Past Featured Solo Exhibition:
Dana DeKalb, Utopia, acrylic on canvas 30” x 30"
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Dana DeKalb
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Check out more photos from the show. Please contact gallery regarding these works, if interested:
More About Dana Dekalb
ARTIST'S GENERAL STATEMENT:
My figure paintings are rooted in the narrative tradition. Primarily acrylic on canvas, polyester or wood, they incorporate many different-colored glazes, which bathe the surfaces in a sensual, tinted light.
The characters are sourced from social studies textbooks, antique travel guides and high school yearbooks. They are placed in improbable settings that are simultaneously nostalgic and disorienting, and are often captured in a moment of decision. The open-ended fables explore the unexpected, humorous and exotic in seemingly familiar situations, suggesting a morality play in progress but with the lesson left unstated.
My intention is that the viewer will become as absorbed in the characters as they are in their activities, and that perhaps some preconceptions will be gently teased along the way.
STATEMENT, A DAY LIKE NEVER:
A Day Like Never reflects on the systems and structures we create to contain the disorder of our lives, despite the inevitable futility of such an attempt at control.
The paintings depict a variety of characters purposefully engaged in a range of efforts. They are posed diorama-like in questionable situations, including those that they have built for themselves. Although they seem to have set themselves up for failure, the subjects have not let that dim their enthusiasm for the task at hand. Each scene captures a moment’s pause in the action: for respite, assessment of the path forward or perhaps second thoughts about the enterprise itself.
In “Utopia,” for example, a white picket fence separates a manicured lawn from the encroaching wild jungle. Two figures emerge from the dense foliage and approach the fence; but it is left for us to decide if they are reaching out for the order of the tidy suburban landscape or beckoning us to join them in the uncontained wilderness.
“Rescue Party” portrays a group of bathing beauties posing in front of an unmoored lifeguard station floating on the ocean. Whether they are assembled for an emergency operation or simply stranded, they are clearly unqualified for the job.
A subset of nine small paintings depicts individual characters busy with their own endeavors. In one example, titled “Flight Path,” a single figure floats in the air above a dense tangle of branches. The freedom of his position in the sky contrasts with the dark undergrowth below, and gives no indication of whether he is leaping to avoid the natural impediment or about to plunge into it.
These works can be read as a metaphor for the ways in which we manage the instability of our own lives. Specifically, the narratives echo our ongoing journey together through three years of pandemic, environmental peril and political upheaval; as well as our individual attempts to navigate the world.
CONDENSED BIO:
Born in Indonesia, Dana DeKalb spent most of her childhood living in developing countries, where she acquired an appreciation for the exotic and unexpected. She spent every free moment of her early years drawing and painting. After graduating with a degree in Studio Art from Pomona College, DeKalb moved to the Bay Area, where she has been based ever since. Her paintings have been exhibited nationally since the 1980s and are held in many private and public collections, such as Stanford University, Siemens, PayPal, Mercy Housing and Stags’ Leap Winery. Her work has been reviewed in numerous publications, including San Francisco Chronicle, Visual Art Source, Southwest Art, American Art Collector, Huffington Post, Artweek and East Bay Express.
My figure paintings are rooted in the narrative tradition. Primarily acrylic on canvas, polyester or wood, they incorporate many different-colored glazes, which bathe the surfaces in a sensual, tinted light.
The characters are sourced from social studies textbooks, antique travel guides and high school yearbooks. They are placed in improbable settings that are simultaneously nostalgic and disorienting, and are often captured in a moment of decision. The open-ended fables explore the unexpected, humorous and exotic in seemingly familiar situations, suggesting a morality play in progress but with the lesson left unstated.
My intention is that the viewer will become as absorbed in the characters as they are in their activities, and that perhaps some preconceptions will be gently teased along the way.
STATEMENT, A DAY LIKE NEVER:
A Day Like Never reflects on the systems and structures we create to contain the disorder of our lives, despite the inevitable futility of such an attempt at control.
The paintings depict a variety of characters purposefully engaged in a range of efforts. They are posed diorama-like in questionable situations, including those that they have built for themselves. Although they seem to have set themselves up for failure, the subjects have not let that dim their enthusiasm for the task at hand. Each scene captures a moment’s pause in the action: for respite, assessment of the path forward or perhaps second thoughts about the enterprise itself.
In “Utopia,” for example, a white picket fence separates a manicured lawn from the encroaching wild jungle. Two figures emerge from the dense foliage and approach the fence; but it is left for us to decide if they are reaching out for the order of the tidy suburban landscape or beckoning us to join them in the uncontained wilderness.
