David Levy was born in Manhattan and grew up on Long Island. He was an Optical artist at age fifteen, inspired after attending “The Responsive Eye,” the first Optical Art exhibit in this country in April 1965 at the Museum of Modern Art.  By the time he graduated Lehigh University in 1972, he had moved from an interest in Architecture/Urban Planning to Art History/Studio Art, and had established his hard-edged style, “Engineered Abstraction.”

            Years later, with a major in Fine Arts, a Masters+30 in Art History, six years as an college Instructor in Art History, and certification as a Teacher of Art and Elementary Education, he used the skills and knowledge he acquired to help him create and teach Gifted and Enrichment programming for Elementary age students; from the Gifted to those with Special Needs, for twenty-seven years. He repeatedly developed lessons in the Visual Arts--painting, sculpture, and architecture, to help make concepts across all subject areas more understandable. The hands-on approach he regularly employed kept children engaged and made learning fun and enduring.

            David has been the recipient of grants, teaching, research, and travel fellowships, and numerous statewide awards including the Outstanding Educator Award from Very Special Arts New Jersey, The Governor’s Award in Arts Education, and ASAH’s New Jersey Educator of the Year.  In 1999 he received the National Educator of the Year award from NAPSEC.

            David resigned his teaching position in August 2012 and joined the Guild of Creative Art in Shrewsbury, New Jersey shortly thereafter. Since 2013, he has had seven solo or two- person shows, the latest of which, “Order Please,” was on view through July 2022 at the Ocean County Artists’ Guild in Island Heights, New Jersey.

            Serving as President and Co-President of the Guild of Creative Art since 2014, he has created an educational program at the Guild which features a Docent Tour/Presentation modified to serve the needs of elementary age students, adults, adults with developmental, physical and learning disabilities, adults with Autism and Seniors with cognitive and/or memory impairment.  He regularly presents to professional groups as well.   

            David has served as a judge for professional organizations, including Belmar Arts, the Guild of Creative Art, and the Art Society of Monmouth County. He has judged artwork by High School students at the Teen Arts Festival and Rumson-Fair Haven High School, as well as for Middle School and Elementary school students. As Chair of the Guild’s October Open Juried Show, he has hired many judges and gained insight about their criteria for excellence. He brings a lifetime of experiences to each of his presentations.