1924
Born in Murrumbeena, Melbourne. Third and youngest son of artists' Merric and Doris Boyd. Studied pottery and painting within the family circle and also the piano. Entered the Melba Memorial Conservatorium of Music at seventeen.

1942
Joined Contemporary Art Society of Australia. Conscripted into Australian Army.

1944-46
Studied at the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music and the National Gallery School on an ex-serviceman's grant. First exhibition of paintings with John Yule at the Rowden White Library, University of Melbourne. In partnership with brother Guy Boyd founded Martin Boyd pottery in Sydney.

1947
Painting expedition in New Caledonia with author Hugh Atkinson.

1948-40
Married Hermia Lloyd-Jones, younger daughter of graphic artist Herman (Jonah) and Erica Lloyd-Jones. Began pottery career with Hermia. First exhibition of pottery in Sydney.

1950-55
Established pottery studios in London and in the South of France joined for a time by ceramist and painter Stanislaw Halpern. Travelled widely throughout Spain. Returned to Australia.

1956
David and Hermia Boyd became widely known as leading Australian potters. Introduced new techniques in glazing and the use of the potters wheel in shaping sculptural figures. Greatly influenced local potters in particular Tom Sanders and John Perceval. Major exhibition of ceramic tiles and sculptures at the Museum of Modern Art, Melbourne.

1957-58
Commenced painting The Explorer series, exhibited at the Australian Galleries, Melbourne and Clune Galleries, Sydney.

1959
Started a series of paintings based upon the extinction of the full blood Tasmanian aboriginal in the nineteenth century. Took part in issuing the Antipodean manifesto with Charles Blackman, Arthur Boyd, John Brack, Robert Dickerson, John Perceval, Cliff Pugh and Bernard Smith defending the figurative images in contemporary painting in a joint exhibition in Melbourne. Exhibited The Explorers and The Tasmanians in Adelaide.

1960
Commenced a series of paintings on the theme of Law & Justice, The Trial series. Elected President of the Contemporary Art Society of Australia (Victorian Branch) and Councillor of the Museum of Modern Art of Australia (1960-62).

1961
First prize, Italian Government Art Scholarship for Australia. Chairman of the Federal Council of the Contemporary Art Society of Australia.

1962
Lived in Rome, continuing The Trial series, before returning to England. Settled in London.

1963
First one man exhibitions in London and Paris of the Trial paintings.

1964
Revisited Spain and painted Church and State series based upon this visit.

1965
One man exhibitions in London and in Australia Church and State.

1966
Discovered method of using candle flame to create images and named the technique Sfumato, a word used by Leonardo da Vinci to describe gradations of a misty tone in painting (although there is no evidence that Leonardo used a candle flame to achieve this effect)

1967-69
Exhibited Sfumato paintings in London and in Australia, including Newcastle, New South Wales. Revisited Australia. Exhibited late Sfumato and Limbo paintings in Adelaide, South Australia, Sydney series. War Games in Sydney, New South Wales. Visited Boyd Town at Twofold Bay, south coast of New South Wales. Commenced a series of paintings, The Wanderer, inspired by the life of Benjamin Boyd, an Australian adventurer of the 1840's. Retrospective exhibition of loaned works from various collections in Australia and Britain at Commonwealth Institute Art Gallery, London, Edinburgh and Sheffield.

1970
Settled in south of France. First exhibition of Wanderer series at Adelaide Festival of Arts, South Australia. Solo exhibition von Bertouch Galleries, Newcastle.

1971
Exhibited the Wanderer series in separate sections in three concurrent London exhibitions. Started a series based on mythological Orchards of Heaven, first exhibited in Brisbane, Queensland. Visited Australia.

1972
Developed theme of the Orchard and exhibited series entitled The Garden in the Wilderness in Newcastle, New South Wales. Commenced The Exiles series which formed the latest inclusion in the exhibition. Returned to France. Developed the theme The Exiles.

1973
Exhibited The Exiles series in London and in Melbourne, Victoria.

1974
Retrospective exhibition at Skinner Galleries, Perth, Festival of Arts.

1975
Returned to Australia. Retrospective Exhibition at von Bertouch Galleries, New Castle, New South Wales.

1976
Retrospective Exhibition at Bonython Gallery, Sydney.

1977
Commenced a series The Private View.

1978
Developed theme of The Private View.

1979-82
Major Retrospective Exhibition, Albert Hall, Canberra. Painted a series of works entitled The Day of The Picnic.

1983
Retrospective Exhibition 1957-82, a series of seven exhibitions, Wagner Art Gallery, Sydney.

1985
Exhibition Four Seasons, Wagner Art Gallery, Sydney.

1986
Exhibition A Judge in the Landscape series, Hong Kong: Wagner Art Gallery, Sydney: von Bertouch Galleries, Newcastle.

1987
Exhibition Requiem for the Birth of a Nation, Wagner Art Gallery, Sydney.

1988
Exhibition Antipodean Second Chapter, Lauraine Diggins Fine Arts, Melbourne; Lanyon Gallery, Canberra.

1989
S. H. Ervin Gallery, Sydney, Antipodean Second Chapter.

1990
Dedicated to Merric and Doris Boyd, Wagner Art Gallery, Sydney

1991-92
The Clown in the Tree series.

1992
Survey Retrospective Exhibition: Wagner Art Gallery, Sydney; Caulfield Art Complex, Melbourne; Macquarie University, Sydney; Beaver Galleries, Canberra.

1993
Appointed Artist in Residence, School of Law, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales.

1993-94
Metaphors of Trial series - von Bertouch Galleries, Newcastle, New South Wales.

1995
The Legend of Europa and the Cockatoos, Eva Breuer Gallery, Sydney, New South Wales.

1996
Europa in Australia von Bertouch Galleries, Newcastle, New South Wales.

1996-97
Driftwood and the Hierarchy series von Bertouch Galleries, Newcastle. Wagner Gallery, Sydney.

1998
Awarded Membro Albo D'oro Senato Accademico Accademia Internazionale D'arte Moderna, Rome.