Donald "David" Ainsley was born in New York City. During his early years, he was interested in becoming an artist and fulfilled this goal by attending and graduating from Art School in New York. Being a person of creative talents, David continued his artistic interests and now is recognized as a professional full-time Plein-Air Painter.

His works of Art have been displayed in many invitational art exhibits: the Rancho Santa Fe Gallery, Rancho Santa Fe, California, the Newport Nautical Museum, and the Soldiers Barracks Gallery, San Juan Capistrano Mission. He is professionally associated with CAC/SD California Art Club-San Diego ChapterSDMA, SDMA/AG San Diego Museum of Art/Artist Guild, PapaSan/Plein-Air Painters Association of San Diego, the La Jolla Art Association, and the Artists’ Guild of the San Diego Museum of Art. His works have appeared in the American Artist Magazine, Arts and Antiques Magazine, the American Art Collector Magazine the Union Tribune Newspaper, and on Television Stations KOCT and KUSI.