Cheer was born at Bell's Junction, in the Rangitikei district of the central North Island, but spent all of his artistic life in Canterbury. Self-taught, he worked primarily in pencil and was extremely versatile in that medium, with works that range from spikey landscape sketches to highly detailed flights of imagination. In 1963, Cheer was a guest exhibitor with The Group, alongside Ralph Hotere, Toss Woollaston and Colin McCahon and his works have been reproduced in literary journals such as Landfall, Island and Ascent.

David Cheer's work is held in several public collections, including that of Christchurch Art Gallery. Our works, and two portraits of David Cheer by Barry Cleavin, can be seen in My Gallery, here.