While many people retire at 65, David embarked on a third career as a contemporary artist, a departure from his 20-year law practice and from running his two-decade marketing consultancy, Freshly Squeezed.
"It is no coincidence that even in creative marketing, I was coming from a totally different angle - I still question everything. I challenge the idea that a painting should be a square or a rectangle or have to be placed on the wall," he argues.
His story of how he came to painting has a dream-like quality. David was pitching his company to a potential new client, who interrupted him to ask if he painted. "I replied that I didn't, had no interest in painting and couldn't even draw."
"The strange thing is," David says, "that I can't recall anything about her - neither her name nor what she looked like. And, soon after the meeting, we had a computer virus that wiped away the preceding three months data that recorded her details. What she said, however, had invaded my headspace.
"I was drawn, like a puppet being manipulated, into the art shop at Gardens Centre. I felt like a bull in a China shop as I couldn't relate to anything I saw. When approached, I blurted out 'My daughter wants to paint, what will she need?' We all know men don't ask for directions.
"I thought that I was conceptually creative and felt that the only way I could be unique was if I took a conscious decision not to copy any other artists. I decided that until I felt I had developed my own identity, I would not have lessons, nor would I visit galleries, read art books, or browse art on the internet. By painting only what was in my head would be the only way I could truly be different. I believe that my work reflects the benefits of having done so.
"I have had no background or training in art. Even the art on the walls in my home was purchased to match the décor - I didn't necessarily even know the names of the artists.
"I've been painting for four years now, the first three of which while I was still working full time when I painted evenings and weekends. I want to push the envelope, if it doesn't challenge or test me, I get bored.
"One of the avenues I'm exploring is to blur the boundaries between art and décor, like my paintings which are also lights, or a painted storage unit that I've created.
"I haven't put down the brushes since I first picked them up," he concludes.
For more information go to www.DavidMyersArt.co.za or call +27 (0) 82 411 0444.
Follow this link for your invitation to Gallery88's Exhibition: "A New Signature" by David Myers, to be viewed from 17 November 2011. Exhibition opens Sunday, 20 November at 11am: http://gallery88.co.za/admin/gallery88_invitation_ANewSignature.html
During the exhibition the gallery will be open daily between 10am and 6pm. Also see www.gallery88.co.za - 88A Main Street, Paarl, Western Cape, +27 (0) 21 863 3552.
