User:Cowboysy/sandbox

David Christopher Syers

Born: February 3, 1951 Trenton, New Jersey USA

Education: BA Fine Arts, Education Minor Dominican College, Racine, WI

Primary Talent: Artist & Graphic Designer (35+ years)

Additional Employment History:
 * Information Technology Project Manager
 * IT Network Director
 * Novel Network Administrator
 * Private Investigator
 * County Investigator
 * Prison Guard
 * Park Nursery Worker
 * Supermarket Stocker/Bagger

Disabled: 2007

Retired: North Central Florida 2012

Born to an Irish Father (John D. Syers) and a Chinese Mother (Cynthia Hsu Syers), David grew up in Washington Crossing Titusville, NJ. He was the oldest son with two younger brothers and an older sister. His Father was in law enforcement most of his life and retired as Chief of Forensic Sciences from the Mercer County Prosecutors Office. His Mother met his Father in Tokyo, Japan during the occupation where she was about to enter medical college to be a doctor. Falling in love they married and after their first child, moved to America. His Mother retired from the NJ Department of Pensions where she was the Chief of her section.

As a young boy, David was always drawing...he love art. He received his high school diploma from Hopewell Valley Central High (1968) and attended the College of Artesia, Artesia, NM (1968 - 1970) then transferred to Dominican College, Racine, WI (1971 - 1972) where he received his Bachelor of Arts.

For the next several years he entered law enforcement but after a major automobile accident, that nearly cost him his life, he left law enforcement and embraced the art world after leaving the hospital and recuperating from his injuries. For the next 20 years David worked his way up from a Paste-up Artist to Art Director and freelanced graphic design on the side. With the advent of the computer he self taught computor aided graphic design being able to see the limitatons of board art. After marriage and four children later, David switched from art to the world of information technology in order to advance quicker in position and salary. He was forced to retire as an IT Project Manager due to disability in 2007.

In Fine Art, David divides his time between pen & ink illustrations (with and without color washes), colored pencil & pastel drawings, fine gourd art, and photography.

In Graphic Design, he specializes in end-to-end branding and corporate identity solutions – from logo design to billboards – his design expertise includes advertising, logo design, business cards, brochures, newsletters, collateral materials, and large-format promotional graphics.

In the world of Photography, David has specialized in stunningly beautiful photographs of horses, nature, and scenic environments that evoke emotion and speak to the heart.

His eye-catching handcrafted gourds are created utilizing various skills in carving, painting, pyrography, horse-hair braiding, and coiling. As gourds are wonderfully individual, each having its own characteristics – with no two are alike – David creates custom fine art bowls, vessels, urns, and vases ranging from Contemporary to European to Asian to Southwestern in creative designs. It is his joint experience as a Artist and Graphic Designer that David’s inspirations come to life in his handcrafted gourds, beautiful illustrations, and breath-taking photography. When signing his work, David often utilized the nom de plume "Sy" or he used a Japanese Hanko Stamp "Hsu Syers" in Kanji lettering.

David was raised a Roman Catholic but became a Born-again Christian after accepting Jesus Christ as his Lord and Saviour in the Spring of 1987. After attending a fundamental Baptist Church for several years he became a lay-preacher at a Southern NJ Nursing Home for 14 years and the JR Church Leader at his church for 12 years. He learned Sign Language in order to reach the deaf and taught Deaf Bible Sunday School for 5 years while interpreting the evening services at his church during that same period. His four children (Vincent, Pamela, Elizabeth, & Erica) are all Born-again Christians and are all married and have given him 10 grandchildren as of 2015.

Living now in North Central Florida he spends his days with his life partner, Valerie Frederick, on their horse farm with their 5 horses, 3 dogs and 2 cats. David works in his studio producing art and going to art/craft fairs...when he's not horseback riding, target shooting, or out fishing.