“Rescue Party” portrays a group of bathing beauties posing in front of an unmoored lifeguard station floating on the ocean. Whether they are assembled for an emergency operation or simply stranded, they are clearly unqualified for the job.
A subset of nine small paintings depicts individual characters busy with their own endeavors. In one example, titled “Flight Path,” a single figure floats in the air above a dense tangle of branches. The freedom of his position in the sky contrasts with the dark undergrowth below, and gives no indication of whether he is leaping to avoid the natural impediment or about to plunge into it.
These works can be read as a metaphor for the ways in which we manage the instability of our own lives. Specifically, the narratives echo our ongoing journey together through three years of pandemic, environmental peril and political upheaval; as well as our individual attempts to navigate the world.
CONDENSED BIO:
Born in Indonesia, Dana DeKalb spent most of her childhood living in developing countries, where she acquired an appreciation for the exotic and unexpected. She spent every free moment of her early years drawing and painting. After graduating with a degree in Studio Art from Pomona College, DeKalb moved to the Bay Area, where she has been based ever since. Her paintings have been exhibited nationally since the 1980s and are held in many private and public collections, such as Stanford University, Siemens, PayPal, Mercy Housing and Stags’ Leap Winery. Her work has been reviewed in numerous publications, including San Francisco Chronicle, Visual Art Source, Southwest Art, American Art Collector, Huffington Post, Artweek and East Bay Express.
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Born 1958, Sumatra, Indonesia
Education 1975-79 Pomona College, Claremont, CA BA degree in Studio Art, Cum Laude 1983-84 San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA, Papermaking 1988 Mendocino Art Center, Mendocino, CA, Papermaking Solo Exhibitions 2023 “A Day Like Never,” Transmission Gallery, Oakland, CA 2022 “Open Season,” GearBox Gallery, Oakland, CA 2017 “The Magic Hour,” The Hivery, Mill Valley, CA, presented by Marrow Gallery, San Francisco, CA 2010 “Retablo,” Sue Greenwood Fine Art, Laguna Beach, CA 2008 Greenleaf Gallery, Whittier College, Whittier, CA 2007 “Cautionary Tales,” Rice/Polak Gallery, Provincetown, MA 2006 “Tableau Vivant,” Heather Marx Gallery, San Francisco, CA 2003 “Social Studies,” Heather Marx Gallery, San Francisco, CA 2001 “New Work,” Heather Marx Gallery, San Francisco, CA 1993 The Equitable Building, San Francisco, CA 1992 Creative Arts Center Gallery, Sunnyvale, CA 1990 Mesa Gallery, San Francisco, CA 1989 Joanne Chappell Gallery, San Francisco, CA Selected Group Exhibitions 2023 “Salon des Refuses,” 4 Chicken Gallery, San Francisco, CA 2022 “No Way Out but Through,” Berkeley Art Center, Berkeley, CA, Elena Gross, curator “Ripples,” UC Hastings College of the Law, San Francisco, CA 2021 “Hierarchy,” GearBox Gallery, Oakland, CA “ConVERGEnc,” Marin Museum of Contemporary Art, Novato, CA “Left Coast Annual,” Sanchez Art Center, Pacifica, CA 2020-21 “Bird, Nest, Nature,” Bedford Gallery, Lesher Center for the Arts, Walnut Creek, CA 2020 “Domesticated,” two-person show, Jennifer Perlmutter Gallery, Lafayette, CA “Sanctuary,” GearBox Gallery, Oakland, CA Members Exhibition, Berkeley Art Center, Berkeley, CA 2019 “Despot Housewives: Paintings by Dana DeKalb, Jane Fisher and Marie Van Elder,” Institute for advancing Uncertainty, San Francisco, CA “All That Glitters,” Berkeley Art Center, Berkeley, CA, Walter Maciel, curator “In This Kingdom by the Sea,” stARTup art fair, San Francisco, CA 2018 “Here: Part 1,” Berkeley Art Center, Berkeley, CA “Wonder Women: Local Treasures,” Berkeley Art Center, Berkeley, CA, George Krevsky curator “The Outer Limits,” stARTup art fair, San