The CSGA Links Volume 5 Issue 2 June 2017 | Page 22

Q&A
with David Lussier
Q: When did you first realize you had talent and a real gift?
A: I was constantly drawing as a child and found myself focusing more and more
on my art during high school. Two extremely talented art teachers in school
acknowledged my talent and gave me the encouragement to move forward with
it. Then in my third year of College, I had a professor who pulled me aside one
day and very candidly let me know that I wasn’t working up to my full potential in
painting. He helped me realize that I had a special gift as a painter.
Q: Early on, did you have any hesitancy in displaying your work, or were you both
confident and eager to share your work publicly?
A: I’ve always had a belief in myself and was eager to share my work publicly, but
luckily, I also had a wise and trusted mentor, who made me realize that I needed
to hone and perfect my craft before seeking gallery representation and putting my
work out there in the public eye.
Q: As a landscape impressionist, was it a logical step to paint golf courses, or was
there a particular reason or event that led you to paint golf courses?
A: Yes, a golf course is a beautiful natural landscape and logically would be
attractive to a landscape painter. I grew up playing golf and in my minds eye, I’ve
always painted a lot of the beauty I see as I go through a round. As an artist, I can’t
escape that and I wouldn’t want to. It pretty much happens everywhere I go.
Q: How did you come to be commissioned by the USGA to paint Oakmont in 2016
and now Erin Hills in 2017? Did they discover you, or did you reach out to them?
A: I was commissioned by the USGA to paint the 13th Ho