Meet The Maker: OK David

Who are you, where are you from and what do you make?

I’m David, I make paintings and designs that go on things. I sell prints, notebooks and cards on The Chuffed Store. I do other things too. Today I’ve been painting some gigantic fish in suits for someone. I live outside London.

What inspires you?

I like play and colour in art. And I like it just before a storm, when it feels pressurised and moody. I want to make things when the air feels like that.

What is your workshop luxury?

Warmth, because my fingers are always cold. A pot of coffee, music, and nobody else being there.

Your favourite studio lunch?

Today I had anchovies on bread. Normally I find stopping for lunch gets in the way and means I don’t get enough done, so I prefer to start work after breakfast and just quickly gobble an apple or some toast in the early afternoon. 

Best spot in the British Isles?

What a good question. I don’t know. I haven’t travelled around the UK very much, just the normal amount. I think camping makes everywhere more beautiful. I’m going to Wales this summer to ride on old steam trains with my son.

What do you find challenging about being a creative?

Being too laid back. There are things I want to do and things I should be doing, and I almost always do the things I want to do instead of the things I should be doing. General organisation is not a strength, and it doesn’t particularly bother me.

What would you like to learn next?

I have lots: (1) How to use a sewing machine really really well. (2) I want to do more papier maché. (3) Learn Portuguese. (4) Buy a pair of pliers and learn how to make things out of wire and metal. There are tons more.

How do you let your hair down?

Loud music. 

What are you listening to at the moment?

The last couple of weeks I’ve been listening to Django Django when I’m painting. I like all their albums. I used to have the studio next to their producer when I lived in Hackney so I heard their first album being made through the wall. I must have heard it a thousand times, but three seconds at a time. 

What makes you feel well chuffed?

New opportunities. It’s the best feeling, at the start of a new project; commission, collaboration, everything seems possible.