Born into a time when television sets were new, comic strips ruled the breakfast table, and Saturday mornings were sacred, artist David Laity describes himself as a product of his time.
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A baby of the ’50s, a child of the ’60s, a teenager in the ’70s — an era when television shaped the world, but cartoons shaped his imagination.
It’s a time that feels far removed from today’s world … or is it?
David’s views on life, the world, and everything in between are as intriguing, heartfelt and distinctive as his artworks.
Bold yet beautiful, his pieces carry a thought-provoking edge — often mysterious, often stirring something just beneath the surface.
But isn’t that the job of an artist?
To make us think.
To question how and why we see the world the way we do — and to wonder why a piece of art makes us feel the way it does.
Perhaps even to ask whether we, too, are simply products of our time.
“Art is an expression of our unique selves,” David said.
“It needs to be honest to be authentic and true.
“It’s this open honesty that, at times, makes it both challenging to create and later to view.”
The idea of art isn’t to please everyone — and David Laity knows that well.
He’s fully aware that not all of his work will appeal to everyone. No-one is making you stay on this page.
But his perspective — shaped over decades, with works collected around the world — runs deeper than you might expect.
To break it down, it goes something like this:
However we came into this incredible world — Adam and Eve, perhaps?
Caveman and cavewoman perhaps?
Let’s set aside our different beliefs and simply agree that we’re here as a result of it — human sexual attraction.
We’re alive. We breathe, walk, see, connect, hear, love, laugh, cry — all because of it.
In David’s words, it’s wondrous.
“This is why I continually celebrate it with my work,” he said.
“If there is indeed a God who created us all, I hope he approves of my depictions. Otherwise, it’s hell and damnation for me — yikes.
“There are more than enough stories about broken relationships out there — I prefer to focus on the other side.
“The positive side… the joyful side… the playful side... the loving side of sexual attraction.”
David is renowned for his use of hessian fabric in his artworks, which imparts a rich texture and depth to his pieces.
His work often explores themes of sensuality and the human form, characterised by saturated pigments and a warm glow.
Depicting two lovers — one seen, the other unseen — his paintings are created from the perspective of the spectator: the unseen lover.
“The women I exhibit aren’t demure. They allow themselves to be seen,” David said.
“They are playful in their unique sexuality; they are courageous and confident in themselves.
“I paint on rough bag hessian, which I especially love, as it evokes the Japanese art of Wabi-sabi: the discovery of beauty in imperfection.
“Obviously, my art is not for everyone — and that’s a good thing. Nobody wants to look at art made for everyone. We all have our own likes and dislikes, and that is the beauty of art.”
Throughout his career, David has held numerous sell out solo exhibitions.
Now 67, he’s entirely at ease in his own presence — still thoroughly enjoying his creative time in his Benalla studio, where almost every day he spends hours on end doing what he loves most: creating art.
There’s a rhythm to his days — a quiet, steady devotion to the brush and canvas.
It’s not routine in the strictest sense, but more of a compulsion, a pull he can't ignore.
“It’s pretty loose — I just check in with how I’m feeling. But I try and get in there every day,” he said.
“That’s sort of a habit now. I know that’s the only way you get to the end of a painting. One painting, let alone an exhibition.
“You’ve just got to keep doing it.”
DAVID LAITY
322-324 Lennox St. Richmond Vic 3121
(03) 9429 2452