David was born in Perth and raised between Mulan, Western Australia and Kintore in the Northern Territory, his mother’s and his father’s communities, respectively.
Later, the family moved to the new community of Kiwirrkurra, where David was taught by School of the Air before the official community school was established. Simultaneously, the artist was educated on Country by his grandfathers, including one of the original and most revered Papunya Tula artists in Uta Uta Tjangala. His mother, Ivy Robertson, was also an artist, painting alongside the likes of Susie Bootja Bootja and Millie Skeen at Warlayirti Art Centre in Balgo Hills.
David showed early talent at school, when learning landscape painting from a visiting Canadian art teacher. At the time, his work was selected for an exhibition in Alice Springs.
After completing boarding school in Perth, David travelled throughout Western Australian and the Northern Territory, spending time in Halls Creek and occasionally painting for Papunya Tula before ret
