Los Angeles–based artist David Howler bridges the elegance of classical technique with the raw immediacy of street culture. A self-taught painter, he works primarily in oil and spray paint, creating haunting yet emotionally charged portraits and figures that explore the tension between beauty, fragility, and identity.

Influenced by Baroque and Renaissance masters, Howler draws inspiration from religious iconography, human anatomy, and the fleeting nature of decay. Translating these timeless subjects through a modern, pastel pop lens.

While his figures rarely resemble him directly, each canvas serves as a self-portrait in disguise. A reflection of evolving ideals, emotions, and memories. His fascination with mental health, spirituality, and impermanence gives his work a signature visual rhythm: soft palettes that bloom and fade, mirroring the complexity of the mind and the transient nature of life.

Howler’s evolving practice is both a study of the body and a dialogue with spirit. Proof that vulnerability can exist within strength, and beauty can emerge from what’s fading.