Behind every canvas,
there's a conversation.
An exclusive artist talk from David's Portals solo exhibition
A free 45-minute recorded talk.
In this intimate artist talk - filmed live at the Vanner Gallery in Salisbury - David Mankin takes you behind the paintings and into the ideas, influences and process that shape his work and his latest solo exhibition 'Portals'.
Whether you're finding your way as a painter or looking to paint with more depth and intention, this is a rare chance to hear a working artist speak with complete honesty about how he got here and how he works.
Simply enter your name and email address below to receive free access to the 45 minute, beautifully filmed recording.
By signing up to this video you consent to receive regular emails from David Mankin with updates and the occasional promotion for products. You can unsubscribe at any time. View our privacy policy in the footer.
"It was a very enjoyable talk and fascinating to hear about David's journey and process into art making. I hadn't known that he was 'self taught' which I found very inspiring."
Mia Taylor
"Seeing David's work in person completely changes everything. I left his talk feeling incredibly positive and inspired; his energy and artistic passion are genuinely infectious."
Diane Wingate
WHAT THE TALK COVERS...
The moment everything changed
David shares the accidental discovery that launched his painting career, and why he almost never became an artist at all. It's the kind of story that reminds you how thin the line is between the life you're living and the one you could be living.
How to find - and use - your influences
David talks openly about the painters who shaped him (from Richard Diebenkorn to Peter Lanyon to Willem de Kooning) and why studying and immersing yourself in other artists is fundamental to how you find your own voice.
The process behind the paintings
From walking the landscape with a sketchbook, to abstract photography, to the studio, David walks you through the entire arc of how a painting comes to life, and why building a "sensory library" is at the heart of his practice.
What it really means to paint the landscape
This isn't about painting what you see. David explains how the landscape becomes a portal unlocking memory, sensation and emotion and why that shift in thinking changes everything about how you approach the canvas.
Permission to follow your own path
Perhaps most powerfully, David talks about what gave him the freedom to paint on his own terms. It's the kind of quiet encouragement that stays with you long after the talk ends.
“David is very generous in the amount of information he shares. As an artist myself, I had so many questions, and he tried to answer them all. To be sat in amongst so many of David’s amazing artworks, whilst listening to him talk, is an immersive experience that shouldn’t be missed.”
Sue Rackham
"What a fantastic evening! It was such a treat to be at this event. David is so generous in sharing his experience, artistic journey and process. His energy and enthusiasm are infectious."
Ann Swan
ABOUT DAVID
David Mankin is one of the most respected abstract painters working in Britain today. Based in Cornwall, his richly layered canvases draw on the drama and atmosphere of the landscape - work that has attracted collectors worldwide and earned him ten solo exhibitions over twelve years of professional practice.
His path to painting wasn't straightforward. After 25 years running a graphic design business in London, an opportunity out of the blue to work at a studio in St Ives rekindled something he'd carried since he was a teenager - and he hasn't looked back.
As a teacher, David brings the same honesty, warmth and rigour to sharing his process as he does to his painting. His in-person courses at Coombe Farm Studios sell out consistently, and his online course has drawn artists from across the world.
"David Mankin is one of the most compelling abstract painters of his generation, creating works of intensity and depth inspired by the Cornish landscape.”
Sarah Brittain-Mansbridge MBE, Director, Cornwall Contemporary
Ready to hear the conversation behind the canvas?
This is David at his most open, talking honestly about the work, the landscape, and what it means to find your own way as a painter.
Simply enter your name and email address below to receive free access to the 45 minute, beautifully filmed recording.
By signing up to this video you consent to receive regular emails from David Mankin with updates and the occasional promotion for products. You can unsubscribe at any time. View our privacy policy in the footer.
