David Mueller was born in the Chicago suburb, Blue Island, the second son of a cartoonist. The birth announcements, copies of an original pen and ink drawing by his father, Robert G. Mueller, depicted a stork in a space suit in outer space delivering the newborn with the caption: "The Muellers finally got one from The Twilight Zone." Thus, the extraordinarily talented and sensitive young Mueller was introduced into the world. Although he did not formally recognize his own talent until his high school years, the influence of his artist father upon the young man was profound. He would later say "While I did not realize the significance of it early on, through my life I saw my father's gifts... touch people. Many times he put a smile on a face or added warmth to a heart. I learned that these are the true gifts of artistic expression."Now based in the greater Cincinnati area, David Mueller is a 1987 graduate of The American Academy of Art in Chicago, whose fine art program has a strong focus on traditional realism. Mueller says of his art that he strives "to create painterly renderings that capture the essence of simple, yet profound, aesthetics."Mueller has been accepted into and won awards in numerous national and regional exhibitions, including: The Art Renewal Center, Oil Painters of America, National Oil and Acrylic Painters, and The International Museum of Contemporary Masters of Fine Art and Viewpoint (Cincinnati Art Club). In Oil Painters of America, he was honored to receive "Master Signature status." His work has also appeared on the cover of The Artists Magazine and in many regional print, television, and radio outlets. In 2009, Mueller rendered a Christmas ornament that was displayed on The White House Christmas tree.David Mueller is an active member of The Cincinnati Art Club, and was the youngest member ever to serve on the Board of Trustees. Created in the heady days of the glorious age of 19th century American painting, and featuring such outstanding painters as Frank Duveneck, Henry Farney and Edward Potthast, The Cincinnati Art Club is the second oldest continuously operating art club in America. Mueller has been featured at the club as an invited guest speaker and has conducted painting demonstrations there and at many other regional organizations. Additionally, he has taught oil painting and drawing in his studio as well as in workshops in the Cincinnati and Michigan areas.David Mueller's passion for plein air painting has taken him on travels through Quebec, Florence, Venice, and Amalfi, Italy, London, Monhegan Island, ME, Gloucester, MA, Northern Michigan and Kentucky. Mueller has completed commissions for many private and corporate collectors, including gubernatorial portraits that hang in the Ohio State Capitol. With collectors across the United States and Canada, Mueller has shown his work in exhibitions in New York City, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Cincinnati and Columbus, OH, Land and Midland, MI, Charleston, SC, Birmingham, AL and Miami, FL.David Mueller's work is distinguished by its exquisite handling of paint, superb draughtsmanship and extraordinary sensitivity and mood, with a respectful nod to the painting masters of a century ago in whose footsteps he so capably follows. The influence of another artist, his father, is never far away. "I have grown to appreciate and understand the importance of my dad's abilities and the parts of them that he has passed on to me. The contributions people like him make to our world justify the profound loss we feel when they leave us, and help us to understand the importance of carrying on in the same manner with the gifts bestowed upon us."