David Robert Mullen is an American artist and photographer. His art spans a wide range of styles from realist, to abstraction, to surrealist. David Mullen has practiced fine art photography for over 35 years. He views photography as a great printmaking art and has worked in black and white processes such as Van Dyke brown, platinum, silver gelatin and digital formats. For the last seventeen years, Mullen has dedicated his time to black and white and color photography as well as painting in water media such as watercolor, gouache, and acrylics. Mullen has won numerous awards for his work.
Mullen thinks a person has the right to their spiritual beliefs; he respects this, and believes there is something to glean from all peaceful points of view. Reflection of diverse philosophical viewpoints is to keep an open perspective of the world we live. In his still life portfolio of orchids and other florasâÂÂ, his goal is to use the intense beauty found in the natural world as an expression of the effulgence that is seen in all things.
David has deep feelings about what is going on in the world today and has a keen perspective on religious intolerance, racism, genocide, war and selfish excesses. His recent ArtPrize entry entitled, âÂÂPost Modern Dark Ages,â is a black and white triptych of images depicting war, âÂÂthe haves and have-nots,â and a host of environmental consequences. It is a dark and somewhat humorous commentary. These particular pieces depict controversial personages, both historical and contemporary and the artist's intent is to leave the viewer to contemplate the world we live in.
Digital Prints, âÂÂSan Miguel Good Friday 1âÂÂ, âÂÂSan Miguel Good Friday 2âÂÂ, âÂÂLoretto Good Fridayâ and âÂÂUntitledâ piece jury-selected for 2010 Festival of the Arts, Grand Rapids, Michigan. âÂÂSan Miguel Good Friday 2â received the J. Russell Award for Photographic Excellence and âÂÂLoretto Good Fridayâ received the Bill Pieri Photography Award.
Jury-selected for the Ann Arbor, Michigan Art Fair and Ludington, Michigan Art Fair. Best of Show, Ludington Art Fair 2003
Chromogenic prints, âÂÂVandaâ and âÂÂVanda Mirror Pool,â jury-selected for 2001 Festival of the Arts, Grand Rapids, Michigan. Both received Purchase Awards
Paintings, âÂÂCanonizationâ and âÂÂThree Pearsâ jury-selected for 1998 Festival of the Arts, Grand Rapids, Michigan. âÂÂThree Pearsâ received a Purchase Award
Chromogenic print, âÂÂTulips,â jury-selected for 1997 Festival of the Arts, Grand Rapids, Michigan. Winner of City of Grand Rapids Purchase Award
Chromogenic floral, âÂÂSunflower,â jury-selected for 1996 Festival of the Arts, Grand Rapids, Michigan
Chromogenic floral still life jury-selected for 1995 Festival of the Arts, Grand Rapids, Michigan
Chromogenic print, âÂÂJoshua Tree,â winner of Best Color Photography, 1994 Festival of the Arts, Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Hand-colored oil on silver print, âÂÂThe Climb,â jury-selected for Battle Creek Fine Arts Center exhibit, Battle Creek, Michigan
Silver prints jury-selected for Festival of the Arts âÂÂ90, âÂÂ91, âÂÂ92 and âÂÂ93
âÂÂThe Climb,â Best of Show in county/regional photography exhibit at Grand Rapids Community College, Grand Rapids, Michigan
âÂÂAlly 2,â silver print, selected Best of Show at 1984 Festival of the Arts, Grand Rapids, Michigan
September 22 â October 10 - ArtPrize - Juried triptych of digital photography entitled âÂÂPost Modern Dark Agesâ displayed at Riverview Center Professional Building, Grand Rapids, Michigan
June â Four photography prints jury selected by Grand Rapids Festival of the Arts, Old Federal Building, Grand Rapids, Michigan
Studied digital photography and printmaking. Created portfolios of architectural, Oaxacan, landscapes, abstracts, surrealism and floral art
Exhibited at juried fine art fairs throughout Michigan
July â Exhibit of chromogenic photography, âÂÂOrchid Portfolio,â Good Goods Gallery, Saugatuck, Michigan
JuneâÂÂJuly- Exhibit of chromogenic photography, Four Friends Coffeehouse, Grand Rapids, Michigan
July- Exhibit of chromogenic photography in âÂÂFour Artists Celebrate the Fourth,â Good Goods Gallery, Saugatuck, Michigan
MayâÂÂJune â âÂÂA Dance of Color and Light,â solo show at Frederik Meijer Garden, exhibiting Chromogenic floral prints; Grand Rapids, Michigan
June â Featured artist at Grand Rapids Art Museum Retail Gallery, Grand Rapids, Michigan
October â Featured artist, Gallery Walk, Good Goods Gallery, Saugatuck, Michigan
October â November â Solo show at Frederick Meijer Garden, Grand Rapids, Michigan
August â Three-person exhibit of fine art photography, Ten Weston Gallery, Grand Rapids, Michigan
April â May Chromogenic florals (the âÂÂblooms in Nudes, Bloomsâ¦and All That JazzâÂÂ), San Chez, Grand Rapids, Michigan
October â November â Chromogenic florals and silver print still life studies in âÂÂShooting from the Rapidsâ photography exhibit, LaClaire Fine Arts Gallery, Grand Rapids, Michigan
Solo show of silver prints, âÂÂNot Exactly the Bluesâ Ryerson Gallery, Grand Rapids Public Library, Grand Rapids, Michigan
Joint photography exhibit at Ryerson Gallery, Grand Rapids Public Library, Grand Rapids, Michigan
Warner, Norcross & Judd Corporate Collection, Grand Rapids, Michigan
Haworth, Inc. Corporate Collection, Holland, Michigan
Grand Rapids Community College Science and Technology Center
Loyola University of Chicago, Illinois, Stritch School of Medicine
Private collection of Dieter Noga, Hamburg, Germany
Numerous private collections throughout the United States
Article in Art Business News, âÂÂTrendsetters: Emerging Artists,â October 2001
Chromogenic floral, âÂÂKind of Blue,â April 2001 cover of On The Town magazine, Grand Rapids, Michigan
Chromogenic floral, âÂÂVulcan World,â August 1998 cover of On The Town magazine, Grand Rapids, Michigan
Chromogenic floral, âÂÂGloxinia,â August 1996 cover of On The Town magazine, Grand Rapids, Michigan
Grand Rapids Community College and Grand Valley State University