David Meikle’s paintings of the West follow the “three Ds”: design, depth and detail. “I’ve always been interested in painting the West—its colors and its scale,” he says. “And I’ve combined what I know from graphic design with painting to focus on those three Ds. I look for strong shapes and patterns, ways to create depth through atmospheric perspective, and realistic details in rocks and trees.”
Meikle’s landscapes will be the subject of an upcoming solo show at Mark Sublette Medicine Man Gallery titled Desert Light.
Monument Valley Dusk, oil on canvas, 22 x 28 in.
“I’ve always drawn and painted, especially realistic painting,” Meikle says. After excelling at art in middle school and high school, he received a scholarship to the University of Utah, where he earned a degree in graphic design and illustration. Later, he returned to school for a master’s degree in painting.
Meikle prefers to paint scenes he has experienced firsthand. He’s always observing, looking for interesting formations in the landscape and in the sky. “I take an illustrator’s approach, taking photos and gathering reference materials, and then composing the best possible landscape when I’m in the studio,” he says. Sometimes he combines elements—the clouds from one scene and a foreground from another—to enhance the composition while still keeping everything cohesive.
Evening Cliffs, oil on canvas, 28 x 22 in.
The inspiration for Meikle’s painting Catalina Mountains came when he was on a trip to Tucson to visit Medicine Man Gallery. As the sun set, he was drawn to the patterns of the shadows on the mountain. “The shadows are the most important part of a painting, in my opinion, because they create depth, shadow and color,” he says.
Evening Sentinel, oil on canvas, 22 x 28 in.
He also incorporated some saguaro cacti he had photographed in a separate location. “While there are saguaros in the area, I arranged them in a particular way to enhance the composition,” he explains. The cacti add another layer of depth to the foreground as the last bit of sunlight reflects off the mountains.
Evening Cliffscaptures a landscape near Torrey, Utah, right as the sun is going down. “I’m fascinated by rock formations, especially the sandstone in southern Utah,” he says. “In this painting, I focused on capturing the texture, light, and patterns in the cliffs.” The interplay between light and shadow emphasizes the rugged contours of the rock formation.
Catalina Mountains, oil on cradled board, 12 x 12 in.
Another standout in the show is Monument Valley Dusk. The buttes are seen only in silhouette against a colorful and emotional sunset. “I love painting skies,” Meikle says. “This piece was all about capturing the vibrancy and atmosphere of that moment in time.”
David Meikle: Desert Light at Mark Sublette Medicine Man Gallery will feature around 20 new paintings by the artist. It opens on April 4 with a reception from 5 to 7 p.m. and remains on view through April 25. —
Mark Sublette Medicine Man Gallery 6872 E. Sunrise Drive, Suite #130 » Tucson, AZ 85750 (520) 722-7798 » www.medicinemangallery.com
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