Posts Tagged ‘dane klingaman’

photo by Sarah R. Lavigne

Dane Klingaman is twenty-four year old abstract painter and mixed media artist who loves taking digital pictures.  All of his digital work consists of bold, layering designs that are similar to comic books.  The mixed media art is very bold and consists of everyday items. 

Early Life
He was born on September 3, 1985 in San Francisco, California.  His father is a musician and his mother used to work for Macintosh Publication.  His first art experience came when he was five years old.  He was being babysat by an artist named, Missy Hamilton.  She owned a studio and had several paints and canvases laid out for him and his sister, Lenne, to draw on.  Dane and his sister had tons of caffeine that day and drew very creative art that is still hanging in his dad’s music studio.  He has always gotten training from looking at art.  Everything is in front of us, from nature to our imaginations.

Inspiration/Admiration
When Klingaman got to college he was able to realize how creative the atmosphere was that he grew up in.  Dane received training from two fabulous high school teachers, Jodi Hanson and Cecily Spano at the International Baccalaureate program in Minneapolis.  These teachers kept Klingaman focused on art.  When he came to school at the University of Charleston he was able to receive training from Mark Tobin Moore and P. Joseph Mullins.  Both gentlemen are local artists in the Charleston area.

Dane is inspired by people who are authentic and create rules for themselves as well as the people that do not allow society to repress their individualities.  He is inspired by the artists who make art regardless of comfort or money.

Current/Future Work
Right now he is working on creating a body of his finest work as well as applying to graduate school in the fall.  He also wants to get a program going with friends called Urban Trees.  This is a tree-drive to revamp the ratty-looking part of the East End of Charleston.  His goals are to continue to find time to work hard and think right about his paintings, whether in school, a gallery, or in his own studio with his cats.

In the past his art has been exhibited at the Clay Center, Cultural Center, Annex Gallery, Callen McJunkin Gallery, and the Frankenberger Gallery at the University of Charleston, and his own living and working spaces.  All of these galleries are in Charleston.  Dane is hoping to soon find a new, inventive space to show his new paintings. 

Dane’s favorite piece of his own art is something that he did not even intend to do.  His studio table is filled with notes, drawings, phones numbers, and collages scattered throughout the table top.  Is favorite work of someone else’s is Paul Klee’s watercolor studies he did from when he was in Tunisia. 

Dane Klingaman’s studio is a large room inside of his house that he gutted and turned into an artists’ studio.  He has even said that his work area is “too official”. Pieces of art are strewn everywhere, some pieces are not even his.  There is also a bookcase with old magazines, art and cooking books, and speakers inside.  Then, he has a desk with his computer and track lighting next a table.   

In order for other people to understand Klingaman and to better appreciate his work is not a lot of effort.  He thinks it is impossible to make art that is not a little bit autobiographical.  But, art should be objective and vague so that people can easily relate to them, even if they cannot relate to the artist as a person.  He also thinks that his art goes great with rap music which can attract different people.