In Memoriam: David Bumbeck
David Bumbeck, 85, a faculty member in the Department of Studio Art for 34 years, died May 6 at his home in Middlebury. A dedicated teacher and accomplished artist, he was widely regarded as one of the leading printmakers of his generation, with his work represented in major galleries and museum collections across the country.
Born in Framingham, Massachusetts, in 1940, Bumbeck began making art as a child, a passion that eventually led him to enroll at the Rhode Island School of Design, where he earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. He later received a Master of Fine Arts degree from Syracuse University. Bumbeck joined Middlebury in September 1968 as an instructor in fine arts and was named assistant professor and artist in residence two years later. He became associate professor of art in 1977 and was promoted to full professor in 1982.
“Even though we overlapped only for a short time, I got to know David as a great teacher and a wonderful colleague,” said Pieter Broucke, associate dean for the arts and professor of history of art and architectural studies. “In his meticulous printmaking, he often experimented with techniques that pushed the boundaries of the medium.”
Bumbeck’s prints appeared in numerous public collections, including the Carnegie Institute, the Brooklyn Museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Library of Congress. Before his retirement in 2002, his work had been featured in more than 200 group exhibitions and 40 solo exhibitions. In 1992, Bumbeck was named an Academician of the National Academy of Design.
Known as a dedicated teacher who spent countless hours working with students in the printmaking studio in Johnson Memorial Building, Bumbeck inspired many of his students to become artists, with some going on to achieve national recognition.
“In the ‘glory days’ of his career on the Middlebury faculty, David Bumbeck qualified as the platonic ideal of a teacher of studio art,” said John Hunisak, professor emeritus of art history, who retired the same year as Bumbeck in 2002. “He spent endless hours in his studio, working on his own prints and serving as an ever-present resource for his students. He was a superlative role model—a committed artist and concerned teacher. If a student needed technical help or advice for solving an artistic problem, he was always there and available.”
From 1973 to 1985, Bumbeck served as director of the Christian A. Johnson Memorial Gallery, playing a crucial role in the growth and quality of the College’s art collection. “In the printmaking studio, he was a consummate craftsman and dedicated teacher,” said Kirsten Hoving, professor emerita of art history. “Our museum’s wonderful collection of prints by artists including Jasper Johns, Robert Motherwell, and Andy Warhol is due to his fine curatorial eye as the founding director of the Johnson Gallery.”
In his own art, Bumbeck employed intaglio printmaking techniques, including etching, aquatint, engraving, and photo transfer, with the human figure serving as the dominant motif throughout much of his career. He later expanded his work to sculpture, including pieces cast in bronze, drawing inspiration from Egyptian, Greek, and Renaissance imagery. He also served on numerous arts boards, including those of the Boston Printmakers and the Silvermine Guild of Artists.
David was preceded in death by his parents and his brother, Jack. He is survived by his wife, Connie; his children, Michael, Natasha and her partner, Johnny, and Stefan and his wife, Sue; and his grandchildren, Max and Charlotte. He is also survived by his sister-in-law, Marleen, and her children.
A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, August 22, from 1 to 3 p.m. at Johnson Memorial Building in Middlebury, Vermont. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Addison County Home Health and Hospice in New Haven, Vermont, or to a charity of the donor’s choice.