Francisco, CA “The Bargain,” stARTup art fair, Venice, CA 2017 “Vanitas,” Marrow Gallery, San Francisco, CA “Sweet and Low,” Bedford Gallery, Lesher Center for the Arts, Walnut Creek, CA “Art and the Body,” Diablo Valley College, Pleasant Hill, CA “With Liberty and Justice for Some,” Berkeley Art Center, Berkeley, CA. Monica Lundy and Walter Maciel curators “Stage Fright,” stARTup art fair, Hollywood, CA “Big Names, Small Art,” Crocker Art Museum, Sacramento, CA “Morality Play,” stARTup art fair, San Francisco, CA 2016 “Safe at Home,” Bedford Gallery, Lesher Center for the Arts, Walnut Creek, CA “Souvenir Collection,” stARTup art fair, Hollywood, CA 2013 “Hey EveryBody: New Bay Area Figurative Painting,” Diablo Valley College, CA “The Art of Baseball: 15th Annual Exhibition,” George Krevsky Gallery, San Francisco, CA 2012 “The Art of Baseball,” Bank of America, Concourse Gallery, San Francisco, CA 2011 “Winter Exhibition,” Skidmore Contemporary Art, Santa Monica, CA “Sea Change,” Marx Zavattero Gallery, San Francisco, CA “Play Ball,” Lancaster Museum of Art, Lancaster, PA “Five Artists,” Sue Greenwood Fine Art, Laguna Beach, CA “Life and Landscape,” George Krevsky Gallery, San Francisco, CA “The Fine Art of Baseball: 14th Annual,” George Krevsky Gallery, San Francisco Los Angeles Art Show, Los Angeles, CA 2010 “What?” Andrea Schwartz Gallery, San Francisco, CA “Rookies & Pros: The Art of Baseball,” George Krevsky Gallery, San Francisco, CA Los Angeles Art Show, Los Angeles, CA “Treasures,” George Krevsky Gallery, San Francisco, CA San Francisco Fine Art Fair, San Francisco, CA 2008-9 “Paper Beings,” Hespe Gallery, San Francisco, CA 2007 “The Little Show,” Swarm Gallery, Oakland, CA Pulse New York, 69th Regiment Armory, New York, NY Art Chicago, The Merchandise Mart, Chicago, IL “The Art of Baseball,” George Krevsky Gallery, San Francisco, CA 2006 Rice/Polak Gallery, Provincetown, MA “Top of the 9th: The Art of Baseball,” George Krevsky Gallery, San Francisco, CA Portland Art International, Portland, OR “Remote Viewing 3,” Lake Tahoe, CA 2005 “Several Artists Consider Books,” Paul Kopeikin Gallery, Los Angeles, CA “Batter Up!” Rice/Polak Gallery, Provincetown, MA “More Than a Game: The Art of Baseball,” George Krevsky Gallery, San Francisco Portland Art International, Portland, OR “Remote Viewing 2,” Lake Tahoe, CA 2004 “New Tales to Tell,” San Luis Obispo Art Center, San Luis Obispo, CA Scope Art Fair, New York, NY “Art of the Game: The Art of Baseball,” George Krevsky Gallery, SF, CA 2003 San Francisco International Art Exposition, San Francisco, CA “Night Moves: 19th Annual Auction,” New Langton Arts, San Francisco, CA “American Figurative Art,” Santa Cruz Art League, Santa Cruz, CA 2001 “Inaugural Exhibition,” Heather Marx Gallery, San Francisco, CA “Gallery Artists,” Editions Limited Gallery, Indianapolis, IN (also 2000, 1999, 1997, 1996 and 1995) 1996 “Eight Artists,” Joanne Chappell Gallery, San Francisco, CA 1994 “Recent Works on Paper,” Joanne Chappell Gallery, San Francisco, CA “Beyond the Facade: Architecture in Art,” Syntex Gallery, Palo Alto, CA “Architectural Imagery,” Joanne Chappell Gallery, San Francisco, CA 1990 “The Earth is Alive,” Mesa Gallery, San Francisco, CA 1989 “18 Viewpoints,” Mesa Gallery, San Francisco, CA 1988 “Invitational Exhibition of Northern California Artists,” Redding New Works Gallery, Redding CA “Inaugural Exhibition,” Joanne Chappell Gallery, San Francisco, CA “Works on Paper,” Mesa Gallery, San Francisco, CA 1987 “Art at Pomona, 1887-1987,” Montgomery Art Gallery, Pomona College, Claremont, CA (catalogue) “New Work by Gallery Artists,” Editions Limited Gallery, San Francisco, CA “Brand XVII,” Brand Library Art Galleries, Glendale, CA “West Coast Works On/Of Paper,” Reese Bullen Gallery, Humboldt State University, Arcata, CA “Agnon XIV,” The Agnon School, Cleveland, OH 1986 “Rags to Riches,” San