David Lund

David Lund, beloved father of Andrew and Giuliana, father-in-law of Ruti Ben Artzi, and grandfather of Tomer, Sivan, and Oren, passed away peacefully in his sleep at the age of 98. He will be greatly missed by his family, friends, and the art world of New York City and Deer Isle, Maine, to which he contributed so much over his long, rich life.

Born Nathan David Lifschitz, David grew up in the Bronx, the son of Eastern European Jewish immigrants, Isidore and Molly. Though his father was a tailor and his mother worked as a maid, he knew from a young age that he was destined to be a creative artist. He studied painting at Queens College and went on to spend many years visiting the museums and galleries of New York and, through two Fulbright Scholarships, Europe as well. He lived in Rome for two years and developed a lifelong love of Renaissance painting, the Italian language, espresso and great food. Growing out of the abstract expressionist movement of the 1950s, David crafted his own unique artistic vision that evolved over nearly a century of work, including landscape paintings of Maine and Italy, and more recent figurative and expressionistic paintings. His works have been exhibited in galleries in New York and around the United States, and are included in the collections of several modern art museums, including the Whitney Museum of American Art.

David shared his unquenchable love of art and his insight into its form and history with anyone who would listen. He taught studio art full time for many years at Cooper Union, Columbia University, and several other schools. Later, he gave public talks and gave art history classes at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and elsewhere. He continued supporting younger artists throughout his life. He also mesmerized friends, family, and most recently his health care workers, with fascinating and inspiring stories of the art world.

David was always curious and open minded, but never shy with an opinion. He took an interest in the world, embraced people and art from across the globe, and had a keen sense of empathy and commitment to social justice, which he shared with his children. In his later work he addressed issues like war, violence, and police brutality alongside the mysteries of the human experience. His work also expressed his personal loves and losses, particularly of his life partners, Sally Amster Lund and Alice Sandler, who passed before him.

Despite weakening health this past year, David never stopped dreaming, contemplating, and painting. Stories of art were never far from his lips and a paint brush never far from his hands. He remained engaged and productive right to the end, creating small works on paper in his den and sometimes writing commentaries to accompany them. Some of his last works are included in the photos here.

David will be remembered for his great gifts as an artist, his generosity as an instructor, his infectious enthusiasm for discourse, his joyous approach to life, and the love he shared with family and friends. His spirit will continue to shine down on us through his memory and his art.