Divinely Irreverent

Artist Statement

Washington, DC-based painter Dana Ellyn unveils a new selection of paintings under the moniker Divinely Irreverent on December 5th at the Evolve Urban Arts Project in Washington, DC. A reception, open to the public, is scheduled on that day from 4 – 7 pm. The Project space is located in the Pierce School Lofts at 1375 Maryland Avenue, NE, in the H Street Arts and Entertainment District.

Dana Ellyn is a DC resident and full-time painter who lives and paints in her studio in a subsidized artist housing unit in downtown Washington DC. Dana committed herself to full-time status in 2002 when she decided to leave her corporate job and pursue a lifelong love of painting. Her color-saturated work is exemplified by a risk-taking vision and playful, yet scathing, critiques of social norms. Dana values her fine arts training but now works on peeling away the art school compulsion to make, and hide behind, pretty pictures. No public figure – from President to Pope – is safe from Dana’s artistic scrutiny.

The timing of Dana’s exhibition at Evolve -- just in time for the holiday season – is of no small coincidence. Divinely Irreverent immediately follows on the heels her nationally-recognized participation in the first International Blasphemy Day (September 30th) and continues her provocative pictorial questioning of America’s religious and social traditions. December marks the time of year when we both celebrate our Judeo-Christian heritage and camp overnight in Wal-Mart parking lots across the nation to purchase the latest electronic gizmos. Dana’s paintings included in this exhibition will shed a unique, harsh light on the point of intersection where our faith tradition and frenzied consumerism meet. Despite the intense subject matter, Dana still maintains a sense of dark humor in both paint and print; in a recent CNN interview she states that even though she doesn’t believe in Hell, she still feels a bit uneasy hearing that she’s headed straight for it.

Dana Ellyn: Divinely Irreverent will run through Saturday, January 30th, 2010. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday from 1 – 4pm. Other times are available through appointment.

The Evolve Urban Arts Project enriches the lives of residents, neighbors in the H Street Community, and Washington, DC at large by providing free exhibition space to artists based in the metropolitan area. For further information, please visit our website at www.evolveDC.com