June 17, 1947 — June 6, 2024
David “Zeno” Thanes was born in June 1947 in Bridgeport, Connecticut, to Eleria and Ted Thanes. His Albanian American parents provided a close, extended family and Albanian community.
David was raised in a bilingual household along with his younger sister Carol, and his paternal grandmother Cile, who spoke little English. His early life was filled with a rich tapestry of Albanian relatives, customs and community events.
His loving mother, a traditional 1950s homemaker, began work outside the home after the children left. Initially a department store gift wrapper, she was promoted over time into management. David’s father was quiet and mild mannered, dedicated to family, working as a shoemaker for a then-famous company, Murray’s Space Shoes.
Ted was also a self-taught painter, deeply committed to his craft, providing David a unique childhood experience. Their home was filled with his father’s art, a painting always in progress, with David posing as his father’s study. David’s love for art began here, with exposure to oil painting and other art forms, as well as frequent trips to Boston and New York art museums. His father was his personal docent, offering dialogues about paintings, helping direct David’s creative future.
David attended public elementary, and high school in Bridgeport, often seen as the class artist. He later attended Southern Illinois University, earning a Bachelor’s Degree of Fine Art, and afterward, a Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of Massachusetts in 1974. David lived for several years in rural western Massachusetts, continuing his passion for art with painting, and working various creative jobs including carpenter, handyman and auction runner.
At age 30, David set out on a road trip around the United States, exploring and working, settling in Denver for a year. He worked for a company there, refinishing architectural antiques, expanding his creative knowledge and expertise. As numerous creative opportunities began opening in Denver, David was instead drawn to exploring the West Coast. In 1979 after traveling throughout the Pacific Northwest, he landed in Southern Oregon and called it home.
David’s passion for creating art was evident daily, and he maintained an art studio throughout his life in Southern Oregon, with many exhibits locally and throughout the U.S.
His first decade in Ashland, he was also known for his business Zeno’s Sandwiches, an integral part of the local food co-op. David taught watercolor at Southern Oregon University in 1980, and later taught figure drawing classes there as an adjunct.
From 1999 to 2011 he was employed by an international rock climbing company, Entre-Prises, as their faux painter. David loved this challenging and unique position, traveling throughout the U.S. and Bermuda, working with a team of installers. His initial job with the company was to provide colorful climbing walls at the X-Games in San Francisco.
From 2018 to 2023 David taught art courses through Rogue Community College, proud to be part of a creative faculty.
Because of a long-term illness, physically he was unable to continue, retiring late 2023.
Always on a creative journey, his observation of the world and his unique personality created a diverging path, at times easy to see and follow, at other times obscured and challenging. A collection of his work exists now in various countries, marking a sacred journey and onetime presence. David was fortunate to travel abroad to the Middle East and Europe, his fondest memories being from France, which he visited many times, learning French, painting the countryside and developing loving, cherished friendships that continue today.
In 1997 David found the love of his life, Susan Waterman, his friend of 18 years prior. They created a home and life together in Medford, marrying in 2012. Throughout their years together, David felt blessed to be family, to know and love Susan’s daughter Amara, proud to be thought of as “Dad.”
David is survived by his wife, partner and best friend, Susan Waterman; daughter Amara Waterman; sister Carol Jaworski and her husband Jeff Jaworski; niece Amy Leighton and nephew Jason Jaworski, along with their spouses, Brian and Angelina, and their families’ five children.
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