Released: May 31, 2011
Lincoln, Neb. - For more than fifty years, Nebraska artist and retired UNL professor of art Dan Howard has been painting large expressive canvases. To recognize his achievements and celebrate his 80th birthday, the Sheldon Museum of Art will present Decisive Line: Drawings by Dan Howard, an exhibition of works in oil, charcoal, graphite, and pen and ink.
Although Howard's dramatic images give the appearance of energetic spontaneity, they are actuality the result of much thought and planning. This preparatory work arms the artist with the confidence and fortitude necessary to produce the strong, decisive paintings for which he has developed his reputation. This exhibition pairs small sketches and studies with Howard's large canvases, offering insight into his creative process. Selected works will focus on what Howard calls "gestural line," a consistent component of his oeuvre.
Although the Abstract Expressionist movement had a profound effect on Howard, his work also possesses recognizable elements and enigmatic qualities that he uses to keep viewers engaged. Decisive Line highlights works from series created over the last 20 years. Working serially, the artist feels, offers him many possibilities that cannot be captured in one piece alone. Included in the exhibition are his well-known Disaster, Bondage, and Hubble series as well as portraits, landscapes, and comic-related works.
Decisive Line is on view June 3-September 18, 2011. Dan Howard and Sheldon Curator of Cultural and Civic Engagement Sharon Kennedy, curator of the exhibition, discuss the artist's life and work on Friday, June 3 at 5:30 p.m. in the Ethel Abbott Auditorium. A reception will follow.
Exhibition and program support provided by Kiechel Fine Art, LLC.
- Sheldon Musuem of Art