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About David
David Bjurstrom (pronounced ‘b-YOOR-strum’) makes his home in Corvallis, Oregon. Since first inspired to pursue art as a career while in junior high school, he has spent over fifty years capturing the world around him. After early explorations in watercolor and oil painting, he came to settle on working only in pencil. “It’s probably not the most glamorous of mediums but I find it endlessly fascinating and I’ve never felt limited by that choice,” says David. “I am constantly challenged because there are no limits. There is a purity of subject and a power in black and white that cannot be matched.”
His highly detailed drawings, though broadly defined as ‘western’, encompass a wide range of subject matter from landscapes and animals to people and still lifes. “I don’t like to categorize my work or style in any one genre. I’d rather let my collectors enjoy the work for what it is without some preconceived notion of how it is classified.”
Speaking of his technique, David explains, “While many artists draw with an emphasis on lines, I use light and shadow—contrast—to delineate surfaces, much like a painter uses color. In that respect, my approach to drawing is more like painting. The only lines visible are those used to portray a texture in my subjects. They’re very rarely, if ever, used to separate one surface from another.“
“This approach mimics the way our eyes see the world. When one looks at an object, there isn’t an outline that separates it from its background. The separation is achieved through variations in color, light and shadow. Since, with the pencil, I have only black, white and shades of gray with which to work, I must rely only on the light falling across the surfaces. It is also the light or, more correctly, the shadows created by the light that reveals the textures of the subject.”
“A frequent comment is that my drawings look like photographs but they really go well beyond what a photograph could be. Because, as an artist, I have the luxury to add or subtract details that cannot be readily done with a camera, there is clarity in my subjects not easily possible in a photograph. There is also an undefined quality in my drawings that, while nearly photographic in detail, adds an emotional response. That emotion is something that comes from the artist’s hand. It results from the conscious and unconscious decisions made in the creation of the artwork.”
David’s work is now recognized as among the very best and most innovative of drawings in pencil, showing and often winning ‘Best of Show’ and other top honors in some of the country’s most prestigious art shows, including the La Quinta Arts Festival, Phippen Museum Western Art Show, Art in the Pearl, Saint Louis Art Festival, Cherry Creek Arts Festival and the Coconut Grove Arts Festival. David Bjurstrom’s drawings and limited edition prints can be found in private collections throughout the United States, Canada and Europe.
His highly detailed drawings, though broadly defined as ‘western’, encompass a wide range of subject matter from landscapes and animals to people and still lifes. “I don’t like to categorize my work or style in any one genre. I’d rather let my collectors enjoy the work for what it is without some preconceived notion of how it is classified.”
Speaking of his technique, David explains, “While many artists draw with an emphasis on lines, I use light and shadow—contrast—to delineate surfaces, much like a painter uses color. In that respect, my approach to drawing is more like painting. The only lines visible are those used to portray a texture in my subjects. They’re very rarely, if ever, used to separate one surface from another.“
“This approach mimics the way our eyes see the world. When one looks at an object, there isn’t an outline that separates it from its background. The separation is achieved through variations in color, light and shadow. Since, with the pencil, I have only black, white and shades of gray with which to work, I must rely only on the light falling across the surfaces. It is also the light or, more correctly, the shadows created by the light that reveals the textures of the subject.”
“A frequent comment is that my drawings look like photographs but they really go well beyond what a photograph could be. Because, as an artist, I have the luxury to add or subtract details that cannot be readily done with a camera, there is clarity in my subjects not easily possible in a photograph. There is also an undefined quality in my drawings that, while nearly photographic in detail, adds an emotional response. That emotion is something that comes from the artist’s hand. It results from the conscious and unconscious decisions made in the creation of the artwork.”
