Dana DeKalb

My figure paintings are rooted in the narrative tradition. 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. 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.
I was born in Indonesia, and spent most of my early childhood living in developing countries. After graduating with a degree in Studio Art from Pomona College, I moved to the Bay Area, where I have been based ever since. My 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. My 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.