David
LaPlaca
Draw • Cut • Paste • Quilt
Designer, teacher, and weekend quilter, David creates works of art for kids, home, and sacred celebrations.
Liturgical Art
Advent Banner
Advent Banner with Jesse Tree Ornaments
for Immanuel Presbyterian Church 2024. Size 6’ x 17’
I created the advent banner to be interactive. Each Jesse Tree ornament and nativity figure is removable and may be added to the background layer during the weeks of Advent. Everyone arrives to Bethlehem for Christmas.
Papier Mache Nativity
I collected church bulletins for a few weeks before Advent to create a group of nativity figures. I recently added a group of kings that make their way to the Christ child.
Pentecost Banners
Layers of sheer polyester fabric form the shape and wings of the dove banner. Repeating the wing outline suggests a bit of movement as it is lit from the window.
I purchased a few rolls of plastic cloth and ran them through my band saw. They make up the criss-cross strips of color draped from the celling. The cross banners were created by some expert quilters from our church.
Art Quilts
Know Thyself
Teaching art to kids keeps me young. We often feel disjointed and broken up inside even though we look put together on the outside. This creature shares his inner self in the self portrait called Know Thyself.
Don’t Practice, PLAY!
Playing the harp is challenging—especially with extra large hands. What’s important is sharing the pleasure of making music with others. Learning difficult things is challenging, but if you love what you do enough to have fun along the way you will certainly make good progress.
Opera!
In high school, I worked at an art gallery. Every Saturday, while framing and matting pictures, I tuned the radio to Live at the Met. I listened to world class singers and learned about opera. I imagine the tragic life of a broken hearted squirrel—a tenor perhaps.
Making friends can be difficult. All of the creatures here are reaching out and making contact with a creature in an adjacent square. It’s great to learn about differing art forms and see how art, music, and stories can touch and inspire our imaginations.
Making Connections
Up and down, all around
Thinking about which side is up, I conceived of a series of quilts that can be viewed from many directions. Looking straight at the picture or tucked underneath, either will work.
Classroom
Looking at examples of Greek pottery, I found an image of a greek warrior that I turned into a classroom mascot. Instead of a spear, he is holding a large paint brush and palette.
For the modern era, I created a city scape loaded with artists hiding in the windows of the skyscrapers. The kids loved finding each artist we discussed in class.
The train in my classroom is filled with art supplied and famous artists like Bob Ross—my tribute to Mr. Rogers.
Each year, I like to make something that will epitomize the era that we focus on for the year—a castle for medieval times, a ship for the age of exploration, and stained glass windows to cover my classroom windows as we study early Christian art.
I discovered a large frame left on a curb and covered in snow. I gleaned the treasure and turned in it into a mini theater. I built a French artist puppet who curates a small collection of art works. Claude occasionally talks to me about art and ideas. He is very high minded and often rude, but it’s nice to talk to another adult when I’m teaching.
CONTACT
I’m available for original commissions or consultations. If you’re interested in my limited stock of works, feel free to let me know.
