{"id":89736,"date":"2025-01-17T20:37:13","date_gmt":"2025-01-18T03:37:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/?p=89736"},"modified":"2025-03-17T15:04:52","modified_gmt":"2025-03-17T22:04:52","slug":"for-david-koch-the-best-art-comes-from-a-lifetime-of-preparation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/for-david-koch-the-best-art-comes-from-a-lifetime-of-preparation\/","title":{"rendered":"For David Koch, The Best Art Comes From a Lifetime of Preparation"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Professional<\/p>\n

\u201cThe beginning of the new year is always a good time for me to evaluate the past and to implement new ideas for good business practices, efficiency, and production,\u201d says David Koch, a seasoned artist with an impressive career. At 61, Koch finds himself at what many might consider the twilight of their careers. But for him, this is just the beginning. “‘You are at the end of your career,\u201d a friend recently told him\u2014a statement that hit hard. However, Koch firmly disagrees. \u201cI believe that for many people, if not all of us, the passage of time is invaluable. Skills are developed and refined, life experience is gained, and an artistic voice is discovered only with the passage of time.\u201d<\/h4>\n

For Koch, this stage of life is less a culmination and more a launchpad. \u201cFrom this perspective, I am just now in a position to create some of my best works of art,\u201d he says. \u201cI feel like I am at the beginning of my career and am truly more excited about my creative future than I have ever been.\u201d<\/h4>\n

Koch likens the progression of a painter to three stages: painting what you know, painting what you see, and, finally, painting what you feel. \u201cI feel like I am just starting to enter the third stage,\u201d he explains. \u201cI am now able to use the knowledge and skills developed over a lifetime to convey ideas that have also been refined and clarified with the passage of time in a way that is beautiful and visually compelling.\u201d<\/h4>\n

At the heart of Koch\u2019s enthusiasm is a constant drive to evolve. \u201cI am very excited about where my artistic style is right now and how this will influence future pieces,\u201d he says. \u201cThe anticipation of what can be created in the future is what helps artists push through the long hours, creative blocks, self-doubt, and time needed to become the artist he or she wants to become.\u201d<\/h4>\n

In an effort to examine his practice and purpose, some time ago Koch asked himself, \u201cWhat would I paint if I was independently wealthy and could paint anything I wanted?” After careful consideration he realized not much would change. “I am currently doing what I am compelled to do. However, I would ‘experiment’ more.” As a result he began meeting with three other artists on a monthly basis to discuss art, ideas, philosophy, books, travels and more. “We give each other assignments that push us to learn new things a make new discoveries. For example, creating a painting using only specific pigments, or creating a painting with a specified number of strokes. These gatherings have helped me realize how much more there is to learn and discover especially with new technology that provides us with a scope of art and ideas never before imagined.”<\/h4>\n
\"Impressionistic

David Koch, “Early Spring,” oil on panel, 20×20 in.<\/p><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Impressionistic

David Koch, “Quirinale,” oil on panel, 20×24 in.<\/p><\/div>\n

Koch\u2019s passion for painting is a daily practice, enhanced by tools that keep him inspired, such as podcasts. \u201cListening to podcasts while I paint has given me some great ideas that I am eager to try.\u201d This combination of curiosity and discipline allows him to stay focused and optimistic. \u201cIn short, it seems that right now the artistic stars are aligned for me, and the future seems bright and exciting.\u201d<\/h4>\n

Reflecting on his artistic journey, Koch notes that he never tires of the creative process. \u201cI will never tire\u2014or retire, for that matter\u2014of the process that is started by putting a blank canvas on the easel.\u201d<\/h4>\n

With a career spanning decades, Koch\u2019s work has reached prestigious heights. His painting “The Golden Road,” commemorating the 150th anniversary of the transcontinental railroad, was recently added to the State of Utah\u2019s Alice Merrill Horne Collection. Other works can be found in the collections of notable figures, including former Vice President Dick Cheney, former Utah Governor Mike Leavitt, and Senator Mike Lee. His large-scale murals, such as those in the Utah State Capitol House of Representatives, further cement his legacy.<\/h4>\n

Still, Koch sees his greatest work as yet to come. \u201cThe passage of time, instead of diminishing me, has prepared me to create some of the most meaningful work of my life.\u201d For David Koch, the beginning of the rest of his life is right now.<\/h4>\n
\"Artist's

David Koch’s studio and gallery in Logan, Utah (2600 N Main, Suite 105)<\/p><\/div>\n

You can view more of the artist’s work at davidkochartist.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n

All images courtesy of the artist.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u201cThe beginning of the new year is always a good time for me to evaluate the past and to implement new ideas for good business practices, efficiency, and production,\u201d says David Koch, a seasoned artist with an impressive career. At 61, Koch finds himself at what many might […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1601,"featured_media":89739,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_piecal_is_event":false,"_piecal_start_date":"","_piecal_end_date":"","_piecal_is_allday":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[14,2204],"tags":[4664],"class_list":["post-89736","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-visual_arts","category-whats-new","tag-david-koch"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Early-Spring.jpeg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-05-05 23:11:44","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/89736","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1601"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=89736"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/89736\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":91364,"href":"https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/89736\/revisions\/91364"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/89739"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=89736"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=89736"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=89736"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}