About / CV
Hi, I'm David.
I'm a muralist and contemporary painter based in Liberty Hill, Texas. I was raised in the Midwest, earned my BFA at Northern Illinois University in 2003, and spent many years working as an engineer and project manager before painting full time. Now I make my home in the Texas Hill Country.
My work moves between human emotion, transformation, and the line between self and environment, often in immersive, neon-lit or dreamlike color. On walls I work with airbrush gradients, brush detailing and projection mapping, and I still make gallery work for private collectors.
Community is a big part of why I paint. Live festival walls, Austin's Hidden Art Hunt and #FreeArtFriday are my way of saying thank you to the places that have welcomed me.
Artist CV
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Selected commissions & public murals
- 2026 · Small Town Big Heart, Parkers Mercantile, Downtown Liberty Hill, TX. City of Liberty Hill commission (Experience LHTX / Community Engagement). Large-scale civic mural, 20' x 65'. Completed October 2026.
- 2026 · Whimsy & Wonder 2026, Live Festival Mural. City of Liberty Hill commission, Liberty Hill, TX. Live mural, 8' x 8', acrylic on plywood, painted before festival attendees.
- 2026 · EMPHASIS: A Mural Project, Alliance for the Arts. ZigZag Mural Wall, Fort Myers, FL. Two exhibition murals, on view through 2026; one of 13 artists selected via open call (opened January 9, 2026).
- 2026 · Remote Finance Group Corporate Office Mural, International Plaza, Fort Worth, TX. Indoor mural, 9' x 23', acrylic and airbrush.
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Exhibitions 2026
- 2026–28 · People's Gallery, Art in Public Places, Austin City Hall (opened October 2, 2026)
- 2026 · Austin Studio Tour, Featured Individual Artist (Almost Real Things · Vibehaus)
- 2026 · Bank of the Arts National Juried Exhibition, New Bern, NC
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Selected 2025 exhibitions & publications
- Gallerium, Grand Art Prize
- Exhibizone, Grand Prize (12th edition)
- Artistonish Contemporary Art Magazine, Issue 60
- Observica Magazine, Issue 32
- Artweek
- Fire, Unreal, Portraits 2025, Believe 2025, True Beauty and It's Time 2025
- Existence: Birth, Life, Death (Exhibizone, Vancouver)
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Press
- Williamson County Sun · “50 years of art: Muralists, sculptures celebrate Liberty Hill through art festival” (Oct 8, 2026)
- The Liberty Hill Independent · Small Town Big Heart (Sep 30, 2026); Whimsy & Wonder photo gallery (May 23, 2026, syndicated by the Killeen Daily Herald); Whimsy & Wonder muralist announcement (Apr 3, 2026)
- Voyage Austin · interview (Jul 8, 2026)
- WGCU (PBS & NPR for Southwest Florida) · Jun 1 and Jan 20, 2026
- Artistonish · artist profile (Jul 2025)
- City of Liberty Hill release (Sep 23, 2026) · Alliance for the Arts announcement (Jan 9, 2026)
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Education
- 2003 · Bachelor of Fine Arts, Northern Illinois University
- Ongoing mural and airbrush practice, 2003–present
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Qualifications & materials
- $2M general liability insurance (current policy)
- OSHA 10-hour certified
- Certified 3A/3B aerial lift operator
- Low-VOC water-based acrylics compatible with LEED v4.1 ID+C
- UV-stable pigments, breathable sealers, surface prep for concrete and brick
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Community
- Austin's Hidden Art Hunt
- #FreeArtFriday
- Live mural painting and meet-the-artist events at community festivals
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City commissions
Two murals for the City of Liberty Hill in 2026.
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In the press
Williamson County Sun, The Liberty Hill Independent, Voyage Austin, WGCU (PBS & NPR) and Artistonish.
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$2M liability insurance
Current general liability policy.
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Lift & safety certified
OSHA 10-hour certified · 3A/3B aerial lift operator.
Have a wall in mind?
Tell me about your space, your community and your timeline. I read every inquiry myself and will get back to you personally.
or email davidneeldstudio@gmail.com