David Cairns

I've been painting most of my life.  Honours degree in Fine Arts.  Teaching degree.  Art teacher at the jr high level for a couple of years.  After that, building a successful career in the Canadian media industry occupied most of my time and energy.

I'm back at it now with a passion, re-discovering the high of creation.  Which, when you think about it, is about bringing to life that which never existed.  Original art is just that:  Original.  And every artist, whether in visual arts, or music, or literature, seeks to bring out something new.  Never seen before...ever.  Unique!

That's exciting for me and, I expect, for you.

ARTIST’S STATEMENT

I am an abstract painter, living and working in Toronto, Canada with acrylic paint, plexiglass and canvas, creating abstract, non representational art.

The subject of my work is colour and shape, moving together harmoniously and uniquely. With just a chosen colour palette, I am primarily interested in the shapes, lines, intersections and effects that colours can assume as they find their way over the plane. In doing so, I find visual satisfaction in both micro details, and the total image viewed from a distance.

My process consists of acrylic paint applied to canvas or transparent plexiglass, with palette knife, fingers, stick, brush, drizzle, pouring, and sponging. In my work with transparent acrylic glass - or plexiglass -, the paint is applied to one side of the plexiglass and the completed painting is viewed through the other side, like a window – resulting in a flat finish of greater luminosity than canvas painting, reminiscent of silk screen.

My goal is to create images that the viewer is drawn to, spends time with, gets lost in and finds new imagery and meaning upon each viewing, thereby retaining its freshness and vitality.

I have long been inspired by the Quebec movement les Automatistes - and particularly Jean McEwen – and both the discipline and freedom of standing before a blank support with a free mind, attempting to create something that has never existed. The creative immediacy in applying and manipulating color, abstractly and without preconceived images in mind can be breathtakingly freeing, surprising and rewarding.

The challenge in my work presents itself in the spontaneous, ‘in the moment’ decisions made, and the subtle, almost fragile interplay of colour, shape and line that results. To not overthink, to discover the energy inherent in the colour placements, to let balance and composition emerge organically.

I believe in the beauty of original creativity, of not repeating myself, of challenging my work anew. In a world where so much human ingenuity will be replaced by technology, guarding and celebrating individual creativity may never have been more important.

