Monday, May 20, 2024
David Camardo passed away on May 1, 2023, in Edmonds at the age of 84.
David was a true Renaissance man: He was a talented horseman, master artist, wondrous magician, gifted chef, champion bocce and petanque player, and loving husband and father.
David was born in Buffalo, New York, on March 10, 1939, to Ada Maude Fenn and Gaetano Giovanni Camardo. As a child he collected EC comic books, which were a significant influence on his path to becoming an artist. But at the age of 12, he loaded his entire collection into his little red wagon and traded it all for his first magic set.
He delighted audiences with magic shows throughout his life, and this hobby inspired his view of the world and his art as he transformed ordinary objects into magical works of art.
David's interest in horses led him to a career as a horseman. After high school, he was recruited to come to Woodside, California, to work on the Why Worry Farm, where he apprenticed to become a farrier.
It was an interesting time to become a horse shoer – after the advent of the automobile, horses were no longer used for transportation and work, but mostly for pleasure riding, so it had become a lost art.
David shod tens of thousands of horses over his 50-year career throughout Woodside, Pasadena, and Amador County, California. As a young man on the weekends he also competed in bareback riding on the rodeo circuit.
His lifelong pursuit of art began in 1962 with the study of figure drawing and plein-air painting. He mastered many mediums and styles, including bronze, marble, and wood sculpture; painting, drawing, and writing. His subjects ranged from wonderland fantasies to impressionistic landscapes, to the magic of French villages to character sketches to still-lifes.
His extensive body of artwork is his most cherished legacy and is displayed in the homes of all who loved him.
David was passionate about his family and created countless unforgettable memories together around the table, on outdoor adventures, and on the place de boules. He was an avid storyteller who told riveting tales, sometimes with a hint of exaggeration, which live on through his friends and family.
David is survived by his wife, Dixie Camardo; his children, Victoria Camardo Tomasik, Keith Camardo, Danielle Camardo, and Davina Camardo; his son-in-law, Guillaume Lapointe; and his grandchildren, Jack, Ava, and Georgia Tomasik.