Mateo Arts Council, Redwood City, CA “Northern California Artists,” Imago Gallery, San Francisco, CA “New Dimensions: Relief Work by Six New Artists,” Editions Limited Gallery, Indianapolis, IN “Gallery Artists,” Art Images Gallery, St. Charles, IL “Fiber and Cast Paper,” Editions Limited Gallery, San Francisco, CA “Agnon XV,” The Agnon School, Cleveland, OH 1985 “All on Paper '85,” AAO Gallery, Buffalo, NY 1984 Inaugural Exhibition, Prima Galeria, Marina Del Rey, CA Awards / Commissions 2022 Audience Award, “No Way Out but Through,” Berkeley Art Center 2021 Portrait Commission, Sister Lillian Murphy Senior Housing Development, Mercy Housing, San Francisco, CA Gallery Award, “Hierarchy,” Gearbox Gallery, Oakland, CA Second Place Award, “ConVERGEnce,” Marin Museum of Contemporary Art, Novato, CA 2020 Juror’s Award, Bedford Gallery, Lesher Center for the Arts, Walnut Creek, CA 2019 Commission, three figure paintings, Paypal headquarters, San Jose, CA 2017 Portrait Commission, Bill Sorro Senior Housing Development, Mercy Housing, San Francisco, CA Membership Award, Bedford Gallery, Lesher Center for the Arts, Walnut Creek, CA 2014 Portrait Commission, Vera Haile Senior Housing Development, Mercy Housing, San Francisco, CA 2010 Portrait Commission, Edith Witt Senior Housing Development, Mercy Housing, San Francisco, CA 2003 Merit Award, “American Figurative Art,” Santa Cruz Art League, CA 2002 Commission, illustrations for The Book of Rules, Stags’ Leap Winery, Napa, CA 1979 Teagle Scholarship for high achievement, Pomona College, Claremont, CA Mary Drew Award for works on paper, Pomona College, Claremont, CA Selected Public Collections Clorox Company, Oakland, CA Ernst and Whinney, Oakland, CA Mercy Housing, San Francisco, CA Pacific Telesis, San Francisco, CA PayPal headquarters, San Jose, CA PepsiCola Corporation, Los Angeles, CA Pomona College, Claremont, CA Proctor and Gamble, Cincinnati, OH Safeway Corporation headquarters, Oakland, CA Siemens Laboratories, Walnut Creek, CA Stags’ Leap Winery, Napa, CA Stanford University, Stanford, CA Van Kampen Merritt Inc., Naperville, IL Wellington Management, Boston, MA Selected Bibliography 2022 Nolte, Carl, “How a Nun from SF Became a Champion for Housing for the Poor,” San Francisco Chronicle, April 10, p. A2; and SFGate.com, April 9 (reproductions) 2021 Cover reproduction, West Marin Review, Vol. 10 2020 Braccini, Sophie, “Galleries revived: ‘Domesticated’ and ‘Dark and Light’ open,” Lamorinda Weekly, Aug 5, p. B3 (reproduction) “Art Up: BAC Members Exhibition, Part 1,” Berkeley Times, Jan 23, p.14 (reproduction) 2019 Baumberger, Alan, “Startup Art Fair,” ArtBusiness.com, April 26 (reproduction) 2018 Fancher, Lou, “Women at the Forefront,” East Bay Express, Arts & Culture, May 23-29, p. 19 (reproductions) Cover reproduction, The Monthly, June Witt, Peter, Edith’s War, Texas A&M University Press, inside and back cover color reproductions Baumberger, Alan, “Startup Art Fair,” ArtBusiness.com, April 27 (reproduction) “Startup Art Fair 2018,” Art and Cake, Feb 2 (reproduction) 2016 “In LA, Art Fairs Go Rogue,” DinnerPartyBlog.com, Jan. 31 (reproduction) 2010 Lasarow, Bill, “Dana DeKalb at Sue Greenwood Fine Art,” Visual Art Source, Sept 17; reprinted in Art Scene, cover editorial with reproductions, October issue Lasarow, Bill, “Dana DeKalb at Sue Greenwood Fine Art,” Huffington Post, Sept. 22 (color reproduction) Borgwardt, Michelle, “Dana DeKalb: Mazes of Meaning,” American Art Collector, October, No. 60 (feature article with color reproductions) Baker, Kenneth, “Steel returns with ‘What?’,” San Francisco Chronicle, Ovation Section; sfgate.com, August 19, p. F2 Ramey, Joanna, Review, What? Exhibition, WWD.com, August 10 “What?,” ArtPractical.com, August (reproduction) Review, Riviera Magazine, October, p. 32 (color reproduction) 2009 Nataraj, Nirmala, “Paper Beings at Hespe