In late February, after being out of commission for several months, David Hettinger was back working in his studio, creating the wonderfully executed paintings that have earned him a host of awards, as well as inclusion in collections throughout the world. The reason for that interruption in his schedule was a torn ligament that required surgery and almost three weeks in the hospital, followed by months of recuperation at his home in Aurora, Illinois.

That doesn’t mean, however, that Hettinger wasn’t working at his art. He asked fellow artist Walt Gonske and several other artist friends to send him photos of themselves, so he could draw them and continue to fine-tune his skills. He’s now back wielding his paintbrushes, happily bringing to life the figures, still lifes, and landscapes that he seems destined to share with the world.

David Hettinger

Coming of Autumn
Oil
40″x32″

“This was a portrait of my longtime model, Kim. I loved the blue carpet I had in the studio at the time and how it created colors to contrast with her white blouse. Everything else was created from imagination.”

David Hettinger

Red Dress
Colored Pencil
22″x26″

“This is an early drawing of Jordan. She posed live, reading a letter during the entire work. This dress was her favorite at the time. The sketch is done in colored pencil, with pastel added to do the dress justice. I added the abstract background after she left.”