David Knowlton is the elder son of David and Helen Knowlton, both commercial artists. He was born on 26 April 1941, in North Hollywood, California. From 1946 until 1959, he lived in Santa Barbara and his father taught him watercolor, tempera, oil, pencil, and pen & ink techniques. At the age of 12, he spent much of his time drawing airplanes and won a national art contest. In July 1959, he went to the U.S. Military Academy, West Point, in New York, where he was the Editor-in-Chief of the yearbook. David graduated with a BS degree as a 2nd Lieutenant of Engineers in June of 1963. He was assigned to Fort Carson, Colorado after completing Paratroop School in October 1963. He spent much of his spare time painting oils which became his favorite media from childhood. David married in March 1964 and began to market his works that summer.
Many of his paintings were sold directly to American servicemen, as well as to patrons on the beach at Santa Barbara, California, to where he shipped many of the oils. David joined Stanford University in June 1966, and graduated with a Masters degree in Construction in January 1968. During this time, he continued to paint whenever time permitted. Initially he painted along the coastlines but later began painting indoors from photographs. David relocated to Northern Virginia and began painting full time in August 1975. The demand for his work increased so his business grew. This forced him to hire his first employee in 1977 and the Knowlton Art Business became a corporation in 1979.
