Meet David
After graduating from SF Art Institute as a painting major Boatwright spent several years making short experimental films which he showed at many of the cinematheques in Europe. He returned to his home state of South Carolina in 1977, and received a National Endowment for the Arts individual artist grant to make documentary films in Charleston. He later became a graduate fellow at AFI film school in Los Angeles, co-founded a film production company, directed over 100 commercials, and made several documentaries.
While working as a filmmaker, he maintained an interest in studio painting and was fortunate to return to Charleston in 1984, as it began to expand culturally and demographically. David soon found that he could support himself and a growing family by working as a designer, painter, filmmaker, and musician.
Working under the mantle of Lucky Boy Art, Boatwright's painting evolved into a specialty as he began creating large murals and hand-painted signs on many exterior façades around Charleston. In addition to the signs, he was also being commissioned to make murals and paintings for the interiors of restaurants, and was able to sell studio pieces to collectors and commercial establishments.
Producing public murals for clients with a rigorous city approval process—all while maintaining artistic integrity—has, at times, been elusive and difficult. Over time, his clients began to give him a wider latitude, and he has been able to merge personal expression with the specific needs of a project in a balanced way, growing as a painter through the experience.
David now resides in downtown Charleston with his wife, the artist Molly B. Right. You can find her artwork here.
While working as a filmmaker, he maintained an interest in studio painting and was fortunate to return to Charleston in 1984, as it began to expand culturally and demographically. David soon found that he could support himself and a growing family by working as a designer, painter, filmmaker, and musician.
Working under the mantle of Lucky Boy Art, Boatwright's painting evolved into a specialty as he began creating large murals and hand-painted signs on many exterior façades around Charleston. In addition to the signs, he was also being commissioned to make murals and paintings for the interiors of restaurants, and was able to sell studio pieces to collectors and commercial establishments.
Producing public murals for clients with a rigorous city approval process—all while maintaining artistic integrity—has, at times, been elusive and difficult. Over time, his clients began to give him a wider latitude, and he has been able to merge personal expression with the specific needs of a project in a balanced way, growing as a painter through the experience.
David now resides in downtown Charleston with his wife, the artist Molly B. Right. You can find her artwork here.
EDUCATION:
1965-1967 Clemson University, School of Architecture
1967-68 Silvermine College of Art, Cornell University Painting program
1968-70 BFA in Painting, San Francisco Art Institute, Honors Program Scholarship
1969 Selected SF Art Institute Skowhegan Fellow
POST GRADUATE
1983-84 Director Fellow at American Film Institute Center for Advanced Film Studies
SHOWS:
2015 - South Carolina Biennial
2015 - “I Ain’t Know”- Print Program Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art
2012 - "Look Away, Look Here" new work by David Boatwright
City Gallery at Waterfront Park , Charleston, SC
2010 - Re-Nude, Eye Level Art, Charleston, SC
2007 - "Studio Visits" Greenville County Museum of Art, Greenville SC
2006 - "The Lure and Lore of the Sideshow" Purdue University, Lafayette, Ia
2005- "Alive Inside" Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art, Charleston, SC
2004 - Contemporary Charleston, Waterfront Gallery
2000 - Tippi Stern Gallery, Charleston SC
1999 - "Greasy Fried Thoughts"- Sermet, Charleston, SC
PUBLICATIONS:
40 Most Influential Charleston Artist, Charleston Magazine -2015
Post and Courier, Charleston daily, 26 Entries 1995 -2012
Charleston Magazine - Monthly, 17 Entries 2004-2012
City Paper - local weekly, 19 Entries 2000-2012
NY Times - "A Star Rises…." 3/15/2006
AWARDS:
Samuel Gaillard Stoney Award - Historic Charleston Foundation, 2012
Presenter at Pecha Kucha 7, Charleston 2010
Humanities Council of SC, 2006
Documentary Archived at Smithsonian Institute, 2003
Appalshop Media grant, 1989
SC Arts Commission, 4 artist grants, 1974-1976
NEA, Individual Artist grant, 1977
1965-1967 Clemson University, School of Architecture
1967-68 Silvermine College of Art, Cornell University Painting program
1968-70 BFA in Painting, San Francisco Art Institute, Honors Program Scholarship
1969 Selected SF Art Institute Skowhegan Fellow
POST GRADUATE
1983-84 Director Fellow at American Film Institute Center for Advanced Film Studies
SHOWS:
2015 - South Carolina Biennial
2015 - “I Ain’t Know”- Print Program Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art
2012 - "Look Away, Look Here" new work by David Boatwright
City Gallery at Waterfront Park , Charleston, SC
2010 - Re-Nude, Eye Level Art, Charleston, SC
2007 - "Studio Visits" Greenville County Museum of Art, Greenville SC
2006 - "The Lure and Lore of the Sideshow" Purdue University, Lafayette, Ia
2005- "Alive Inside" Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art, Charleston, SC
2004 - Contemporary Charleston, Waterfront Gallery
2000 - Tippi Stern Gallery, Charleston SC
1999 - "Greasy Fried Thoughts"- Sermet, Charleston, SC
PUBLICATIONS:
40 Most Influential Charleston Artist, Charleston Magazine -2015
Post and Courier, Charleston daily, 26 Entries 1995 -2012
Charleston Magazine - Monthly, 17 Entries 2004-2012
City Paper - local weekly, 19 Entries 2000-2012
NY Times - "A Star Rises…." 3/15/2006
AWARDS:
Samuel Gaillard Stoney Award - Historic Charleston Foundation, 2012
Presenter at Pecha Kucha 7, Charleston 2010
Humanities Council of SC, 2006
Documentary Archived at Smithsonian Institute, 2003
Appalshop Media grant, 1989
SC Arts Commission, 4 artist grants, 1974-1976
NEA, Individual Artist grant, 1977