Daniel Douke
Biography
California artist Daniel Douke views the world as a realist. He says that the straightforwardness of representational painting has always engaged him. Past series of work have included trompe l’oeil paintings of cigar boxes, metal and cardboard sheeting.
For some time now his attention has been on roses, and his intention is to create a beautiful and engaging body of work that pays homage to the classic beauty of the rose.
Born in 1943 in Los Angeles, Daniel Douke received a M.A. from California State University, where he is also currently associate professor. He has had over forty solo exhibitions from coast to coast.
Dan Douke creates illusionary objects, such as cigar boxes, sheets of steel and crushed cardboard, which appear to look like “the real thing.” Using acrylic paint on canvas, linoleum, plastic pipe and other materials, Douke’s paintings appear to have been “found” as well as manipulated by the artist. However, his stated motive is not merely trompe l’oeil, but to try to make the viewer “broaden and elevate the perceptual sense.”
Statement
“For thirty years as a practicing artist, I have viewed the world as a realist. It has always been the straight forwardness of representational painting that has engaged me. Conceptually my work is concerned with the dichotomy of observational truths and abstract values. A constant has been my desire for the works to be specific and non-idealized and appear to be part of the real world. “
- Dan Douke
Dan Douke
1943 Born, Los Angeles, CA
1971 MA, California State University, Los Angeles, CA
Selected Exhibitions
1999 OK Harris Works of Art, New York, NY
1998 Still Life Painting Today, Jerald Melberg Gallery, Charlotte, NC
1997 Richard Heller Gallery, Santa Monica, CA
1997 West Coast Painting and Sculpture, Oceanside Art Museum, Oceanside, CA
1997 Unabashedly Urbane: Paintings by Daniel Douke and Robert Gratiot, California State University, Bakersfield, CA
1994 Reed Whipple Cultural Center, Las Vegas, NV
1992 The Reality of Illusion, Contemporary Crafts Association, Portland, OR
1991 Karp’s Choice, Triplex Gallery, Borough of Manhattan Community College, New York, NY
1991 Sam Francis Gallery, Crossroads School for the Arts and Sciences, Santa Monica, CA
1990 California Still Life, University Art Gallery, California State University, Hayward, CA
1989 Asheville Art Museum, Asheville, NC
1989 Tortue Gallery, Santa Monica, CA
1987 Jerald Melberg Gallery, Charlotte, NC
1986 Collectors’ Choice, Center for the Arts, Vero Beach, FL
1980 Daniel Douke, Jack Radetsky, Peter Saari, Gallery Yves, New York, NY
1977 100+ Current Directions in Southern California Art, Los Angeles Institute of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, CA
1976 Los Angeles, Penthouse Gallery, Museum of Modern Art, New York, NY
1975 Warren Benedek Gallery, New York, NY
1973 Painting, James D. Phelan Awards, Art Special Gallery, Oakland Museum, Oakland, CA
Featured Work
Gingerbread House
Made out of acrylic painted brown paper bags
Frosted sugar cookie, saran wrapped
Black heart
Flowers
Other Work
To and From
2007
Acrylic on canvas and resin
10-1/2″ x 8″ x 23″
(installed: 8-3/4′)
Arroyo
1983
Acrylic on canvas over panel
84″ x 43″ x 9″