An Exclusive Gallery Talk from Portals
In this intimate recorded 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.
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.
By signing up to this resources 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.
Fantastic exhibition. Beautifully put together. Artist talk was a wonderful insight to the work. Bought a painting!
What you'll discover in the talk:
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 other artists isn't imitation - it's 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 andemotion 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.
It was a very enjoyable talk and fascinating to hear about David's journey and process into art making. Very inspiring. And the exhibition is sublime, I want all of the paintings!
Mia Taylor
About David Mankin
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 a twelve-year professional practice.
His path to painting wasn't straightforward. After 25 years running a graphic design business in London, a chance encounter with 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.
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“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
“A warm, generous and open-hearted artist
- his relaxed yet structured approach pulls together a wide variety of processes that fit seamlessly together. In a short time, I was thinking and responding with a freedom of expression that left only excitement at the possibilities of what may be achieved.”
- Graham Cook
“If there's only one thing you do this year in respect of your art, take one of David's courses.
It has transformed my artistic journey and I can't recommend it enough. Honestly the best thing I have done..”
- Gordon Virgo
Wonderful! I've seen a couple of David's exhibitions before in Cornwall but saw these in a new light after being on David's online course. Very inspired!
Incredible impact! The smaller paintings deliver the same punch. I loved it!
It is a wonderful experience to see David's work in real life. An exceptional show!
An Exclusive Gallery Talk from Portals
In this intimate recorded talk - filmed live at the Vanner Gallery in Salisbury
By signing up to this resources 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.
