Artist Larkins to speak, paint Tuesday at MCCC

Suzanne Nolan Wisler, The Monroe News
·4 min read

MONROE — David Larkins is getting a third opportunity to be a visiting artist at Monroe County Community College.

The local award-winning painter and MCCC alum presented his watercolors at MCCC in 1980 and his acrylics in 2014. This year, he’ll present his oils.

On Tuesday, Larkins will give a presentation and a workshop/oil painting demonstration at MCCC, 1555 S. Raisinville Road. His work will be on display Tuesday through March 27 at MCCC. All events are free, and the public is welcome.

Larkins' lecture, set for 6:30-8 p.m. Feb. 27 in the La-Z-Boy Center atrium, covers most of his lifelong career and is dedicated to one of his mentors.

“I will be presenting a PowerPoint slideshow, ‘My Artistic Journey.’ It will cover my early years as a 7-year-old through my private tutoring, into my college years, learning watercolor and mixed media, back to acrylics and to present day, painting in oils. It also will show my major accomplishments and awards," Larkins said. "I will be dedicating the lecture to Ted Vassar, who passed away in December. He was an art professor at MCCC for 47 years. Between Ted and Gary Wilson, they made a profound difference in my art career. I wouldn’t be here today without them."

At Feb. 27's workshop, attendees and Larkins will paint a work inspired by Claude Monet's "Water Lilies." This is Larkins' version of "Water Lilies."
At Feb. 27's workshop, attendees and Larkins will paint a work inspired by Claude Monet's "Water Lilies." This is Larkins' version of "Water Lilies."

The workshop/demonstration will take place from 1:30 to 4 p.m. Feb. 27 in Founders Hall (Room F 126). Larkins, Professor Therese O’Halloran’s painting class and Monroe Art League members will guide attendees in creating a piece inspired by Claude Monet's "Water Lilies."

Painters must bring their own supplies: a 16" x 20" or 18" x 24" canvas and acrylic paints in white, green gold, hookers green, hookers green deep, magenta medium, prism violet, yellow light and pyrrole red. Larkins recommends Liquitex heavy body paint.

Larkins' art will then be on display in MCCC's Campbell Academic Center library. Viewing hours are 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays and 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Fridays.

Larkins
Larkins

“I will be displaying a mix of watercolors, acrylics and oils, from college days to present; 13 originals," Larkins said.

Larkins has been an artist most of his life. He won his first best of show award at age 16. From 1978-80, he attended MCCC and received a bachelor's degree in management from Baker College. He had a 34-year career as a graphic illustrator at Ford Motor Co.

His work has been featured at solo exhibitions in Michigan and Ohio and at several juried exhibitions, including “The Best of America Exhibit" at the Toledo Museum of Art and The Butler Institute of American Art. His work has been featured in "Artist Magazine," and he's exhibited at many fine art fairs, such as the Ann Arbor Summer Art Fair and the Krasl Art on the Bluff. He is an honorary lifetime member of the Monroe Art League and a former member of the Monroe Fine Art Fair committee.

Larkins just completed a piece called "The Mourning."

"The painting is a story about the Lindstrom family that lived in a small town, Beechwood, in the Upper Peninsula," Larkins said. "The family was murdered by their son-in-law in 1901. The dove represents their souls flying off to a better place after they were eulogized in the church (depicted in the painting). A sad narrative, the old church and story really hit me."

David Larkins' new work “The Mourning" is shown.
David Larkins' new work “The Mourning" is shown.

Now, he's working on some commission pieces.

"I have a couple commissions to paint, then I’m going to paint this year's entry into the Ducks Unlimited Duck Stamp contest. This year it is a long-tailed duck," Larkins said.

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The Visiting Artist Series at MCCC is sponsored by donors to The Foundation at MCCC's Cultural Enrichment Endowment Fund, including La-Z-Boy, Consumers Energy Foundation, DTE Foundation and First Merchants Bank.

"The college purchases a painting after each presentation," Larkins said. "The artist actually leaves one piece behind after the exhibit is finished. MCCC has one of the top art collections in the state."

Samples of Larkins' work can be found on David Larkins' Art Studio on Facebook and at absolutearts.com/portfolios/d/davidlarkins.

— Contact reporter Suzanne Nolan Wisler at swisler@monroenews.com.

This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Artist Larkins to speak, paint Tuesday at MCCC