One of David Plant’s creative passion is relief printmaking. His creative process in relief printmaking is fascinating to watch. He has an image in his head and does very little sketching of  the image before he starts chipping away at the linoleum. He is totally absorbed in the creative process and allows the piece to reveal itself. David is very meticulous in the print making process from the relief blocks. The blocks are carefully inked together and then each print is made by hand. Printing each piece by hand always presents David with a surprise, as  each piece is unique. David Plant also creates meticulous pen & ink drawings.

David was born and raised in Daly City, a suburb just south of San Francisco. He’s the youngest of four siblings. David’s mother noticed his development was different from his brother and sisters, he was labeled with Autism. David’s early development was further complicated following an accident at 3 years old that resulted in Aphasia. What communication skills he did have were lost. He attended a program at the San Francisco Speech and Hearing Clinic, which specialized in communication disorders. He displayed a remarkable artistic talent at a very young age. He drew pictures that told stories before he could talk; for several years this became his primary way to communicate.

Living near San Francisco David’s family took full advantage of the rich and diverse art community. They frequently attended art exhibits and museums. This encouraged David’s interest in drawing and opened up his interests to try other forms of art; such as painting, ceramics, various techniques in printmaking, and wood carving. David attended Skyline Community College and received his Associate Arts Degree with an emphasis in Fine Arts. 

David Plant moved to Chico, CA in 2006 to live closer to family and to be a part of the large artist community that Chico has to offer. He continues to try new artistic techniques, but his true passion remains with fine art and illustration. One day David would like to illustrate a children’s book and perhaps open his own gallery.

David Plant Folk Art is one of the seven micro businesses part of Adventures in Business, a program by We Care A Lot Foundation, serving people with developmental disabilities. Adventures in Business Program provides supports to enable adults with developmental disabilities to be self-employed.  These supports include employing a business mentor to mentor the business owner on how to start and run a successful micro business. The ultimate goal is for the business owners to have meaningful work that they are proud of and to make enough money to make a positive difference in their lives.  We also hope that people in the community will meet these business owners and change their perceptions of people with developmental disabilities.