Celebrating Dataw Artists – DAVID DOLAN
by Marie Doyon and Bill Riski
Meet David Dolan. When asked how he happened to come to Dataw, he said, “Once I went over that bridge, I knew this was the place I wanted to be. They should pass out blinders to newcomers, as you can become irrational after that crossing.” Dataw reawakened his artistic side, and he took up watercolor painting. Along with a handful of like-minded residents, David was instrumental in creating what we now know as the Dataw Visual Arts Club.
Where are you from and what do you make?
I grew up in Fairfield County, Connecticut. After undergraduate and dental school at Georgetown University in Washington, DC, I spent four years in New York City training in oral surgery. Then, I entered the Navy, working at Camp Pendleton for two years. I then went to Elmira, New York, where I spent sixteen years in private practice. While Elmira is an economically depressed area, it does have its merits. I bought a 65-acre “farm,” which I loved despite the fact it was a lot of work for me and my wife, Holly. We then moved to Salisbury, North Carolina, where I practiced for nine more years before retiring to Dataw.
What inspires you to create?
The beautiful scenery and wildlife of Dataw, along with the many fine artists who befriended me, inspire me. This is watercolor heaven. The water views are spectacular. In the early years of VAC, we would frequently paint plein air. In fact, a group of us was “arrested” by Dataw Security for gathering on Cotton Dike to paint.
The essential elements of my work are the values of dark and light. Contrast is important. I also appreciate the importance of having the correct perspective in a painting. I taught a few classes for VAC on how to draw in perspective.
Which artists have had the most impact on your creations?
What do they do, and in what way do they influence you?
Without question, my fellow artists here on Dataw. We helped each other out, offered encouragement, and pushed each other. I did take some classes at the Beaufort Art Association. Watercolor painting is the cruelest medium. You’re done before you start, but it’s worth the struggle when you get it right. But I have torn up more pieces than I can count.
I have always been a doodler or sketcher. In college, I would draw my professors. I had an aunt who was quite talented; she worked with oils and acrylics. My mother did needlepoint and my grandmother also dabbled in art. Must be in the genes. Of course, my wife, Holly, is a highly talented quilter and fabric artist.
As a member of VAC, what do you like most about us?
Well, I play more golf now than I paint. But I had yet to paint before we moved to Dataw, and the artists on the island were looking to form a club. Somehow, I became the President- for two years. But as I said, VAC was a source of inspiration, guidance and encouragement as it is today.
