Dover man finds locked-away talent while recovering from stroke

Mike Finney
Posted 1/19/21

Artist David Jamison, along with a neighborhood cat, stands next to his mural of Akumal, Mexico, on his front yard fence on Columbia Avenue in Dover. (Special to the State News/Ariane Mueller) DOVER …

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Dover man finds locked-away talent while recovering from stroke

Posted
DOVER — A stroke suffered by David Jamison in November 2017 might have left him with some speech difficulties and other physical issues, but it also opened new doors and creative outlets for the lifelong resident of Dover.


Visitors to Columbia Avenue can get a glimpse of his artistic talent just by looking at the mural he painted last year on the fence in front of his bright teal house.

Mr. Jamison had served as a highway and bridge design engineer for the Delaware Department of Transportation until he retired in 1997. He continued as an engineering consultant until he suffered his stroke.

He rediscovered his creative side last summer when his wife, Alexis, started painting flowers and butterflies on the inside of their fence. It got him to thinking of some ideas that he could paint.

“So in July, I started with a flower, and then, I did a tree with some birds resting on the branches, and then, I decided to paint a mural of the small pond we have out front and some of the little animals that have visited it,” Mr. Jamison said. “I included some (animals) that haven’t stopped by yet, but (I) am hoping they will.

“After completing that, I wanted to paint something people could see and maybe make them smile, so I started my next project on the exterior side of my fence. Our favorite vacation spot is Akumal, Mexico. Unfortunately, due to the (COVID-19) pandemic, we had to cancel our last trip, so I thought if we couldn’t go to Akumal, I could bring Akumal to Dover.”

He certainly accomplished that with his colorful tribute to the couple’s special place.

“One of the reasons we love it there is that my wife gets to snorkel among the sea turtles and fish,” he said. “My idea was to show the things she gets to see and the beauty of the beach with its people and flowers and land and sea animals.

“I started (last) August and finally completed it in early December. Like many artists, I still keep seeing things I could change or add. However, the bitter cold helped wrap things up rather quickly. Maybe I’ll keep going when it warms up.”

Mr. Jamison credits his mother, the late Louise Haas Jamison, for the art in his genes.

“She was a pretty well-known Dover artist from the 1940s until her passing in 1980,” he said. “There may still be people around who took art lessons from her when they were kids, and I know many homes have her scenes of The Green and the bay beaches and boats on their walls.

“I didn’t get the traditional painting bug, but I believe I inherited her creative gene, from designing highways to building birdhouses. Big or small, I like to see each project from beginning to end.”

Mr. Jamison actually took his first job at the Delaware Highway Department — its name before it became DelDOT — after graduating from the University of Delaware in 1967.

His son, Kirk Jamison, believes his dad could have been a successful artist if he didn’t get into highway and bridge design.

“I’m extremely proud of him,” Kirk said. “I have no doubt in my mind that if he delved into becoming an artist full time, he would have succeeded at it. Instead, he chose a more practical profession (civil engineer) for which his creative skills probably aided him in designing highways and bridges.

“I know he would have been capable of these pieces of art before the stroke, but to see these works, which are so unique and so creative, it does amaze me a bit. It’s great to see how much joy he gets from it.”

He added, “My earliest memory of him actually painting something was for a fair our neighborhood put on when I was 6 or 7. He painted sponge toss boards of Wonder Woman and Superman, which were a big hit with the kids.”

David Jamison displays his first mural, painted on his backyard fence. (Special to the State News/Ariane Mueller)

Along with his artwork, Mr. Jamison enjoys his excursions to Mexico, playing pool, watching NASCAR and spending time with his family and friends.

His newfound passion for painting has given him a creative outlet during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I enjoy the whole process. Coming up with an idea, drawing sketches and laying them out on the fence, putting paint to wood and finally arriving at a point where I’m happy with it,” Mr. Jamison said. “What I really enjoy, especially with this last mural (Akumal), is being able to share it with neighbors and passersby who get enjoyment out of looking at it.

“It’s a good feeling. I would highly recommend painting, or any kind of creating, for getting through hard times, from strokes to pandemics. It’s also a lot of fun, and we need more of that these days."

His house and art — including his handmade birdhouses lining the top of his fence — certainly add some color and personality to Columbia Avenue.

“I’m no Grandma Moses, but I do like the idea of people going down Columbia Avenue and enjoying my mural as long as the fence is standing — or until I get another idea and paint over it,” Mr. Jamison said. “The Akumal mural would have to be my favorite considering the hours I put into it, but I’m awfully proud of my pond mural, too.”

A future project might be desperately needed in these trying times.

“If I had the opportunity to paint a mural for everyone in Dover to see, I would try to create one to inspire unity and love,” he said.

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