Artist Interview: 10 Questions with Landscape Painter David Najar
David Najar
The sublime landscapes David Najar creates could be plucked straight from a fairy tale. It’s fitting, then, that there is a moral to his serene images.
“Nature is you, it’s me, it’s us,” Najar says. “My paintings are an invitation to sit and breathe.”
Najar is one of the top artists in the “Contemporary Expressionism” movement, emerging alongside other renowned artists in his native country of Israel. Najar draws inspiration from the world around him, painting idyllic scenes of nature in an instinctual style tempered by the mentorship of prominent Israeli artists like Itzchak Tarkay and Moshe Rosenthalis.
We recently spoke with Najar about the influences behind his art, the symbolism of his work, and his path to becoming an artist. We invite you to take a moment to sit, breathe, and meet David Najar!
1. When did you first realize you wanted to become an artist?
Being an artist is a part of the mental anatomy of a person. This means that I’ve been an artist all my life.
I realized that I wanted to do it as a full-time job because I felt joy when I painted, more than anything else that I did.
“Day To Night” (2015), David Najar
2. What inspires your art?
Nature is the number one inspiration of my art. Nature is God—it’s visual expressiveness, shapes, colors, movement—it’s harmony.
3. Which artists have played a role in influencing your style?
The artists who influence me are the Impressionists, such as Pierre-Auguste Renoir and Claude Monet, and Pierre Bonnard and Édouard Vuillard.
“Bright Beginning” (2017), David Najar
4. You formerly worked as a leading instructor of the Krav Maga martial art. What inspired you to switch from this to fine art?
Martial arts were a part of me, but fine art became a much bigger part in my soul and life.
5. One of your most popular recurring motifs is a tree reflected in water that depicts all four seasons at once. What was the inspiration behind this image?
The “Four Seasons” presents something in us. The same tree can look different in a few situations and backgrounds. Humans are like a tree, we all have seasons and we change.
“Season Illusion” (2014), David Najar
6. What do you want collectors to take away from your art?
To feel connected to the big idea we call NATURE.
7. Where do you believe your love of nature originated?
My soul.
8. What do you enjoy doing when you’re not painting?
I like to be surrounded by family and friends, or taking walks on the beach.
“Finding Tranquility” (2019), David Najar
9. Do you have a favorite color?
I love all the colors! Colors are like language, and every color is a kind of letter.
10. You were a friend and student of the late Itzchak Tarkay. What would you say is one of the most important lessons you learned from him?
Tarkay was first my friend and my mentor, though not a formal teacher. He believed in me an artist too. He always seemed to know that I would make it as an artist.
Itzchak Tarkay and David Najar (Photo courtesy of David Najar)
Collectors interested in the art of David Najar can attend one of our exciting online auctions or contact our gallery consultants at (800) 521-9654 ext. 4 or sales@parkwestgallery.com.
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