These original pieces, produced by North Carolina native and artist Darrell Dean, were created using brown butcher paper, ink, and paint to create a striking masterpiece. Wrapped in a white wood frame and matted, these pieces would look fantastic on a shelf or hung as a collection.
Darrell Dean was born on April 1, 1958, in Nashville, Tennessee. Raised in Appalachia, Dean's early years were marked by modest means and a vivid imagination as his father aspired to perform on the Grand Ole Opry. One of his first artistic experiences was creating op art painted bottles with his grandmother (not the Melungeon one), selling them to travelers passing through—until the construction of the interstate diverted the flow of visitors which sent him on a journey of moving throughout Florida.
Dean eventually settled in Washington, D.C., where he studied fine art at George Washington University. Immersed in the city's contrasting environments—from the industrial edges beneath Capitol Hill's railroad tracks to the refined landscapes of Georgetown—he absorbed a diverse range of cultural and political influences. Through the ACT UP movement and the cultural conservatism of the Jesse Helms era, Dean persevered, building a successful 30-year career as an antique dealer with shops in both Washington, D.C. and New York City.
Now residing in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Dean has returned to his first passion: artmaking. His work synthesizes elements of Cubism, Dada, punk, Pop, graffiti, naïve science, expressionism, typography (recalling the spirit of Ray Gun magazine), and folk art. The result is a richly layered and visually dynamic body of work—an ongoing series of portraits that reflect an introspective exploration of identity, memory, and the sum of a life fully lived through art.
Dimensions Framed : 13" wide x 17" tall
