David Ireland

(American, born 1930, died 2009)

Artist David Ireland (1930-2009) created conceptual, site-specific installations. His artworks explore architectural elements and minimalist forms. His self-professed motto was “You can’t make art by making art.”

Ireland grew up in Bellingham, Northwestern Washington. He studied at Western Washington University, then transferred to the California College of Arts and Crafts where he earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree (1953) in theater, industrial arts, and printmaking. He was drafted and served two years in the U.S. Army from 1956-58. Ireland spent years traveling and working in Europe, Asia, and Africa before finishing his graduate work at the San Francisco Art Institute in 1974 on the G.I. Bill. He lived the rest of his life in San Francisco, California.