About Dave
Through Mike's mentorship, I discovered that making art is a lot like fishing: part skill, part instinct, and a whole lot of trust in the unknown.
After more than 30 years in urban redevelopment, I've learned that art is often the first force to breathe new life into forgotten places. Along the way, I was fortunate to reconnect with internationally recognized Dayton artist Mike Elsass, and through his mentorship, I discovered that making art is a lot like fishing: part skill, part instinct, and a whole lot of trust in the unknown.
Mike taught me to see how color and texture can cast deep into memory, emotion, and meaning. The Art in Fishing grew from that lesson, a collection of works that explore the inherent beauty of fish species through dynamic, abstract compositions on weathered steel, using layered acrylics.
Each piece captures the distinctive patterns and colors of a fish in a way that honors both its natural essence and the thrill of the catch. A resin finish seals each work, preserving the moment as if the fish had just been lifted from the water.
This body of work connects the wild places I love with the creative spirit I've always carried. Fishing has taken me to quiet waters and crashing surf, to sunrise solitude and shared laughter. It's deepened my connection to nature and brought me closer to friends, family, and myself.
I work on weathered steel because the surface carries its own history before the first brushstroke. The rust, the texture, the weight of the material all become part of the work. I've never wanted the paintings to look like illustrations, I want them to feel like memory.
The Lodge
Our Gallery, Studio & Gathering Place
The Lodge is a place to show, create, teach, share, relax, and inspire.
The Lodge is located at the Dayton Arcade, a building that served as the central marketplace for the region in the early 1900s. Our gallery and studio is positioned on Main Street, the third addition to the Arcade Arts District that seems to be emerging.
Today, Main Street is very quiet, impacted greatly by COVID. Nearly all the office towers along Main have a very high vacancy rate which ultimately translates into vacant storefronts. We see that as an opportunity, not an obstacle.
The Lodge is an old Subway space that has some remaining kitchen elements. The plan is to partner with other artists, local chefs, caterers, and event coordinators to program this gallery into the beginnings of changing a quiet first floor into a vibrant Main Street location.
The space is organized around the work itself. The Trout Art Area anchors one corner. The Main Gathering Area holds the Salmon and Saltwater pieces around a large reclaimed wood table. The Smalls Area features intimate works. The Fish Market and Fly Shop Display brings the culture of the sport into the room. And the Outdoor Gallery Courtyard opens to warm water art in the open air.
Come find us at 47 S Main Street. The door is open.
Fish on.
Commissions
Your Fish, Your Story
I take a small number of commissions each year. Every commission begins with a conversation, about the fish, the water, the day it happened. The painting comes from that story. If you have a fish / adventure worth remembering, I'd like to hear about it.