Dave Pop!

Dave pop! is a Brighton based artist creating bright bold Pop art with a generous topping of seaside sauce!

Dave was always drawing as a child, and just never stopped. After studying Fine art in Coventry, Dave moved to Brighton and after trying plenty of different careers, from Pop Star to interior designer, Dave settled as Head of Creativity at the famous Choccywoccydoodah, where he made outrageous chocolate sculptures for the rich and famous. Dave always continued with his own art, having small exhibitions in bars and mural commissions, including one for Brighton Palace pier. Since the sad demise of Choccy, Dave has taken on art full time, and his bright fairground art style can be found all around the city centre, working with clients such as Brighton Arts Council, B & Q, Bentley, Brighton Theatre Royal and most of the queer bars along the front.

‘ I love fairground style art because it combines the dynamism and immediacy of Pop Art, with the drawing and painting skills that I have spent all my life practicing.’

After the loss of my job at Choccywoccydoodah, at the age of 50, I had to rethink my life plan, and decided to work on my art full time! I had always continued with my art practice, both at work where i was the creative head designing and creating outrageous chocolate sculptures and window displays, and had a few commissions and exhibitions, but this time it was different. After just a year, lock down happened, and I took this an opportunity to go back to school, so I took an online course in fairground lettering and art, a style I had always loved and used, but previously I had just copied other artists or used photographs to collage together. So I started to learn from scratch, learning how to draw letters  and decorative scrolls, and now I feel I have taken all these skills and influences and have made my own style.

I love living in Brighton , and this has had a massive influence on my art, from the decorative fairground rides on the seafront, to the city’s inclusive, cheeky and saucy atmosphere.