For more than 35 years, Eileen David has centered her vibrant painting practice on San Francisco—the city she loves and continues to explore with endless curiosity.

Through her expressive oil paintings on canvas and panel, Eileen David captures the essence of San Francisco—the vibrant neighborhoods, lively streets, swimmers gliding through the Bay, and the intricate lines of its bridges. Her nuanced command of light, shadow, and form, paired with a vivid palette drawn from the city’s landscape, echoes William Saroyan’s assertion that “San Francisco itself is art.”

David’s work reveals a seamless harmony between organic grace and architectural precision. Using color and light as both structure and atmosphere, she turns familiar urban views into contemplative explorations of space and perception—compressing depth while expanding feeling. From the rhythmic geometry of hillside homes to the shifting patterns of docks and bridges, to the calm movements of Bay swimmers, her paintings invite stillness amid motion. Each scene reflects her sensitivity to the city’s pulse, uncovering the balance of energy and quiet that defines her vision of San Francisco.

Born in New York City, Eileen David studied at Suny, the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, San Francisco State University (B.A.), and San Jose State University (M.F.A.). Her paintings have earned numerous honors, including a Joan Mitchell Foundation Grant and a Catherine Urban Scholarship.