Portland Art Galleries Gallery 7126 David Luckert bio

David Luckert has lived in Portland since 1959. David’s father was in the Air Force so the family moved around a lot. His early memories as a kindergartener found him in Munich, Germany, then later in primary school outside Reno, Nevada. “I have always liked the high dessert. There is a lot of space and large scale,” Luckert says.

Luckert’s profession as a gardener gives him opportunity to notice the changes in plants throughout the seasons—the changing color and texture of leaves, the changes in tree bark, the alteration of patterns in tree lines. All of these subtleties influences his work. The beach also influences his paintings, particularly in his paintings Slow Light, Ice, and Chop.

Luckert began his college studies as a geology major, and has always had an interest in maps and cartography. His painting Heceta was partly influenced by his continuing interest in maps. David has always thought in one way that he was born in the wrong century—and perhaps should have become a 19th Century naturalist on expedition.

It was in high school that Luckert first discovered an interest in art. His college years found him at Portland State University (PSU), where he completed his Master of Arts in English in 1974. Many of David’s classes were in the same halls that artist Mark Rothko walked when he lived in Portland and attended Shattuck Grade School, and Lincoln High School— later to be known as Shattuck Hall, and Lincoln Hall on the growing PSU campus.

Though he took a break from his artistic endeavors for a couple of years following his graduation from PSU, he started taking night classes at the Pacific Northwest College of Art (PNCA) in 1982. In 1984 he was accepted to PNCA’s degree tract program and completed regular daytime classes there through 1987. At the time, PNCA was housed immediately adjacent to the Portland Art Museum.

In 1987-88 Luckert returned to PSU—this time to continue his study of art. Though he was only a few credits shy of earning a second degree in fine art, his experiences at PNCA and PSU cemented his ambitions to become a professional artist.

Luckert admires the works of many artists: Rembrant, Turner, Monet, Van Gogh, Hans Hofman, Richard Diebenkorn, and Sean Scully. Luckert counts Mark Rothko as a major

influence on his work, adding that his paintings would not be complete without three other painters: Hofman, Diebenkorn and Turner, who he says is “the founding father.”

“Color, for a painter, is the key to the soul,” says Luckert.

Gallery 7126, Ltd.

1127 NW 16th

Portland, OR 97209

503/238-7126

Text Box: David Luckert has lived in Portland since 1959. David’s father was in the Air Force so the family moved around a lot. His early memories as a kindergartener found him in Munich, Germany, then later in primary school outside Reno, Nevada. “I have always liked the high dessert. There is a lot of space and large scale,” Luckert says.
Luckert’s profession as a gardener gives him opportunity to notice the changes in plants throughout the seasons—the changing color and texture of leaves, the changes in tree bark, the alteration of patterns in tree lines. All of these subtleties influences his work. The beach also influences his paintings, particularly in his paintings Slow Light, Ice, and Chop.
Luckert began his college studies as a geology major, and has always had an interest in maps and cartography. His painting Heceta was partly influenced by his continuing interest in maps. David has always thought in one way that he was born in the wrong century—and perhaps should have become a 19th Century naturalist on expedition.
It was in high school that Luckert first discovered an interest in art. His college years found him at Portland State University (PSU), where he completed his Master of Arts in English in 1974. Many of David’s classes were in the same halls that artist Mark Rothko walked when he lived in Portland and attended Shattuck Grade School, and Lincoln High School— later to be known as Shattuck Hall, and Lincoln Hall on the growing PSU campus.
Though he took a break from his artistic endeavors for a couple of years following his graduation from PSU, he started taking night classes at the Pacific Northwest College of Art (PNCA) in 1982. In 1984 he was accepted to PNCA’s degree tract program and completed regular daytime classes there through 1987. At the time, PNCA was housed immediately adjacent to the Portland Art Museum.
In 1987-88 Luckert returned to PSU—this time to continue his study of art. Though he was only a few credits shy of earning a second degree in fine art, his experiences at PNCA and PSU cemented his ambitions to become a professional artist.
Luckert admires the works of many artists: Rembrant, Turner, Monet, Van Gogh, Hans Hofman, Richard Diebenkorn, and Sean Scully. Luckert counts Mark Rothko as a major
influence on his work, adding that his paintings would not be complete without three other painters: Hofman, Diebenkorn and Turner, who he says is “the founding father.”
“Color, for a painter, is the key to the soul,” says Luckert.
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Gallery 7126, Ltd.
1127 NW 16th
Portland, OR 97209
503/238-7126