About the Artist
David Nuttall
Huntsville, Alabama
I am originally from Aberfan in South Wales and then lived in Addlestone, Windsor and then Datchet in Southern England but I now live in Huntsville, having moved to my wife's home town in 1997. I have a variety of mediums that I work in and like to experiment with new ideas, particularly with my maps.
I have been drawing maps since the age of five, creating fictitious places. Sometimes these were towns, sometimes countries or sometimes whole continents. I continued to draw my own fictitious maps even after starting to work for the British Government’s Military Survey mapping agency. I was formally trained in Cartography by them and was also sent to college to study Cartography and Surveying.
The maps are created on paper or wood and can range from a very simple legend that just depicts rail lines to a complete map detailing each building. The use of wood as a base is a newer technique than the paper based maps. I try to let the grain of the wood dictate the contours of the land.
Pen and Ink & Graphite Drawings
I started my current series of sketches while traveling around America for my job. I would try to find a building that I could sketch in the evenings before the light would fade. These generally took a couple of hours each. I have since altered my thinking and produce smaller, quicker sketches to compensate for the lack of places to sit and/or light. I have also started to use Pen & Ink on the series, which I like to call “Places I’ve been, things I’ve seen”.
Having painted in school, there were then several years that I did not paint at all, but thanks to my girl friend, now my lovely wife, encouraging me I have been painting on and off for the last 13 years. My preferences are watercolors, acrylic and oils. I try to alternate between detailed pieces and quicker more fluent works.
I have always enjoyed creating things and have built with Lego from an early age. My preference has always been to build something from my imagination, or at least inspired by something rather than follow any plans or build from a kit. Likewise I have always enjoyed building in the sand in any beach trip. From simple sand castles to sculptures to whole towns I like to build for hours at a time using only what I find on beach and then see what is left intact from the tide the next day. If I find driftwood on a beach I will build something from the pieces, without using anything else to hold the pieces together. Ideally the structure will move with the wind and it is also fun to see what is left the next day.
Jodi and I have displayed our art at several local shows to Huntsville. We have been accepted into the Monte Sano Art Show several times and enjoy meeting people and talking about our art. One of my maps was also accepted into the juried "Unique Views of Huntsville" show at the Huntsville Museum of Art in September 2009.
We are both currently represented by Mill Villa Gallery at Lowe Mill in Huntsville. The gallery is on the 3rd floor of Lowe Mill (same location as the Flying Monkey). I can be found there on most Saturday afternoons, working on a map and talking to people to help them understand what it is that I do!
Please also visit my wife's art web site at: www.jodinuttall.com
"The Porch" image copyright Jodi Nuttall Art
For more information on any work or to commission a piece please contact me at:
phone: 256 539 4058
email: david.nuttall@artimaps.com
All images copyright Artimaps LLC. 2010.