David Wright is best known for his paintings of the early American frontier and the people who shaped it. Historical accuracy is extremely important to David.

He researches his subjects through primary and secondary written sources, as well as through material culture that he personally collects or that he finds in museum collections. In addition to these more traditional research avenues, Wright also takes time to immerse himself in lifeways of the frontiersmen he paints. He refers to his hands-on research as "reliving history," rather than reenacting it. His goal is to gain a deeper understanding of how frontiersmen lived by going out into the wilderness, using authentic tools and gear of the period.

Wright's career as an artist has spanned nearly 60 years. He continues to find inspiration in the land around his home and the history of the region. He finds great satisfaction in the process of researching a particular period of history that has captured his imagination, and then translating it into a visual medium. He hopes to share that satisfaction - and the experience of history - with those who view his paintings.

Raised in Kentucky and Tennessee, today he and his wife Jane, live just outside of Nashville, Tennessee.

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Illini Warrior
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