David’s work is now recognized as among the very best and most innovative of drawings in pencil, showing and often winning ‘Best of Show’ and other top honors in some of the country’s most prestigious art shows, including the La Quinta Arts Festival, Phippen Museum Western Art Show, Art in the Pearl, Saint Louis Art Festival, Cherry Creek Arts Festival and the Coconut Grove Arts Festival. David Bjurstrom’s drawings and limited edition prints can be found in private collections throughout the United States, Canada and Europe.
Selected Awards & Honors
2024 Merit Award — Main St. Fort Worth Arts Festival, Forth Worth, TX
2023 First Place -- Saint Louis Art Fair, St. Louis, MO
2023 Merit Award — Main St. Fort Worth Arts Festival, Forth Worth, TX
2022 Jurors' Award — Main St. Fort Worth Arts Festival, Forth Worth, TX
2022 Award of Excellence — Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival, Winter Park, FL
2020 Best of Category, Drawing & Printmaking — LaQuinta Arts Festival, LaQuinta, CA
2020 Second Place— Phippen Museum Western Art Show, Prescott, AZ
2019 First Place -- Saint Louis Art Fair, St. Louis, MO
2019 Award of Merit -- La Quinta Arts Festival, La Quinta, CA
2018 Mayor's Award -- Gasparilla Festival of the Arts, Tampa, FL
2018 Best of Show–Second Place–Drawing/Painting/Pastels — Old Town Art Fair, Chicago, IL
2018-19 Austin Art Boards Featured Artist — Austin, TX
2017 Best of Show -- Gasparilla Festival of the Arts, Tampa, FL
2017 Jennifer Perlow Juror's Choice Award -- Saint Louis Art Fair, St. Louis, MO
2015 Best of Show -- La Quinta Arts Festival, La Quinta, CA
2015 People's Choice — Art in the Square, Southlake, TX
2014 Best of Show — La Quinta Arts Festival, La Quinta, CA
2014 Best of Show, Drawing — Park City Kimball Arts Festival, Park City, UT
2014 Best of Drawing & Pastels -- Scottsdale Arts Festival, Scottsdale, AZ
2014 Second Place — Saint Louis Art Fair, St. Louis, MO
2013 Best of Show–Drawing/Painting/Pastels — Old Town Art Fair, Chicago, IL
2013 Award of Excellence — Art on the Square, Belleville, IL
2012 Award of Merit — LaQuinta Arts Festival, LaQuinta, CA
2012 Austin Art Boards Featured Artist — Austin, TX
2012 Second Place, Two-Dimensional — ArtFest Fort Myers, Fort Myers, FL
2011 Best of Show — Affaire In The Gardens art show, Beverly Hills, CA
2011 First Place: Drawing & Printmaking — Affaire In The Gardens art show, Beverly Hills, CA
2011 Best of Show, Drawing & Printmaking — The Woodlands Waterway Arts Festival, The Woodlands, TX
2011 Best of Category, Drawing & Printmaking — LaQuinta Arts Festival, LaQuinta, CA
2011 First Place, Two-Dimensional — ArtFest Fort Myers, Fort Myers, FL
2010 Benchmark Award — Art In The High Desert, Bend, OR
2009 Best of Show — Salem Art Fair & Festival, Salem, OR
2009 Best of Category, Drawing & Printmaking — LaQuinta Arts Festival, LaQuinta, CA
2009 First Place, Drawing — Phippen Museum Western Art Show, Prescott, AZ
2008 Best of Category, Drawing & Printmaking — LaQuinta Arts Festival, LaQuinta, CA
2008 Best of Show, Other Media — National Western Art Show, Ellensburg, WA
2008 First Place, Drawing — Phippen Museum Western Art Show, Prescott, AZ
2007 Best of Show, Other Media — National Western Art Show, Ellensburg, WA
2007 Peoples’Choice — National Western Art Show, Ellensburg, WA
