David Weidman (June 28, 1921 – August 6, 2014) was an American animator, animation artist and silkscreen print artist known for his mid-century modern works, including posters, prints and ceramics. Weidman began his career in animation as a background artist during the 1950s and 1960s. During his later life, Weidman's silkscreens were featured in the sets of the AMC television series, Mad Men, which revived interest in his work. In 2010, the Los Angeles Times referred to Weidman as possibly "the most famous unknown artist."Weidman was born in the Belvedere Gardens section of present-day East Los Angeles on June 28, 1921. He initially attended Garfield High School, but transferred to Manual Arts High School to focus on an art career. He received a scholarship to Otis Art Institute, but never attended because of the outbreak of World War II, which led to his enlistment in the United States Navy. He used the GI Bill to enroll at Jepson Art Institute following the war. He met his future wife, Dorothy, at Jepson, where she was a silkscreen instructor. The couple married in 1953.Weidman began his career with animator John Hubley. He then became a background artist and painter at United Productions of America, better known as UPA. He is credited with helping UPA develop the "distinctive modern style" which became a hallmark of the animation studio's productions. His television series and special credits with UPA animation included The Famous Adventures of Mr. Magoo, The Gerald McBoing-Boing Show and Mister Magoo's Christmas Carol (1962). Aside from his work at UPA, Weidman also worked on television shorts for Crusader Rabbit, Popeye, and Fractured Fairy Tales.David Weidman briefly left animation after to focus on silkscreening after becoming frustrated with a group-centered animation process. Weidman developed a blotting process to create original works. In a 2013 interview with Greater Long Beach, he described how he utilized pictures of objects or blocks of color with "varying degrees of transparency." His prints often mimic the backdrops he painted for 1960s era animated cartoons. He opened a small gallery and workshop located behind a liquor store on La Cienega Boulevard in Los Angeles. He gained a corporate clientele, who used his prints in hotels and other public buildings. However, he disliked having to tailor his work, telling Find Art in a 2014 interview, "When clients began dictating to me the color and the subject, they took me off my rails." He created thousands of silkscreens, but few were purchased by collectors. Some works were priced as low as ten dollars. His printing shop gradually transformed into a custom framing business.Weidman returned to animation during the middle of the 1960s. He worked on Wacky Races and Dastardly and Muttley in Their Flying Machines for Hanna-Barbera. He also returned to UPA to work on Uncle Sam Magoo (1970), the last Mr. Magoo television special.While he continued to produce posters and ceramics for decades, Weidman stopped creating silkscreen prints around 1980 due to the work-intensive nature of the process. He did not begin creating new silkscreens again until his artwork was "discovered" or "rediscovered" circa 2008 when he was well into his 80s.Interest in Weidman's pieces were revived with the premiere of Mad Men, which first aired in 2007. Mad Men's set designer, Claudette Didul, is quoted in an article by David A. Keeps of the Los Angeles Times, "The style is very distinctive and indicative of that era and the popularity of Danish modern...They remind me of pictures I saw growing up and seemed in keeping with Peggy's sensibilities and reflect her younger and somewhat more cheerful outlook." Weidman's work was used to colorfully decorate the set in Peggy Olson's office and other rooms in the fictional 1960s ad agency.The inclusion of Weidman's prints in Mad Men led to new opportunities. Urban Outfitters licensed a line of pillows emblazon with Weidman's mid-century art. In 2008, Steven Kurutz, a writer for The New York Times published a book on the artist and his work, "The Whimsical Works of David Weidman" through Gingko Press. A retrospective of his work opened on June 28, 2014, at the Weidman Gallery, now located on Melrose Avenue. Weidman attended the opening of exhibition, which ran until July 31, 2014.David Weidman died of congestive heart failure at his home in the Highland Park neighborhood of Los Angeles on August 6, 2014, at the age of 93. He had lived with his wife and family in the home since they built it in the 1950s. He was survived by his wife, Dorothy Weidman, whom he married in 1953, and three children, Lenna Weidman, Josh Weidman and Troy Weidman.
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Some of their strengths
David Weidman has many admirable traits.
Based on spiritual traditions from around the world, they are someone who can be described as Intuitive, Energetic, Loyal, Brave, Honest, Passionate, and Adventurous.
Intuitive and Imaginative
According to Mysticism’s Astrology tradition, David Weidman is someone who is a highly intuitive, creative and imaginative person who is very loyal, caring and compassionate to others. A person who is charismatic and resourceful.
Adventurous and Free
Based on Daoism’s Ba-Zi or ‘Chinese Zodiac’ tradition, people who know David Weidman well know them as someone who can be talented, wayward and free, like a big river or the ocean.
Inventive and Clever
According to Hinduism’s Jyotisha or ‘Vedic Astrology’ tradition, many would also describe David Weidman as someone who is flexible, intelligent, and quick-witted.
A person who likes to be creative, and to be recognized for their artistic talents. Who possesses intelligence, mental discipline, and ambition, and who does well in relationships and partnerships.
Emotionally Intelligent and Intuitive
Based on the Mayan Tzolk’in or ‘Mayan Astrology’ tradition, David Weidman is someone who tends to have strong emotional intelligence and intuition, and who can be a catalyst of change for others.
They are also someone who is altruistic, tolerant, and sophisticated, and who tends to be a perfectionist who is always working to try and make everything and everyone better.
Traditional and Patient
According to Judaism’s Kabbalah tradition, David Weidman tends to be someone who is a patient person that is very emotional, has a very sharp memory, has an ability to understand people, and who tends to be traditional and frugal.
Some of David Weidman's challenges
While David Weidman has many strengths, nobody is perfect. They also have some challenging traits they need to manage.
For example, David Weidman can be Emotional, Standoffish, Short-tempered, Impulsive, Unfocused, Indecisive, and Blunt.
Emotional and Standoffish
One of David Weidman's key challenges is that they are someone who can be emotional and standoffish.
David Weidman must also exercise caution as they can have a hard time reconciling wants and needs, and can be short-tempered and aggressive.
Unfocused and Indecisive
David Weidman is someone who can be scattered, restless, and insensitive, be distracted by fluctuating professional interests, be a workaholic, and who can be arrogant and have difficulty accepting advice.
Sensitive and Money-oriented
Finally, David Weidman also can have mood swings, be overly sensititive, and be a bit rigid and materialistic.
