ABOUT DAVID
David Kirkman is an internationally selling abstract artist known for bold, immersive mixed-media paintings. His work is a raw, expressive response to life—balancing energy, spontaneity, and emotion. Each piece dives into contrast: freedom and overwhelm, joy and contemplation, chaos and calm.
As a neurodivergent artist (AuDHD), David experiences the world with intensity—fast thoughts, deep feeling, and a constant hum of internal noise. His process is instinctive and intuitive, guided by emotion rather than a plan. Art becomes his way to pause, to breathe, and to turn inner chaos into colour and texture. Having also navigated his own mental health challenges and inner battles, David creates work that celebrates what makes us unique—and what makes us human. His paintings are moments of vulnerability transformed into colour, movement, and optimism.
A passionate scuba diver, David also draws inspiration from the stillness and freedom found underwater. That sense of surrender, of quiet intensity, flows through his work—inviting you into a space where energy meets calm, and chaos becomes beauty.
“To put yourself at the mercy of the ocean is to feel humbled and free. That’s what I try to capture in paint—emotion through brushstrokes, contrast, and colour.”
Whether underwater or on land, his work reflects the wild beauty of life—a space to feel, reflect, and breathe.
David Kirkman is an internationally selling abstract artist known for bold, immersive mixed-media paintings. His work is a raw, expressive response to life—balancing energy, spontaneity, and emotion. Each piece dives into contrast: freedom and overwhelm, joy and contemplation, chaos and calm.
As a neurodivergent artist (AuDHD), David experiences the world with intensity—fast thoughts, deep feeling, and a constant hum of internal noise. His process is instinctive and intuitive, guided by emotion rather than a plan. Art becomes his way to pause, to breathe, and to turn inner chaos into colour and texture. Having also navigated his own mental health challenges and inner battles, David creates work that celebrates what makes us unique—and what makes us human. His paintings are moments of vulnerability transformed into colour, movement, and optimism.
A passionate scuba diver, David draws inspiration from the stillness and freedom found underwater. That sense of surrender, of quiet intensity, flows through his work—inviting you into a space where energy meets calm, and chaos becomes beauty.
“To put yourself at the mercy of the ocean is to feel humbled and free. That’s what I try to capture in paint—emotion through brushstrokes, contrast, and colour.”
Whether underwater or on land, his work reflects the wild beauty of life—a space to feel, reflect, and breathe.
Biography:
David Kirkman (b. 1985) is a self-taught abstract artist based in Rochford, Essex, England. Known for his bold, emotionally charged mixed-media paintings, David’s work explores the tension between chaos and calm, freedom and reflection—often drawing on his experiences as a neurodivergent artist.
In just a few years, David has exhibited widely across the UK. His solo shows include Mind Fizz at The Circle Gallery (Ascot), Herding Cats at 142 Gallery (Felixstowe), and Embracing You—a residency exhibition held at Bannatyne Hotel & Spa (Hastings). He is currently represented by The Circle Gallery, The W Gallery, The Acorn Gallery, Euphoric Arts Gallery, No Naked Walls Gallery, and is a member of the Artisan Collective, an invite-only collective of some of the UK’s Leading artists. His work has also been shown at the prestigious show The Affordable Art Fair, both Battersea and Hampstead.
He has also taken part in exhibitions and Art Fairs at venues such as Truman Brewery (London), Rochester Art Fair, The Pie Factory (Margate), Folkestone Art Gallery, DIG Gallery (Margate), Hype Gallery (Leigh-on-Sea), Liberation Art Gallery (Brighton), Art Space Gallery (Gibraltar), and Bluewater Shopping Centre.
David’s work has been featured in Art & Culture Magazine, Cass Art, Artist Talk Magazine, Collect Art Magazine, and Haus-a-Rest, and is held in private collections across the UK and Europe.
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