The son of a professional writer and amateur artist, David Mann was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, and raised in a creative environment, accompanying his father to art shows, museums and on painting expeditions. His father’s love of history and Western lore were imprinted on Mann as he developed a strong interest in Indian cultures and Western art.
A unifying thread of focus throughout Mann’s life has been his interest in Native Americans, horses, and art. As a child, he collected whatever Remington and Russell prints he could find, along with books illustrated by Will James, Paul Brown and Wesley Dennis. Mann has had the opportunity to live among the Apache, Navajo and Pueblo tribes, where he experienced firsthand the stories, dignity and cultural beauty of Indian life.
Mann’s paintings often portray moments in time, rather than historical events. Paying careful attention to detail accuracy in clothing, saddles and jewelry, he seeks to capture that personal moment of truth from his Native models and friends.