2007 Best of Show — Art in the Pearl, Portland, OR
2005 Best of Show, Other Media — National Western Art Show, Ellensburg, WA
2005 Peoples’Choice — National Western Art Show, Ellensburg, WA
2005 First Award — Death Valley 49ers Western Art Show, Death Valley, CA
2004 First Award — Death Valley 49ers Western Art Show, Death Valley, CA
2004 Peoples’Choice — National Western Art Show, Ellensburg, WA
2004 Kinney Wildlife Award — National Western Art Show, Ellensburg, WA
2003 Top 100 — Arts For The Parks, Jackson Hole, WY
2003 First Award — Death Valley 49ers Western Art Show, Death Valley, CA
2002 Best of Show — Phippen Museum Western Art Show, Prescott, AZ
2002 First Award — Death Valley 49ers Western Art Show, Death Valley, CA
2002 First Place, Drawing — Phippen Museum Western Art Show, Prescott, AZ
2001 Best of Show, Other Media — National Western Art Show, Ellensburg, WA
2000 Best of Show, Other Media — National Western Art Show, Ellensburg, WA
2000 Best of Show, Pencil — St Paul Rodeo Wild West Art Show, St. Paul, OR
2000 Third Award — Death Valley 49ers Western Art Show, Death Valley, CA
1999 Best of Show, Other Media — National Western Art Show, Ellensburg, WA
1999 Best of Show, Pencil — St. Paul Rodeo Wild West Art Show, St. Paul, OR
1999 First Place, Drawing — Phippen Museum Western Art Show, Prescott, AZ
1999 First Award — Death Valley 49ers Western Art Show, Death Valley, CA
1997 Best of Show, Pencil — St. Paul Rodeo Wild West Art Show, St. Paul, OR
1997 First Award — Death Valley 49ers Western Art Show, Death Valley, CA
1995 Best of Show, Other Media — National Western Art Show, Ellensburg, WA
1995 First Award — Death Valley 49ers Western Art Show, Death Valley, CA
1993 Goodey Indian Culture Award — National Western Art Show, Ellensburg, WA
1993 Top 200 — Arts For The Parks, Jackson Hole, WY
1988 Best of Show, Artists’ Choice — Beartrack Western Art Show, Blewett Pass, WA
1988 Catalog Cover and Print Artist — Sagebrush Rendezvous, Klamath Falls, OR
2023 First Place -- Saint Louis Art Fair, St. Louis, MO
2023 Merit Award — Main St. Fort Worth Arts Festival, Forth Worth, TX
2022 Jurors' Award — Main St. Fort Worth Arts Festival, Forth Worth, TX
2022 Award of Excellence — Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival, Winter Park, FL
2020 Best of Category, Drawing & Printmaking — LaQuinta Arts Festival, LaQuinta, CA
2020 Second Place— Phippen Museum Western Art Show, Prescott, AZ
2019 First Place -- Saint Louis Art Fair, St. Louis, MO
2019 Award of Merit -- La Quinta Arts Festival, La Quinta, CA
2018 Mayor's Award -- Gasparilla Festival of the Arts, Tampa, FL
2018 Best of Show–Second Place–Drawing/Painting/Pastels — Old Town Art Fair, Chicago, IL
2018-19 Austin Art Boards Featured Artist — Austin, TX
2017 Best of Show -- Gasparilla Festival of the Arts, Tampa, FL
2017 Jennifer Perlow Juror's Choice Award -- Saint Louis Art Fair, St. Louis, MO
2015 Best of Show -- La Quinta Arts Festival, La Quinta, CA
2015 People's Choice — Art in the Square, Southlake, TX
2014 Best of Show — La Quinta Arts Festival, La Quinta, CA
2014 Best of Show, Drawing — Park City Kimball Arts Festival, Park City, UT
2014 Best of Drawing & Pastels -- Scottsdale Arts Festival, Scottsdale, AZ
2014 Second Place — Saint Louis Art Fair, St. Louis, MO
2013 Best of Show–Drawing/Painting/Pastels — Old Town Art Fair, Chicago, IL
