David Buckley
David’s exhibit, Cosmic Cat and Other Colorful Characters from Beyond, is on display April 25 through May 30, 2026.
David Buckley is a child of the '80s who grew up with a head full of dreams and immersed in the worlds of sci-fi, superheroes, Saturday morning cartoons, and all things pop culture.
His creative inclinations began at an early age. As a young child, if he wasn’t drawing pictures of his favorite characters from TV shows of the time, like Voltron, The Super Friends, or Looney Tunes, he was building makeshift robots from household objects or crafting fantastical worlds with his action figures.
David later studied Fine Art at the University of Akron. This is where he discovered his love for watercolor. Drawn to its loose, expressive nature, he describes the medium as a form of “controlled chaos,” balancing intention with spontaneity. Over time, he has carried these qualities into other mediums, blending them with his early pop culture influences to develop his signature style of bold, loose linework and playful washes of color.
In 1999, David began a fulfilling career in the theme park design industry in Orlando, creating graphics, environments, and artwork, for a Global entertainment company. Working with beloved classic characters, he helps shape immersive spaces that bring joy to thousands of visitors. This experience has deeply influenced his personal work, where he strives to capture that same sense of charm and delight.
Today, his artwork blends fun and whimsy with the nostalgic, pulling from his loves of pop culture, fantasy, and storytelling. Each piece offers a glimpse into a playful world—sometimes lived, sometimes imagined, and is often filled with his own cast of indelible characters.
