Artist Feature: Dolan Geiman

Dolan Geiman has become one of my favorite contemporary artists, which is made more interesting through a series of coincidental connections. I became familiar with Dolan's work when we met him at the Uptown Art Fair the summer Tony and I were living in Minneapolis. His work stood out to me because it was so different than everything else on display, and his aesthetic and color palette really drew me in. I grabbed one of his promo postcards (which I later made into magnets for my fridge) and signed up for his mailing list.

About a week later, when Tony and I were both offered jobs at The News Virginian and we knew we would be moving to Waynesboro, VA, I received my first e-newsletter from Dolan. It was then that I learned that he grew up in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley, not far from where Tony and I currently live. Before we moved, I sent Dolan an e-mail asking him all about Waynesboro. He kindly responded with a wealth of information, ranging from sharing tidbits about our future co-workers, filling me in on the local lingo, and directing us to some great hiking trails. He really got us excited to explore our new town and the surrounding area. And aside from the Minneapolis and Virginia connections, toss in the fact that he currently lives and works in Chicago (close to where Tony and I grew up), and you've got an amazing trio of serendipity.

Dolan's artwork is inspired by his rural Virginian upbringing, which I can really appreciate now that I'm familiar with the area. His tactile pieces often combine painting, printmaking, collage, and assemblage of found objects. I strongly recommend visiting his Etsy shop, or checking to see if he will be exhibiting at a local art fair near you. While it's great to see his work online, nothing can match experiencing it in person. (I was excited to see his artwork up close a second time when he exhibited at the Fall Foliage Festival in Waynesboro.) And best of all, his new spring line of artwork just launched TODAY on his Etsy. I've included a sampling of some of my favorite new items in this blog post.

Stay tuned tomorrow for a feature on the Dolan Geiman artwork that Tony and I own. We recently got our print framed, which inspired us to rearrange all of the artwork in our living room and give our mantle a much needed makeover.

Dolan Geiman: Contemporary Art with a Southern Accent™

Website: dolangeiman.com
Etsy Shop: dolangeiman.etsy.com
Blog: dolangeiman.blogspot.com
Twitter: twitter.com/dolangeiman
Facebook Fan Page: click here