David Storey

David Storey is a renowned British figurative painter whose paintings are an exploration of memory. They offer ‘glimpsed’ or half-remembered figures and faces – re-imagined people standing on the edge of living memory, rescued from a personal archive of the forgotten.

Ideas originate from random material that comes to hand, an old photograph for example might chime or resonate. David Storey is drawn to historical images. Having chosen an image David then embark on a quest to unlock the essence in a way that is somehow extra-visual. This journey of development and discovery can take anything from 5 days to 5 years until a kind of alchemy takes place and things seem to harmonise of their own accord in a way that can be very rewarding.

David likes to paint in an expressionistic way using rags and sponges because the physical marks and textures are a fundamental element of what he is aiming to achieve.

After studying fine art at Middlesex University in London David worked as a record sleeve artist. Initially at Rocket Records and then at Chrysalis where he was responsible for a number of high profile designs for both the main Chrysalis label and their subsidiary labels: 2 Tone and Go! Discs. David has designed record sleeves for: The Specials, The Housemartins, The La’s and many more.