David Hanes

How did you get into making art?

I grew up in a creative family—my mother’s a painter, my father’s a chef and musician, and my brothers work in film and music—so art was always part of everyday life. I spent most of my youth making music, and when I turned to visual art, it began with images and conceptual practice, only shifting into painting later in life.

What are you currently working on?

I’ve just returned from Murnau am Staffelsee, where Gabriele Münter and Wassily Kandinsky lived during the Der Blaue Reiter years. I retraced their paths, revisited their compositions, and explored the Münter House—a rare and moving connection to their process.

What inspired you to get started on this body of work?

My work grows from a lifelong rhythm of movement and travel. As a kid we’d travel to the US to visit family, and from that I think evolved an impulse to explore, listen, and connect. I see art as a vehicle for embodied connection, and that desire drives me.

Do you work on distinct projects or do you take a broader approach to your practice?

I work in a broader, cyclical way—beginning with drawings from life as field research, then revisiting them in the studio or on residency, in an inhale/exhale process between observation and reflection.

What’s a typical day like in your studio?

I start with sketches made outdoors, then in the studio, I layer paint with patience and openness, building depth and aliveness until the work resonates with the vitality of its source.

Who are your favorite artists?

I’m influenced by early modern painters like Matisse, Morandi, Gauguin, Munch, as well as later ones like Diebenkorn, Frankenthaler, and Richard Mayhew. If pressed, I’d choose Gauguin or Bonnard, and among living artists, Heidrun Rathgeb and Sky Glabush.

Where do you go to discover new artists?

I discover new artists through studio visits, conversations, and exchanges with peers and mentors across cities. I also read widely, visit museums and galleries, and stay curious—taking notes from everything from podcasts to chance recommendations.