Father, husband and artist David Bumbeck passed away peacefully at home among family on May 6, 2026, in Middlebury, Vt. He was 85 years old.
David was born in 1940 to parents Michael and Elizabeth in Framingham, Mass. As a young man, David took interest in drawing, painting and philosophy, graduating from Framingham High in 1958.
He followed his passion for the visual arts to the Rhode Island School of Design, earning a bachelor of fine arts in 1962. In 1963 he married Connie, his loving wife of 63 years. He graduated from Syracuse University with a master’s in fine arts and had his first one-man gallery exhibition in 1966. He taught printmaking, painting and drawing at the Massachusetts College of Art for the following two years.
In 1968 David accepted a position as assistant professor of art at Middlebury College. Along with teaching studio art, he directed the Christian A. Johnson Gallery and was influential in the establishment of the Friends of the Art Museum organization. He became a professor of art in 1973. After 34 years of guiding hundreds of students and over 20 one-man exhibitions, he retired as professor emeritus in 2002.
In retirement David found joy in the studio, immersing himself in a series of paintings, sculptures and collages that explored vibrant color and incorporated found objects, marking a departure from his earlier black-and-white printmaking works. He built on his extensive library of art books and catalog of classical music and continued his lifelong zeal and dedication to his art until the end.
David will be remembered as a loving father, devoted husband, influential educator and prolific artist who inspired creativity and greatness in his children, students, colleagues and friends. He cherished spending time with his grandchildren and loved traveling with Connie to visit friends and enjoy the ocean on the New England coast, stopping at antique stores, galleries, museums and flea markets along the way.
David was preceded in death by his mother, father and brother, Jack. He is survived by his wife, Connie, and his children, Michael; Natasha and her partner, Johnny; and Stefan and his wife, Sue; and his grandchildren, Max and Charlotte.
His artwork is part of numerous public and private collections, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the New York and Boston public libraries, the Smithsonian, Carnegie Museum of Art, and the Library of Congress. The National Academy of Design nominated and named him a National Academician, and he served as a show juror and member of the Boston Printmakers International Association of Artists.
At his behest, a funeral will not be held. A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, August 22, 2026, 1 to 3 p.m., at the Johnson Memorial Building in Middlebury, Vt. In lieu of flowers, a donation can be made in his name to Addison County Home Health & Hospice in New Haven, Vt., or directly to the charity of your choice.