08 Sep Stephenson Showcase: “Digital Organic: Healing Through Nature and Light” by David J. Fleshman
A daily influx of screens, technology, and constant visual stimulation can make digital art seem distant from the natural world. For multidisciplinary artist David Joseph Fleshman, however, technology offers an experience that amplifies light, color, complexity, and a sense of wonder. His upcoming showcase exhibition, “Digital Organic: Healing Through Nature and Light”, featuring 26 works, explores where the organic and digital meet, and invites viewers to find beauty in transformation. Several pieces in the exhibition are presented in multiple formats, such as ‘Purple Brooch’ and ‘Broken Crystallized Jewel’ appearing on both canvas and metal, allowing light to interact differently with each surface.
David’s artistic background began in Las Vegas at age 8, when he enrolled in an adult drawing class and completed still life studies from observation. He studied animation and game development at Southeast Career Technical Academy, graduating in 2009, and continued at the College of Southern Nevada where he earned an Associate of Applied Science in Graphic Technology in 2014. He went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in Graphic Design & Media with a minor in Art History from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in 2018, and returned to the College of Southern Nevada to complete an Associate of Arts in Art in 2019. Alongside his studio practice, he spent 11 years working as an AV Sound Board Technician and Supervisor and worked with the Marjorie Barrick Museum of Art. His experience has also included judging exhibitions, an internship in Italy with The 7th Magazine, and exhibiting his work in venues ranging from the Clark County Rotunda to Grand Rapids’ ArtPrize ArtWeek.
Since moving to Indiana in 2021, David has become an active member of the regional arts community. He’s exhibited in 16 juried exhibitions with Noblesville Creates, Indiana University Bloomington, and Hamilton County venues, as well as participating in 22 art festivals and markets. His work has received over 58 awards, including recognition from Viviana Puello, Editor of ArtTour International Magazine — such as the 2021 Collector’s Choice Award, 2021 Artya Emerald Award, a feature in the Winter 2022 11 Year Anniversary Issue, and 2025 Winner of the Day for “Brilliant Butterflies” in the Earth Power Cover Contest. His varied background has given him an understanding of both traditional artistic craftsmanship and the technical possibilities of digital media.
For David, the computer is his canvas. His process starts with digital photography and digital design, building layers of light, texture, and color until the familiar feels almost otherworldly. His early work was heavily influenced by graphic design, emphasizing precision, structure, and the needs of clients. Today, those same skills are balanced by a more intuitive approach. After exhibiting in shows such as “The Healing Power of Art” and the “Healing Art Show”, David’s focus shifted to emotion and transformation.
The physical presentation of his work has also become an important part of that process. David explains that seeing works printed on various tangible items changed his understanding of how scale and material can influence a piece. David notes, “So now I create with the end format in mind, not just pixels, but physical presence.”
At the center of “Digital Organic” is David’s exploration of healing through nature and light. Organic forms, including various flowers such as orchids, roses, butterflies, and peacocks, are transformed through a “digital lens that adds luminescence and movement.” The result is a collection that feels simultaneously rooted in the natural world and expanded by technology. While ‘Broken Crystallized Jewel’ begins with fracture and ‘Purple Brooch’ evokes adornment, both radiate light from complexity: reminders that transformation and beauty often emerge from intricate structures.
The exhibition’s theme has become personally meaningful to David through both place and experience. Growing up with cerebral palsy and asthma meant frequent time in medical settings throughout his life, and recent time in hospitals during his own recovery further changed the way he viewed his work. In those environments, he began to recognize how artwork alters how a space feels. A work such as “Red Ruby Rose”, “Brilliant Butterflies”, or “Purple Brooch” might offer a moment of beauty or escape when someone needed it most. “That’s when ‘healing art’ became more than a show title for me,” he remarks, “it became the point.”
“Digital Organic: Healing Through Nature and Light” will be on display from September 4-26, 2026, in the Stephenson House Gallery of the Noblesville Creates on 8th Street campus. Visitors may stop by during the campus’s open hours: 12-5 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturday. You can also meet David during his free open house reception on Friday, September 4th, from 6-9 p.m.