David Pearson
Born in 1939, in Madison, Wisconsin, David Pearson is an American painter, printmaker, stained glass artist, and sculptor whose multidisciplinary practice explores the intersection of abstraction and natural forms. Trained as a fine artist, Pearson is widely recognized for his inventive fiberglass animal sculptures—playful, vividly colored figures known as Beasties—which have become iconic in both public and private collections worldwide.
Pearson earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Layton School of Art in Milwaukee, where he specialized in painting and printmaking. He was awarded a scholarship to the Ox-Bow Summer School of Painting in Saugatuck, Michigan in 1961 and 1962, and continued his education at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts and the University of Wisconsin–Madison. As a student, he received first prize in painting from the Wisconsin Painters and Sculptors Association. He later taught stained glass at the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 1981.
While Pearson has exhibited extensively in both solo and group exhibitions, his most enduring and widely recognized contribution is the Beastie—a sculptural series originating from childhood cartoon sketches that evolved into three-dimensional forms. Initially modeled in papier-mâché, the first Beastie was later developed in fiberglass with technical assistance from his brother, a fiberglass specialist. These sculptures are characterized by their exuberant color, stylized forms, and whimsical character, bridging the boundaries between fine art, design, and popular culture.
The Beasties have been installed in public spaces across the United States and internationally, including in Belgium, Israel, New Zealand, and Mexico. Despite his achievements in painting and stained glass, it is through these works that Pearson has reached his broadest audience, appealing to both children and adults with a visual language that is both sophisticated and accessible.
Pearson’s career reflects a uniquely Midwestern synthesis of craftsmanship, humor, and abstraction—anchored in a formal fine arts education but animated by a commitment to creativity without boundaries.
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