Nichols Canyon Road
David Hockney
(July 9, 1937-
)
David Hockney was born in Bradford, England. As a young man in school his unconventional
behavior and poor grades did not prevent him from winning prizes and
recognition for his artwork. In 1953 he enrolled
in the College of
Art and began painting
with oils. Hockney believed that
painting was a process of seeing and thinking rather than one of
imitation. He graduated with honors and
then enrolled in the Royal College of Art in London where he would gain international
attention as an artist. In 1961 Hockney
traveled to New York for the first time, and
by 1963 he claimed southern California
as his home. He liked the blue skies,
sunny climate and lovely swimming pools.
He made an impact on the art world in the early 1960’s as a leader in
the English Pop Art movement. In California, Hockney
started to use bright, bold colors and a variety of lines in his
landscapes. He also developed an
interest in photography and in the 1980”s Hockney turned to photo collage. He
is the best-known British artist of his generation based on the versatility of
his work and on his colorful personality.
McGaugh Interpretation
