David Silverberg

David Silverberg was born in Montreal in 1936 to parents who emigrated from Ciechanowa, Poland (his father in 1922, his mother in 1929). His artistic journey began at an early age when he studied under Group of Seven member Arthur Lismer at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. After earning a Bachelor of Arts from McGill University in 1957, Silverberg pursued further artistic education in Paris, studying etching and engraving with William Stanley Hayter at the influential Atelier 17, where he was exposed to notable artists including Max Ernst and Marc Chagall.

Although initially studying to become a geophysicist at McGill, Silverberg chose to pursue art as his career. His professional recognition began in 1960 when his work was exhibited at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts alongside Arthur Lismer's exhibition. Silverberg developed a distinctive style in printmaking, reviving the classic "burin" technique dating back to the 1400s. His work features recurring themes such as lovers, animals, women, birds, dancers, and exotic locations, reflecting his extensive travel experiences.

In 1963, Silverberg was invited to establish a printmaking department at Mount Allison University in New Brunswick, where he taught for 32 years (1963-1995). Following this tenure, he served as artist-in-residence at Acadia University in Wolfville, Nova Scotia from 1995 to 2000. His academic contributions have influenced thousands of students throughout his teaching career.

Silverberg's work has received significant recognition within the art community. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts in London in 1986 and appointed to the Royal Canadian Academy (RCA) in 1994. His art has been featured in over 200 solo exhibitions across North America and internationally. In 1991 and 1992, the Chinese government invited him to travel, work, teach, and exhibit throughout China. His prints appear in more than 25 public, government, and corporate collections, and have been included in group exhibitions alongside work by renowned artists such as Salvador Dalí, Pablo Picasso, Joan Miró, and Marc Chagall.

Throughout his career, Silverberg has explored various media beyond printmaking, including batik, ceramics, and photography. His Jewish heritage has influenced his artistic approach, particularly in his illustrations for "The Song of Songs" and "The Psalms of David" (1967). Silverberg's work is characterized by a balance between realism and fantasy, with intricate, overlapping imagery that creates depth and visual complexity. He and his wife Yvette reside in Wolfville, Nova Scotia, where he maintains his studio.