Dave Swensen is a self-taught painter and sculptor with a background in design. He works from his home studio with a focus on minimalist concepts and forms. With a unique approach to painting, Swensen’s handling of shadow, light, and spatial concepts are front and center. Embedded surfaces, figurative notions, and the use of repetition are all recurring themes. Swensen is constantly refining his use of line and how a blank space is used and declined. In most cases, his work walks the line between painting and sculpture.

Using unique and dense materials, Swensen transforms simple shapes into delicate concepts. Treating his surfaces with care, he repeatedly applies rich pigments and paints until the surface is deemed perfect. In reflective works, the mood of each piece changes depending on its location and brightness. These paintings create a cloudy distorted reflection that engulfs the space around them. The work challenges the viewer’s concept of self and the surrounding space.