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SERENDIPITOUS
SERENDIPITOUS
David Cairns
Acrylic and latex on gallery canvas.
30x40x1.50
$1250.00 CAD
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GLACIER
GLACIER
David Cairns
Acrylic and latex on gallery canvas.
30x40x1.50
$1250.00 CAD
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MANITOULIN
MANITOULIN
David Cairns
Acrylic on plexiglass.
25x33x1
$1050.00 CAD
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OCTOBER
OCTOBER
David Cairns
Acrylic on plexiglass (framed).
25x25
$900.00 CAD
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ALPHA LUPI
ALPHA LUPI
David Cairns
Acrylic on plexiglass (framed).
25x33
$1050.00 CAD
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ALGONQUIN
ALGONQUIN
David Cairns
Acrylic on plexiglass (framed).
44x36
$1500.00 CAD
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FIRST LIGHT
FIRST LIGHT
David Cairns
Acrylic on plexiglass (framed).
37x37
$1050.00 CAD
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ODYSSEY
ODYSSEY
David Cairns
Acrylic on plexiglass (framed).
37x49
$1500.00 CAD
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"ALGOMA"
David Cairns
Acrylic on plexiglass (framed).
25x33
$1050.00 CAD
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DOCTOR MY EYES
DOCTOR MY EYES
David Cairns
Acrylic on plexiglass (framed).
37x37
$1050.00 CAD
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WILD NIGHT
WILD NIGHT
David Cairns
Acrylic on plexiglass (framed).
37x37
$1050.00 CAD
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SAKURA
SAKURA
David Cairns
Acrylic on canvas (framed).
37x37
$1500.00 CAD
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TURQUESA
TURQUESA
David Cairns
Acrylic on plexiglass (framed).
37x37
$1050.00 CAD
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PASSION PLAY
PASSION PLAY
David Cairns
Acrylic on plexiglass (framed).
37x37
$1050.00 CAD
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NOCTURNE 1
NOCTURNE 1
David Cairns
Acrylic on canvas.
36x36
$900.00 CAD
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Great Lakes 2
Great Lakes 2
David Cairns
Acrylic on canvas (framed).
37x37
$1050.00 CAD
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DENIAL
DENIAL
David Cairns
Acrylic on canvas.
30x40
$1250.00 CAD
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CELESTIAL
CELESTIAL
David Cairns
Acrylic on canvas.
36x36
$1050.00 CAD
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SUPERNOVA
SUPERNOVA
David Cairns
Acrylic on canvas.
36x36
$1050.00 CAD
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ISLE OF CAPRI
ISLE OF CAPRI
David Cairns
Acrylic on canvas.
36x36
$1050.00 CAD
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"NORTH WIND"
David Cairns
Acrylic on plexiglass.
24x24
$900.00 CAD
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BLUES IN THE NIGHT
BLUES IN THE NIGHT
David Cairns
Acrylic on plexiglass (framed).
37x37
$1050.00 CAD
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GOLDEN SLUMBERS
GOLDEN SLUMBERS
David Cairns
Acrylic on plexiglass (framed).
37x37
$1050.00 CAD
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UNIMAGINED
UNIMAGINED
David Cairns
Acrylic on canvas.
36x36
$1050.00 CAD
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TROPICAL
TROPICAL
David Cairns
Acrylic on canvas.
36x36
$1050.00 CAD
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SALSA
SALSA
David Cairns
Acrylic on canvas.
36x36
$1050.00 CAD
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REINCARNATED
REINCARNATED
David Cairns
Acrylic on canvas.
36x36
$1050.00 CAD
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PRECAMBRIAN
PRECAMBRIAN
David Cairns
Acrylic on canvas.
36x36
$1050.00 CAD
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ENTANGLED
ENTANGLED
David Cairns
Acrylic on canvas.
36x36
$1050.00 CAD
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"EPHEMERAL"
David Cairns
Acrylic on canvas.
36x36
$1050.00 CAD
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"ESCARPMENT"
David Cairns
Acrylic on canvas .
36x36
$1050.00 CAD
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FILIGREE
FILIGREE
David Cairns
Acrylic on canvas (framed).
36x36
$1500.00 CAD
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"OCEAN CROSSING"
David Cairns
Acrylic on plexiglass (framed).
24x32
$1050.00 CAD
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NINE STORIES
NINE STORIES
David Cairns
Acrylic on plexiglass (framed).
37x49
$1500.00 CAD
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BIJOU
BIJOU
David Cairns
Acrylic on plexiglass (framed).
37x49
$1500.00 CAD
Sold Out
Younger Than The Sun
Younger Than The Sun
David Cairns
Acrylic on plexiglass (framed).
37x37
$1050.00 CAD
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Fathom Five
Fathom Five
David Cairns
Acrylic on plexiglass (framed).
37x37
$1050.00 CAD
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"WETLANDS"
David Cairns
Acrylic on glass (framed).
19x19
$900.00 CAD
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"GLACIAL"
David Cairns
Acrylic on plexiglass (framed).
24x32
$1050.00 CAD
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"VESUVIUS"
David Cairns
Acrylic on glass (framed).
18x18
$900.00 CAD
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"CITRINE"
David Cairns
Acrylic on glass (framed).
18x18
$900.00 CAD
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TWILIGHT
TWILIGHT
David Cairns
Acrylic on canvas
36x36
$1500.00 CAD
Sold Out
GREAT LAKES 1
GREAT LAKES 1
David Cairns
Acrylic on canvas.
36x24
$900.00 CAD
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MYKONOS
MYKONOS
David Cairns
Acrylic on canvas.
36x36
$1500.00 CAD
Sold Out
WORLD VIEW
WORLD VIEW
David Cairns
Acrylic on canvas.
24x36
$900.00 CAD
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"TEMISKAMING"
David Cairns
Acrylic on canvas.
36x36
$1500.00 CAD
Sold Out
MACH 1
MACH 1
David Cairns
Acrylic on canvas.
24x36
$900.00 CAD
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DAYS GROW SHORT
DAYS GROW SHORT
David Cairns
Acrylic on canvas.
36x48
$1200.00 CAD
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"NEBULA"
David Cairns
Acrylic on canvas.
30x40
$1500.00 CAD
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THE LIGHT WITHIN US
THE LIGHT WITHIN US
David Cairns
Acrylic on canvas.
48x36
$1200.00 CAD
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PASSION STORM
PASSION STORM
David Cairns
Acrylic on canvas.
48x36
$1200.00 CAD
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SOLAIRE
SOLAIRE
David Cairns
Acrylic on canvas.
48x36
$1200.00 CAD
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Northwest Passage
Northwest Passage
David Cairns
Acrylic on canvas.
30x24
$900.00 CAD
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Ensoleillé
Ensoleillé
David Cairns
Acrylic on canvas.
30x24
$900.00 CAD
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VERDANT
VERDANT
David Cairns
Acrylic on canvas.
36x36
$1500.00 CAD
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