Following his initial drawing studies at University of the Arts in Philadelphia, David attended Syracuse University in New York, where he studied under the auspices of Jerome Witkin, Robert Dacey, and Sarah McCoubrey learning a complete painter should have a strong grasp of the picture making process and a well thought out concept behind a painting. While earning his B.F.A, he was able to take advantage of the school's exceptional Art History Department, and on completion of his degree, moved to Brooklyn to continue his studies at The National Academy of Design and the Art Students League of New York, where he had the good fortune to study with a number of artists whom he respects, including: Aaron Shikler, Mary Beth Mackenzie, David Levine, William Behnkin, Harvey Dinnerstein, Burton Silverman, Steven Assael, and Costa Vavagiakis.
His honors and awards from Arts organizations and magazines include: The National Academy of Design School of Fine Art, The Portrait Society of America, The Art Students League of New York, The Artist's Magazine, The Society of Illustrators, and Communication Arts, The Newington-Cropsey Foundation's Travel Award, which enabled him to enrich his Art History studies with classes in Italian Renaissance from the British Institute in Florence, Italy. While there, he assembled his thoughts and sketches into a limited edition book titled "Lentamente Italia". David currently writes an ongoing feature for Drawing magazine on anatomy and also contributes to myamericanartist.com. Recently his work has graced the covers of American Artist's Drawing Magazine(winter 09) as well as Australia's contemporary art publication Emtpy Magazine. David's work is currently featured in Die Gestalten's recent showcase book of young contemporary artists called The Upset.
He has lectured at Universities and schools around the nation including The Rochester Institute of Technology, Western Illinois University, Syracuse University, The National Academy School of Fine Art, and The University of Alabama, The Cathedral of Saint John the Divine. He has taught painting workshops at The National Academy of Design and the Salmagundi Center of American Art, NYC. David teaches international workshops as well, including stops in Australia with the Practicing Artists Network (PAN) in Byron Bay and in Portugal with the Artistas Sociedade de Faro. He has also served on the faculty of the Andreeva Portrait Academy, Santa Fe, The Scottsdale Artists School, Scottsdale, AZ and the Richeson School of Art, Kimberly, WI.
Exhibitions include: The United Nations in New York, Gallery Henoch, The Park Avenue Armory, The National Academy of Design Museum of Fine Art, Gallery 1199, The Cork Gallery, Lincoln Center, and The Salmagundi Club and nationally at the Mobile Museum of Art, AL, Art Chicago, The San Francisco International Art Exposition, Los Angeles Art Show, The Museum of American Illustration, Huntington House Museum, and The Wethersfield Museum.
David's work has been placed in important collections domestically and worldwide, most notably; the collections of the Art Students League of New York, The Bhammer Family of Mumbai, India, Seven Bridges Foundation, Greenwich, CT, The Howard A. Tullman Collection, Chicago, IL,
David Jon Kassan is currently represented by Gallery Henoch, New York. To see David's work online please go to http://davidkassan.com
