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Dawn's Bio/Statment

Dawn's Bio/Statment
At age nine I began to draw in California where I was born and raised. My parents enrolled me in private oil painting classes in middle school and throughout high school; I attended a commercial arts high school for half of each day. I was always interested in archeology and anthropology. I remember reading books about lost civilizations and being intrigued with the symbols and ornamentation that these indigenous peoples created. These images stayed with me as I started my art study at the American Academy of Art in Chicago and the Art Institute of Chicago. When I moved to Florida to work with the old world masters at Walt Disney World as a sculptor and plaster mold/model maker, architectural ornamentation continued to influence me. As I worked on my own personal body of work, the ornamentation became a recurring theme reflected in the backgrounds of my work. I use the human figure to compare and contrast the curves muscles to the scrolls and curves of the ornamentation. In some of the paintings, I blend the human form into the ornamentation so that the human form becomes ornamentation itself.
In 1989, I started a Scenic Design/Production company with my life partner of 19 years, Cheryl. The scenic business has influenced my art with a sense of staging and drama. Harkening back to my childhood interest in lost civilizations, my metamorphosed beings take on the mysterious ancient rituals and dance of dreams. By combining the human form with animal forms, I use Social Surrealism to question socially accepted beliefs about the human condition. One of my series of metamorphosed beings is my male angels. My first angel was my "AIDS Angel" Created in rebuttal to Jerry Fawell's hatful statement that "AIDS is God's punishment for homosexuals." I have continued to create these Gay angels not out of any religious believes that I may or may not have but to show the religious right that they do not have the monopoly on Christianity.





Solo Exhibits:

"Skin Deep"
Gallery Q, Orlando, FL
June 2008

"Metamorphosis"
Stonewall Library, Ft Lauderdale, Fl
Nov 2007

"Heaveny Bodies"
Gallery Q, Orlando, FL
May 2007

Storks
Wilton Manors, Fl
August2007



Selected Exhibitions:

"United and Proud"
Ft. Lauderdale, FL
June 2008

"Bachanalia"
Gallery Q, Orlando, FL
April 2008

"Ribbons for the Children Event"
A World Aids Day Art Exhibit and Benefit Auction
Museum of Art, Ft Lauderdale, Fl
Dec 2007


"Family"
Fine Line Gallery
Atlanta, Ga
Nov 2007-Jan 2008


"Queer Art Collective at Metro"
Gallery at Metro, Orlando,Fl
Dec 2007


"Art Explosion 2007"
ArtServe Gallery, Ft. Lauderdale, FL
March 2007


"Numbers"
Gallery Q, Orlando, Fl
Dec 2007


"Aftermath"
Women artist respond to HERicanes Katrina, Frances and Jeanne
Seminole Community College Art Gallery, Sanford, Fl
May 2007


"Stronge Waves"
Claudia Chapline Gallery
Stinson Beach, California
May 2007


"United and Proud"
ArtServe Gallery, Ft. Lauderdale, FL
June 2007


"JOURNEYS", COMMA Gallery, Orlando FL,2007
"Seasons of Light", Gallery Q, Orlando Fl, 2006
"Bacchanalia", Gallery Q, Orlando Fl, 2006
"Las Olas Art Fair", Ft. Lauderdale FL, 2003
"Lake Mary Heathrow", Lake Mary FL, 2003
"Maitland Chamber Spring Festival", Maitland FL, 2003
"Another Dimension", Ariel Gallery, New York City, NY, 1990
Randolph Street Gallery, Chicago, IL 1984
Objects Gallery, Chicago, IL 1983

Awards:
"Spectrum Award" for Queer Art Collective
Orlando, Fl
Nov 2007

2nd Place, in "Seasons of Lights" for "Blue"
Gallery Q, Orlando, Florida
Dec 2006

Education:
Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois,
AA American Academy of Art, Chicago, Illinois, 1980
Born:
San Diego, California, 1959

Affiliations:
Arts United, Broward County, FL member 2006
Women Art Caucus FL member 2006
QUACK -Florida Queer Arts Collective, Member/Secretary 2006 through present