“He loved beauty and he loved Dayton,” Sandra said. “He created a lot of beautiful work such as bronze vessel sculptures and silver and bronze jewelry. He really loved working with wax and creating it into metal.”
Credit: CONTRIBUTED
Credit: CONTRIBUTED
Brand was born March 7, 1934 in Lincoln, Ne., to the late Oliver and Irene (Roseberry) Brand. He grew up on a small 11-acre farm and, according to friends, his favorite memories included time at his grandparents’ 36,000-acre ranch where he enjoyed riding horses.
He served in the U.S. Air Force, assigned to the Strategic Air Command. He graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Engineering and The Ohio State University with his master’s degree in electrical engineering. He worked at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base for 38 years, retiring as the director of flight test engineering and achieving the highest rank in his field.
He incorporated his engineering background and experience to create inventive art. His work was included in fine art exhibitions across the country and in international jewelry design books. His art pieces are included in galleries, museum collections, and have won many awards nationally, including Best in Show and First Place. Brand’s works were notably awarded Best in Show for the 2023 “Life in the City” exhibition at Front Street.
“It was his second career and he had such success,” Sandra said. “He was definitely a master. And he never was bored. He was either teaching, reading or working in the garden. He really loved teaching. He shared so much of his talents and abilities with his students. He was teaching until he was 89 years old.”
Credit: CONTRIBUTED
Credit: CONTRIBUTED
Centerville artist Jena Roytman was one of Brand’s students for roughly 20 years. She has fond memories of his insightful instruction.
“David was very concise and his classes had students of all different levels,” Roytman said. “Every demonstration was very short, deliberate and well laid out. He would also break the demonstrations into smaller steps so you never felt overwhelmed. His feedback was also invaluable. He was never about empty compliments. Also, in metalsmithing there are about 20 different ways to achieve the same effect, and it takes a lot of skill to do it, and David would always come up with his own unique way that was just brilliant in its simplicity.”
She also views Brand’s humility as an appealing component of his personality.
“He would shy away from highlighting accomplishments,” Roytman said. “During classes he wanted all of the spotlight on students. He wanted them to feel they were achieving and discovering themselves. It was about students first and not so much about him.”
As a master gardener, Brand enjoyed cultivating his home with Sandra. Several sculptures, trees, plantings, and numerous pots accent their landscape. When he was 80 years old, he designed and built a stone water feature, including a waterfall. The Garden Club of Dayton has nominated their urban garden for inclusion in the Smithsonian’s Archives of American Gardens.
“We planted about 25 trees in the last six years,” Sandra said. “He loved trees, particularly Japanese maple trees.”
Brand’s artistry was also evident at the annual Dayton Art Institute Oktoberfest. The DAI considered him “a longtime friend.”
“David was a kind and talented man,” said Michael Roediger, director and president of the Dayton Art Institute. “His art was exquisite as was his spirit. He was our neighbor in Grafton Hill and he and his lovely wife Sandra were regulars in the artisans tents at Oktoberfest. He will be missed. However, his legacy will go on for years to come.”
He was preceded in death by his first wife Eleanor C. Brand, son Stuart H. Brand and brother Daniel Brand. In addition to Sandra, he is survived by two sons Steven D. Brand and his wife Michelle of Whiting, Ind., and Douglas A. Brand of Dayton, granddaughter Riley Wyrzykowski and sister-in-law Pamela J. Hamms.
Online condolences for the family may be sent to bakerhazelsnider.com.
“I would call David a Renaissance Man,” Sandra said. “He was so humble that he would not have been comfortable being called a Renaissance Man but that is how I feel and how I have felt the entire time we were together. I’ve been in awe of his skills, talents and brilliant mind. I fell in love with his mind. And I also think people saw his kindness too. This is a huge loss.”
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