Show Preview | Jacob Dhein

San Francisco, CA
Christian Daniels Gallery, December 12-January 10

Jacob Dhein, The F Line, oil, 12 x 12.

This story was featured in the December 2014 issue of Southwest Art magazine. Get the Southwest Art December 2014 print issue or digital download now–then subscribe to Southwest Art and never miss another story!

After spending three years completing his thesis, in which he focused on tightly rendered traditional representation, Bay Area artist Jacob Dhein (pronounced Dine) is exploring new ways to express himself as a painter. While working on his thesis, he says, “I couldn’t change my style. You present a statement to the board, and it has to be unified at the end—a unified body of work. Now I have the freedom to do what I want.” The results of his experimentation are on view this month in his second solo show at Christian Daniels Gallery, which opens with an artist’s reception on December 12 from 6 to 8 p.m. and showcases nearly 30 new works completed over the course of the year. “I think it’s going to be a very nice show,” says gallery director Dan Canale. “[Dhein] is finding his own style, and his paintings are starting to come alive.”

Presenting a fairly even mix of landscape and figurative pieces, Dhein notes that his work has evolved throughout the year. “The style is constantly changing,” he says. “The first works are more representational. As I keep working, I’m adding more abstract elements. So they range from more polished to more edgy with a contemporary feel. The finished look in some of the newer works is much looser. You can see the [painting] process.”

Another progression viewers will notice is significant color-palette changes. An entire series of the works, which were painted in the middle of the year, feature a dark grayish palette. “It started because I had been painting so warm,” the artist explains. “I wanted to have a little more gray.” In these works, Dhein maps out dark and light patterns and then slowly builds on them, bringing out lighter areas and details. “I try to keep the dark pattern unified and not break it up too much,” he says.

His subject matter, which at first appears diverse, can be summed up succinctly. “Almost all the figures are people I know, people that inspire me. All of these [paintings] are [of] things that inspire me.” —Laura Rintala

contact information
415.447.6103
www.christiandanielsgallery.com

Featured in the December 2014 issue of Southwest Art magazine–click below to purchase:
Southwest Art December 2014 print issue or digital download Or subscribe to Southwest Art and never miss a story!