David Whitzman

Artist Bio: David Whitzman, PSC (1915-2013)

Nova Scotia artist David Whitzman was born in 1915 and was known mostly for painting in the plein-aire tradition in an impressionistic style through the genre of landscape.

Whitzman showed an early aptitude for art, and studied at the Nova Scotia College of Art under noted artist and principle of the college at that time; Elizabeth S. Nutt. He continued his studies through post-graduate training under Andre Beiler and Caven Atkins at Queen’s University. David also studied with the legendary Arthur Lismer at the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Montreal. Health issues prevented David from serving in the Armed Forces in World War II, at which time he joined the faculty at the Art College, where he taught drawing and painting. David decided to further his studies at the Art Students’ League in New York, where he spent several years working under Frank Reilly, Harry Sternberg, and the great watercolour teacher, John MacPherson. These were great years for the Art Students’ League, which had attracted a large number of European Jewish artists who fled the Nazi terror during the 1930s. David returned to Halifax and pursued a career in the visual arts as both an artist and as the owner and operator of an art gallery, the Halifax Art Centre, located on Quinpool Road.

As an artist, David worked in several media, including oil, watercolour, and pastel. His preferred medium was pastel, and he was awarded the title of Premier Pastellist of Canada by the Pastel Society of Canada.

David was represented by Zwicker’s Gallery, and he exhibited widely in Canada and in New York. His work has been included in such major exhibitions as the Montreal Spring Show, the Ontario Society of Artists exhibitions, and at the Grand Central Galleries in New York. His work may be found in many collections throughout Canada and the United States. Examples of his work are also in the collections of the Government of Nova Scotia, and the Nova Scotia Art Bank.