Dave grew up in Aspen. The Durrance family arrived in 1947 when Dave was two.
While he is more widely known for his various roles in skiing as a racer, coach, and retailer, he began studying art in high school. He earned a BFA in painting at the University of Denver in 1968. That summer he had a one-man show at the Wooden Horse Gallery in the mid-valley. Growing up in Aspen in the 1950Õs and Ô60s he couldnÕt help being influenced by the work of Herbert Beyer, and through him the work of other Bauhaus artists. Recently he has been influenced by the work of Manuel Felguerez.
He continued painting when he could, rarely showing for the next forty years. He has recently returned to painting full time and has participated in numerous group shows throughout the valley for the last three years. Most recently, Dave has been included in the 2012 Red Brick Biennial, the Valley Visual Show at CCAH in Carbondale, OPUS 10 show at the Aspen Chapel Gallery, the LOCAL VISUAL show at LivAspenArt in Aspen, and the Aspen Art Museums Roaring Fork Open. He had a one-man show at Bonfire in Carbondale. He will be exhibiting at the Red Brick Center in January 2013 in a show featuring the artists of the Third Street Center.
Dave works at his studio in the Third Street Center in Carbondale, and has studied at Anderson Ranch, CMC and CCAH.