David Kaye

Growing up in Bradford, England in the 80s and 90s, David Kaye began drawing at a young age, inspired by cartoons and comic books that were prevalent in pop culture at the time. This childhood hobby became a lifeline while he was serving in Afghanistan with the British army for two years, drawing whenever he had time between patrols. When he returned to England, David turned to his creative side to help him process his time in the military and earned a degree in Fine Art from the University of Bradford. Creating art gave him a feeling of accomplishment and ambition.

David’s paintings explore the connection between childhood innocence, and adult trauma, tying together his boyhood love of cartoons with his experience in the military as a young man . Each piece of David’s is ingeniously unique and particular, with a set of clues, facial expressions, objects, and colors that work together to tell a story of our inner child facing adult experiences, utilizing a mixture of realistic and cartoonish elements. His characters all wear a helmet with big glossy spheres, simple smiles or frowns, and is connected with an early childhood memento. These mementos reflect emotions both obvious and hidden, this nuancing the human condition. David Kaye is artistically compelled to explore the ways in which childhood experiences can shape our adult lives, often dealing with issues such as fear, loss, and grief, while messaging hope and resilience.

Inspired by his daughter and her interests in unicorns, animals, and “everything magical,” David incorporates a lifetime of artistic inspiration, memories, experiences, and anything in between into paintings that resonate with each person who has the privilege of standing in front of them.