David Alexander, Shalmeerhee, discovered the joy of painting at age 11 when his best friend’s father introduced him to landscape painting. David is a graduate of the Ontario College of Art and the University of Toronto. For several years, he was a participating artist-fellow of the Patmos Workshop and Gallery, and later of the Alpha Gallery, exhibiting throughout southern Ontario.
He has exhibited his work in many group and solo shows including: Patmos Gallery, Toronto; Alpha Gallery, Toronto; Mimico Centennial Library, Toronto; North American Black Historical Museum, Amherstburg, Belleville Public Library Gallery, Belleville, Muskoka Place Gallery, Muskoka; Expressions juried show, Belleville; ArtPlus, Belleville, and as a long-time member of Gallery One-Twenty-One. Beyond Ontario, his work was seen at Scott-McKinnis Gallery, Richmond, Virginia; Artisans du Monde, Montreal, Quebec, and Edifice Belgo, Montreal Quebec;
Extensive world travel has taken him to many locations around the globe including Europe, the middle East and the Far East. His hand-painted cards have been presented to Pope John Paul II and religious leaders of both the Jewish and Muslim faiths in Jerusalem. David is primarily a painter working in egg tempera, oil, acrylic, charcoal and encaustic. He also creates sculptures from found objects and from clay. He changes medium when it suits his subject matter, theme, and mood. He uses oils to paint alla prima outdoors and uses encaustic, charcoal or egg tempera for allegories.
In 1982, the construction of an aesthetically-based language called Yan’kahba led him to invent and choose the name Shalmeerhee, which when translated means love-light. He has been teaching art since 1979.
Artist Statement
Haiku: I wish to transform paint into meditation through one pure marking.
He has exhibited his work in many group and solo shows including: Patmos Gallery, Toronto; Alpha Gallery, Toronto; Mimico Centennial Library, Toronto; North American Black Historical Museum, Amherstburg, Belleville Public Library Gallery, Belleville, Muskoka Place Gallery, Muskoka; Expressions juried show, Belleville; ArtPlus, Belleville, and as a long-time member of Gallery One-Twenty-One. Beyond Ontario, his work was seen at Scott-McKinnis Gallery, Richmond, Virginia; Artisans du Monde, Montreal, Quebec, and Edifice Belgo, Montreal Quebec;
Extensive world travel has taken him to many locations around the globe including Europe, the middle East and the Far East. His hand-painted cards have been presented to Pope John Paul II and religious leaders of both the Jewish and Muslim faiths in Jerusalem. David is primarily a painter working in egg tempera, oil, acrylic, charcoal and encaustic. He also creates sculptures from found objects and from clay. He changes medium when it suits his subject matter, theme, and mood. He uses oils to paint alla prima outdoors and uses encaustic, charcoal or egg tempera for allegories.
In 1982, the construction of an aesthetically-based language called Yan’kahba led him to invent and choose the name Shalmeerhee, which when translated means love-light. He has been teaching art since 1979.
Artist Statement
Haiku: I wish to transform paint into meditation through one pure marking.