business to make the scene lively and entertaining.  When painting outdoors, he often draws a crowd of curious onlookers, experiencing the rare sight of creativity in progress “It changes their idea about art,” says David.