Dempsey Essick is a self expressed realist watercolor artist who realizes his talent is a gift from God. He is a self-taught artist who lives in the house where he was born and raised in northern Davidson County. Essick graduated from Forsyth Technical College with a degree in mechanical drawing. He has no formal training in art. He is known as the Hummingbird Bird Artist because of the hummingbirds that he paints and also for the hidden hummingbirds he hides in his paintings. Essick is married to Shelley, a gallery manager and former postmaster. They have two children; Elizabeth, a physician assistant and John, Jr., a college professor.
His exhibits include; the Rocky Mountain Water Media Exhibition in Colorado, The National Academy of Design in NYC, and The National Watercolor Exhibition in California. The North Carolina Wildlife Commission routinely uses his work in their annual calendar. Essick hopes to release a line of sculptures in the near future. He is named an official B.A.S.S. Artist and is a signature member of the elite National Watercolor Society. Essick is the former president of the NC Bluebird Society and speaks to groups on the plight of the Eastern Bluebird. He is an elder at Meadowview Presbyterian Church in Lexington. He speaks regularly to civic groups on the plight of the Eastern Bluebird and he also enjoys bird watching. His hobbies include camping, hiking, and especially fishing. He quit his 9 - 5 job to devote full time to his painting.
