Whether depicting the residential charm of San Francisco, where she currently resides, the geometries of bridges, harbors, and vehicles of commercial urban life, or the steady strokes of swimmers in San Francisco Bay, Eileen David’s observational paintings elevate every day moments to masterful scenes. LewAllen Galleries presents new works by David in the exhibition, In Place, which opens Friday, October 6 and remains on view through November 11, 2023.

Known for her paintings of light-filled neighborhoods, which feature the underlying symmetry of the cityscape, she also captures the clean lines and urban geometry of highway overpasses, fuel trucks, and steel bridges. In Place will feature many of these works alongside her series of swimmers. In a diametric switch of subject to the human, David captures movement through a play of light as her subjects swim through deep blue, turquoise, and green water. Their bright swim caps and swimsuits draw focus to the subjects, as if seeing them in quiet stop-motion while on their swim. David also draws inspiration for her paintings while exploring the city during her everyday life. She is fascinated by scenes of what she calls, “housescapes,” or neighborhoods nestled in the hills, and photographs these moments to paint in her studio. She interprets the imagery in the photos, and from her memory, in a more abstract way, using bright colors and shadows as compositional elements to create a dramatic feeling.

“I’m sharing the way and see and hope that I can convey that feeling in my paintings,” David says. “I hope that the viewer can get the sense of place, and see and enjoy it in a moment in time.”

Born in New York City, Eileen David studied at The Arts Student League of New York, SUNY Purchase, New York, the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, and earned her Bachelor of Arts degree at San Francisco State University and a Master of Fine Arts at San Jose State University. Over her career, David has been awarded with various honors including a Joan Mitchell Foundation Grant and a Catherine Urban Scholarship.