David MacAskill

David was born and raised in Cape Breton and currently lives in Sydney, Nova Scotia. From an early age, he was interested in drawing, art, photography, gardening and painting. Now retired, he has time to pursue his passion for travel, having travelled to many parts of the world, including Africa, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, UAE, Hong Kong, Israel, Egypt, Mexico, Cuba, England, Spain and many parts of Europe and the Caribbean. Much of his photography work is composed with a painting in mind helping to develop the skill of composition.

Until recently, most of his paintings were oil. When he retired he set a goal to learn watercolor, which has the reputation of being stubborn, hard to control and unforgiving. It has now become his favorite medium to work in. He loves the soft blends, the beautiful bleeds, the speed and graceful flows, the way color pools, collects and feathers and how a painting can take on a life of its own. He continues to learn, develop, grow and perfect his newfound passion, loving the challenge and being taught patience. He has sold his paintings at IODE shows, Pierscapes Art Festival, online and to friends and family both in Canada and in the United States. He was the featured artist at Pierscapes Art Festival in 2019.

He is a Canadian Snowbird, residing in Florida during the winter, where he enjoys sitting in a shady spot with his sketchbook, drawing seascapes, nature and wildlife and spending his time perfecting his watercolor skills. He is a member of the Largo Community Centre where he attends art shows and participates in art classes. He is also a member and sits on the Board of the Largo Artist Association, which fosters connections within the art community and has member shows which have featured David's work.

David has also created watercolor illustrations for the launch of a series of floral seed packets and postcards that celebrate the gardens of Mabel Bell at Beinn Bhreagh in Baddeck. The series of six seed packets, launched in the summer of 2019 by the Alexander Graham Bell Museum Association, are available for sale at the Museum Store.