David Smith received his degree in Graphic Design and Illustration from San Jose State University. He has spent the last several years working for the City of Santa Clara, creating a cohesive graphic presence for the Santa Clara City Library. In addition to his award winning illustration and design work, David has also developed a career in fine art, concentrating on drawing and painting. His pieces are in several private collections in the Bay Area. David’s work reflects a love of both the sensual and the technical aspects of the medium. He has always concentrated on the narrative...involving the viewer in a story without defining it.

These 28 glass panels are located throughout the building. They combine letterforms which represent the written word with an overlay of numbers representing the digital transference of information. The sequence of 0s and 1s is the binary translation of the word “information.” The panels are executed using a layer of acrylic between sheets of glass.

“With these pieces, I wanted to stress the Santa Clara City Library’s role as a source for all kinds of information. The panels engage the viewer on an intellectual level while creating subtle patterns of translucence and opacity that change with the quality of light. Windows have traditionally been associated with knowledge, light, analysis and inquiry. The ‘windows’ I have created for the Library reflect the purpose of a community library while subtly energizing the open space.”

Various dimensions, Etched laminate glass, 2004