While overcoming an addiction and undergoing treatment in his 30s, David Berger wound up working at a picture frame gallery. It was there another employee encouraged him to take a painting class.
Within nine weeks, David was obsessed with painting. Working from his garage, he started creating awe-inspiring work that was displayed at different galleries and exhibitions, the Smoky Mountain News reported.
Soon, David was able to sell enough paintings to make art his sole source of income. He specialized in creating hyper-realistic still life oil paintings depicting minute details of the subject. Eventually, he began focusing on the endless possibilities offered by nature, and became fascinated with bears.
For a quarter-century, David made a living by exhibiting at various outdoor art shows and festivals, the paper explained. However, a near-fatal heart attack in 2015 changed the course of his life. Rather than traveling to sell is work, he opened the Mountain Mist Gallery in Cashiers, N.C.
Today, David creates opportunities for more than 40 artists of all types to display and sell their work. Best of all, visitors can watch David working on his latest masterpiece or view paintings he already completed. Now his purpose involves sharing his passion with others, which includes helping them fall in love with painting, the paper noted.
“If you are doing what you love to do, people will feel that and be drawn to you,” he explained.
To view David’s work or connect with him personally, visit www.mountainmistgallery.com.
The full story is available at Smoky Mountain News, where the photo above originally appeared.
After closing his business and enduring several painful years of uncertainty regarding what to do with his life, Greg founded Forward From 50 to help men and women over 50 to live more purposeful lives by pursuing things they are passionate about. A Wisconsin native, Greg currently lives in Arizona.