By Pam McLoughlin

WEST HAVEN — An artist with strong childhood ties to West Haven has donated two original paintings of iconic West Haven landmarks to grace the wood paneled walls of City Hall near the assessor’s office.

Dave Stannard, now of North Branford, has given the city glass-framed oil pastels of the former Chick’s Drive-in at 183 Beach St. and The Bilco Co. at 37 Water St.

"I admire David’s beautiful oil pastels and appreciate his kind gesture," Mayor Nancy Rossi said. "I know the people of West Haven will enjoy the paintings when visiting City Hall."

Stannard, now of North Branford, is a real estate mass appraiser, evaluating entire towns and a certified municipal assessor.

His passion for art, some of which he sells, began at about age 20 when he started drawing. Stannard remembers being particularly inspired to draw a ceramic horse on its hind legs that his sister made him and he kept on the bureau.

He has had no formal art training, but figures he learned some skills through taking six years of drafting in junior high school and high school.

While it would seem appraising and drawing are worlds apart, Stannard sees the similarities in they both require an eye for detail – the kind needed at times to see damage on a house or a subtlety in a landscape, seascape, building, still life or animal he’s drawing.

"My eye for detail has helped me in my career inspecting houses," Stannard said. "I'm a right brain analytic."

He easily moves through genres and his works, often colorful, hang in many households, veterinary offices and barns. A mallard scene of his hung over his parents’ couch for 20 years.

When he belonged to the West Haven Council of the Arts, the group put out an art calendar in 1992 and the three pieces he submitted of the soldier’s monument, old Forest Theater and a clayroofed house behind the theater were all used.

After his first phase as an artist for about 18 years, Stannard took a break of several years to raise three children and resumed a few years ago, creating an art studio at home with two easels.

"I’m the type of artist who needs things set up to be inspired," he said.

He usually takes photographs of his subjects and works from there. Stannard describes himself artistically as a realistic impressionist. His pieces have flair.

"I'm as realistic as possible, but it will never be a photograph," he said.

When Chick Celentano, owner of the iconic Chick’s Drive-in died, Stannard