Dave Wetzel

Dave grew up in Florida spending most of his free time exploring the outdoors, but an early family trip to the west exposed him to dynamic scenery and inspired a lifelong love of wilderness that has stayed with him ever since. Every scene that he sees appears to him as a painting, and his passion is to capture and share the best of these feelings on canvas.

A familiar Alaskan story, Dave moved to Alaska in 1991 for a summer job and has lived and worked in Juneau ever since. When not in his studio you’ll find him fishing, golfing, or gardening with Diana, his wife of 28 years.

As the son of a professional artist, he began painting at a very young age. Observing an artist in action showed him the possibilities within a blank canvas, sparked his creativity, and expanded his horizons. He believes that oil is the best medium to create the necessary texture and depth to bring dynamic scenery to life. His inspiration draws on the art of the impressionists, which showed him that powerful works depend more on color and suggestion than detail, and the work of the tonalists, which showed him the power of mood.