We had the good fortune of connecting with David Drake and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi David, what are you inspired by?
One of the biggest things that inspire me with my art and my paintings is simply emotions and ego that we all display through our daily lives. I do my best to convey that with my paintings.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My favorite thing about art is to create. I love to get lost in whatever current project I’m working on and really dive deep into the art piece. One thing that has helped me grow from when I started painting is consistent hard work and always wanting to look for new ways to improve. Never being comfortable for too long where you are at. I’m excited for learning more doing more within my abilities in art and growing overall as an artist. It’s never too late to start doing what you truly love to do in life.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Living in salida Colorado there are many mountainous and adventurous things to do, probably through the week we would be hiking, mountain biking, and swimming in the river and then also enjoying the local cuisine which is a lot of good pizza restaurants and Mexican food. Then we can spend most nights checking out the different Hot Springs in the area and also enjoying the wide open night sky. Depending on the season there is either mountain biking or skiing or snowboarding available so depending on when my friend would be showing up that would decide what we would be doing.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I want to give a shout out to my friends and family for always giving me support and surrounding me with the tools to succeed and finally giving me the confidence to keep pushing forward even on my worst days.

Website: Ekardart.com

Instagram: @ekard_pastelworld

Facebook: Charcoalsketch

Youtube: Ekard art

Other: Instagram #2: @charcoalsketch_ekard

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutColorado is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.