2013 Award of Excellence — Art on the Square, Belleville, IL
2012 Award of Merit — LaQuinta Arts Festival, LaQuinta, CA
2012 Austin Art Boards Featured Artist — Austin, TX
2012 Second Place, Two-Dimensional — ArtFest Fort Myers, Fort Myers, FL
2011 Best of Show — Affaire In The Gardens art show, Beverly Hills, CA
2011 First Place: Drawing & Printmaking — Affaire In The Gardens art show, Beverly Hills, CA
2011 Best of Show, Drawing & Printmaking — The Woodlands Waterway Arts Festival, The Woodlands, TX
2011 Best of Category, Drawing & Printmaking — LaQuinta Arts Festival, LaQuinta, CA
2011 First Place, Two-Dimensional — ArtFest Fort Myers, Fort Myers, FL
2010 Benchmark Award — Art In The High Desert, Bend, OR
2009 Best of Show — Salem Art Fair & Festival, Salem, OR
2009 Best of Category, Drawing & Printmaking — LaQuinta Arts Festival, LaQuinta, CA
2009 First Place, Drawing — Phippen Museum Western Art Show, Prescott, AZ
2008 Best of Category, Drawing & Printmaking — LaQuinta Arts Festival, LaQuinta, CA
2008 Best of Show, Other Media — National Western Art Show, Ellensburg, WA
2008 First Place, Drawing — Phippen Museum Western Art Show, Prescott, AZ
2007 Best of Show, Other Media — National Western Art Show, Ellensburg, WA
2007 Peoples’Choice — National Western Art Show, Ellensburg, WA
2007 Best of Show — Art in the Pearl, Portland, OR
2005 Best of Show, Other Media — National Western Art Show, Ellensburg, WA
2005 Peoples’Choice — National Western Art Show, Ellensburg, WA
2005 First Award — Death Valley 49ers Western Art Show, Death Valley, CA
2004 First Award — Death Valley 49ers Western Art Show, Death Valley, CA
2004 Peoples’Choice — National Western Art Show, Ellensburg, WA
2004 Kinney Wildlife Award — National Western Art Show, Ellensburg, WA
2003 Top 100 — Arts For The Parks, Jackson Hole, WY
2003 First Award — Death Valley 49ers Western Art Show, Death Valley, CA
2002 Best of Show — Phippen Museum Western Art Show, Prescott, AZ
2002 First Award — Death Valley 49ers Western Art Show, Death Valley, CA
2002 First Place, Drawing — Phippen Museum Western Art Show, Prescott, AZ
2001 Best of Show, Other Media — National Western Art Show, Ellensburg, WA
2000 Best of Show, Other Media — National Western Art Show, Ellensburg, WA
2000 Best of Show, Pencil — St Paul Rodeo Wild West Art Show, St. Paul, OR
2000 Third Award — Death Valley 49ers Western Art Show, Death Valley, CA
1999 Best of Show, Other Media — National Western Art Show, Ellensburg, WA
1999 Best of Show, Pencil — St. Paul Rodeo Wild West Art Show, St. Paul, OR
1999 First Place, Drawing — Phippen Museum Western Art Show, Prescott, AZ
1999 First Award — Death Valley 49ers Western Art Show, Death Valley, CA
1997 Best of Show, Pencil — St. Paul Rodeo Wild West Art Show, St. Paul, OR
1997 First Award — Death Valley 49ers Western Art Show, Death Valley, CA
1995 Best of Show, Other Media — National Western Art Show, Ellensburg, WA
1995 First Award — Death Valley 49ers Western Art Show, Death Valley, CA
1993 Goodey Indian Culture Award — National Western Art Show, Ellensburg, WA
1993 Top 200 — Arts For The Parks, Jackson Hole, WY
1988 Best of Show, Artists’ Choice — Beartrack Western Art Show, Blewett Pass, WA
1988 Catalog Cover and Print Artist — Sagebrush Rendezvous, Klamath Falls, OR