David Packer

Biography

David Packer was born in England and now lives in New York, where he has a studio in Long Island City.  He has had one-person shows in New York, Chicago, Miami and numerous group shows.  As well as making sculpture from wood and ceramic, his practice includes drawing, collage and most recently artist books.  He has been in residence at the MacDowell Colony, Yaddo and the Kohler Arts/Industry program. He also was a recipient of a senior Fulbright Scholar Award for research in Morocco. His work is in several public collections including the Museum of Art and Design, New York; the Carnegie Museum of Art, PA; the Brooklyn Arts Library; the John Michael Kohler Art Center, WI; and the Miami Dade Public Library System, FL.

Q + A

What have you been doing since graduating from FSU?

I graduated in 1994 and moved directly to New York City, where I have been working and showing ever since. In the last 20 years, I have worked as a metal fabricator, teacher (kindergarten and MFA levels), art handler and self employed business owner.

What did you learn at FSU to get you there?

What I learnt at FSU was how to be an artist and how to make professional level work.  During the period 1992-4, the emphasis was on the artwork, not with professional development, how to work with galleries, image management or anything like that.  I do not feel as if I missed out though because those are skills you can pick up a long the way.

What advice would you give to art students?

Every artist needs a job, so art students should develop a marketable skill that they can use once they’re out of school.  If I were in school now, I would learn some computer skills or coding.