David “RC” Oster

David "RC" Oster is a self-taught artist living in Utica, who specializes in ink drawings of nature scenes and architectural landmarks.  He is known for his highly detailed illustrations of farms and barns from the region, many of which have disappeared since he drew them.  An ardent preservationist, he has illustrated hundreds of old homes, mills and barns from the Tug Hill to the Southern Tier, as well as numerous scenes from the western Adirondacks.  All of his drawings are created free-hand in ink, sometimes on site.  He and his work can be seen every summer and autumn at many regional art shows including the Remsen Barn Festival of the Arts, and the Chenango Colorscape Festival in Norwich.  He also has work at Gallery 3040 in Old Forge.

" I spent much of my childhood at my grandparents' potato farm in northern Maine. The farm had been in my mom's family for 150 years – and it looked it. There were apple trees next to my bedroom that had been planted in the early 1800's, warm weathered barns still in use, stone-bordered fields which had been harvested for generations, and a large shadowy attic filled with dusty clocks and toys and tools. The whole place looked and smelled and tasted OLD, and I connected with relatives I'd never meet when I handled their tools or played with their toys.

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I loved my good-humored grandparents, and I loved everything about that farm – from the many daily chores and all the animals, to rainy days spent playing in that attic. Maybe this is why I'm drawn to old barns and farms, and old things in general. When I see a historic house with its original siding and 'gingerbread' trim intact, I see the handiwork of ancestors – and hope for another day. In this fast-paced world of cars and strip malls, there's something calming in an old brick façade, an old metal sign, and old wooden tool, an old glass bottle. The hands of our dead relatives made these things. And these things – these old buildings – were built to last.

Our older buildings are unique and interesting, and they usually have stories to tell if we will listen. It's the details in these structures that initially drew me to them, and this in turn has led to the level of detail in my drawings. My eyes are never bored by these wonderful landmarks. I am truly fond of these places and believe in what they stand for. I hope many of them remain for years to come – and the first step towards keeping them, is noticing them for the unique and noble structures – which they are. "

Available Prints.