Gallery, Artweek, February, pp. 28 & 25 “Man & Nature,” review of “Paper Beings,” Southwest Art, January Feher, Erin, “Ten to Watch: Exhibits to See Before They Go,” California Home + Design, online issue, Jan. 6 (color reproduction) 2008 Harmanci, Reyhan, “Feeling Uncertain,” San Francisco Chronicle, Dec. 4, p. 16 Jones, Jackie, “Dana DeKalb’s ‘Grace Period’ graces Greenleaf Gallery,” Quaker Campus, January 31 2007 Messing, Nicholas, “Dana DeKalb: Expect the Unexpected,” Edgenewyork.com; Edgechicago.com, June 28 (color reproduction); reprinted in Provincetown Magazine, Provincetown, MA, summer issue (color reproduction) 2006 Baumberger, Alan, “Heather Marx Gallery: Dana DeKalb, Tableau Vivant,” artbusiness.com, March 18 (color reproductions) Swaby, Rachel, “Gallery Watch,” 7x7 Magazine, March, p. 70 Top of the 9th: The Art of Baseball, George Krevsky Gallery, San Francisco, CA (catalog with color reproduction) Bigelow, Catherine, “Swells,” San Francisco Chronicle; sfgate.com, Jan. 1 2005 Sullivan, Kathleen, “’The Art of Baseball’ is on deck,” San Francisco, Chronicle; sfgate.com, March 25, p. F9 (review with color reproduction) More Than a Game: The Art of Baseball, George Krevsky Gallery, San Francisco, CA (catalog with color reproduction) Review, Perspectives, November/December, p. 16 2004 Gangelhoff, Bonnie, “Impossible Dreams: Dana DeKalb creates imaginary universes inside her San Francisco studio,” Southwest Art, February, Vol. 33, No. 9, p. 82 (feature article with color reproductions) 2003 Whitehill, Theresa, The Book of Rules, Stags’ Leap Winery, Napa, CA (limited edition fine press publication, color reproductions) Pelfrey, Bob, “New Tales,” New Times, May 27, p. 20 Art of the Game: The Art of Baseball, George Krevsky Gallery, San Francisco, CA (catalog with color reproduction) Datebook, San Francisco Chronicle, Nov. 16, p. 60 (color reproduction) Baumberger, Alan, “Heather Marx Gallery: Dana DeKalb, Social Studies,” artbusiness.com, November 20 (color reproductions) 2002 Weinfeld, Carol L., “Mysterious Jewels: Dana DeKalb at Heather Marx Gallery,” sanfranciscoartmagazine.com, Jan., Vol. 2, Issue 1 (feature article with color reproductions) Berry, Colin, “The Inaugural Exhibition at Heather Marx Gallery,” Artweek, Feb., Vol. 33, Issue 1, p. 25 1988 “Northern California Artists Featured,” The Record Searchlight, July “On the Wall and Off the Wall,” The New Fillmore (reproduction) 1987 Beebe, Marjorie Harth, Art at Pomona, 1887-1987, Galleries of the Claremont Colleges, Claremont, CA (catalog with reproduction, p. 65) Zirker, Joseph, West Coast Works On/Of Paper 1987, Reese Bullen Gallery, Humboldt State University, Arcata, CA (catalog) 1986 “Paper and Art Go Hand in Hand,” The Indianapolis News, Oct 2, p. F4 (reprod) Related Professional Activities 2018 Artists in Conversation Panel Discussion, Berkeley Art Center, Berkeley, CA Moderator: Robert Flynn Johnson, Curator Emeritus, Achenbach Foundation, SF 2017 Artist Portfolio Reviews, Root Division, San Francisco, CA 2009 MFA Student Portfolio Reviews, Academy of Art College, San Francisco, CA 2007-16 Director, Scott Richards Contemporary Art, San Francisco, CA 2006 Visiting artist, Sierra Nevada College, Incline Village, NV Visiting artist, City College, San Francisco, CA 2003-06 Director, Steel Gallery, San Francisco, CA 1991-03 Manager, Hackett-Freedman Gallery, San Francisco, CA 1990-92 Artist workshop, Creative Arts Center Gallery, Sunnyvale, CA Artist workshop, Mesa Gallery, San Francisco, CA 1988-91 Manager, Victor Fischer Galleries, Sa |
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TRANSMISSION GALLERY
OAKLAND 770 West Grand Ave., Suite A, Oakland, CA 94612 Open Thurs-Sat, 12 to 5 pm till 8 pm on the first Friday of the month and by appointment Accessibility: This a 2nd floor art gallery, accessible by stairs. |
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