David Axtell is an award winning illustrator. His illustrations for the Macmillan's children's book Fruits (Valerie Blooms' Caribbean poem) won the Smarties Book Prize Bronze Medal in 1997.

The Waterside Gallery, St Ives have have recently welcomed to the gallery the painter David Axtel. Born in Oxford in 1970 David completed an illustration course at Falmouth School of Art and began working freelance for several major publishing houses.

His work as an illustrator included work for clients such as Puffin Books, Macmillan, HarperCollins and Mojo magazine. He was twice a bronze medal winner in the Nestle Smarties Book Award and runner-up in the BFC Mother Goose Award in 1988 as the most exciting newcomer to children's picture books. David is still regularly commissioned for his illustration work.

As well as his illustrational work David has had a lifelong love of painting and now has an enviable reputation in Cornwall and beyond. With an interest in the relationship and interaction of people and the sea, David searches for an intriguing narative that pulls the viewer in and makes us feel we've caught a glimpse of his figures in an unguarded moment. In his calm, measured work we are reminded of the quiet solitude and an Edward Hopper, whilst the detailed narrative and love the landscape of Cornwall is reminiscient of the artists of the Newlyn School.  [With thanks to the second Newsletter of the Waterside Gallery, St Ives, 2013]