DAVID HOPKINS has been a graphic artist and illustrator in Tasmania since 1961. During that time he has held senior design positions at Cadbury and Davies Brothers “The Mercury”. Since 1972 he operated a freelance specialist consultancy in advertising art, packaging design and engineering and commercial illustrating on a state-wide basis.

He spent his formative years in Hobart later Latrobe attending Devonport High School where he was enthused into the art world by the late Nell Frankcombe a well-known Tasmanian artist.

He then served a 6 year apprenticeship as a hand lithographic artist at P.C. GROSSER & Co. Ltd Melbourne, also gaining a diploma in Advertising Art at Swinburne College, Melbourne., as well as labels for apple cases, jams and cordials which were still being executed by hand (at times on transfer stones) and railway posters and hoardings (direct on plate) in up to 10-12 colours singular colour by colour.

As a long serving artist serving the printing industry for over 50 years he has seen the technical transformation that is mind blowing-what could take an art project anything up to 2 working weeks is now completed in 2 hours. Styles and demands from clients have changed in as much that at times the impossible is printed in next to no time. The list of clients ran to nearly every major commercial entity in Tasmania and as well for many years his business produced a national magazine bi-monthly with a 30,000 circulation.

Achievements in the graphics and art field have been notable and numerous with many commissions ranging from philatelic stamps and covers for Norfolk Island, P.N.G., to illustrations of historic events and life in our early mining years. He is represented in many parliamentary, civic and private collections in Tasmania and also nationally and internationally and he has had over 50 one man exhibitions throughout the state and Australia.

He has enjoyed re-creating and documenting in pictorial and written word the historic industrial engineering works and also the life of Tasmanians, preserving for future generations to take pride in.

Consequently there are many of his enjoyable watercolours in many homes, hospitals and company foyers and boardrooms Australia wide and overseas.

David has written and illustrated 9 books published in Tasmania of its past and present. He lived on Tasmania’s north west coast with his wife Beverley, where in 1985 they established “Taswegia” a concept which is Tasmanian giftware, cards and stationery which has 380 of his illustrations of Australiana marketed nationally, also used on fabrics and ceramics.

His imagery created over his commercial working life is still prominently working after many years.

Supposedly retired and now living at Kettering in southern Tasmania, he is now more actively pursuing his love of watercolour illustrations undertaking the occasional commercial industrial commission from a loyal client of many years, Caterpillar where his paintings depict the underground mining environment.

Fastidiously accurate in draughtsmanship, his work still retains the sparkle and spontaneity of watercolour.