Dolan Geiman Art
Photos of artwork by David Ettinger. Photos of artist by Chris Nightengale.
Rarely have we seen a Southern artist who demonstrates such breadth of talent as Dolan Geiman, whose portfolio not only holds sculpture, mixed media, and panel paintings, but also contains interesting reproductions of his art in the form of framed paper prints, box prints, and the affordably priced DG Minis.
All of Geiman’s art is compellingly American with deep Southern roots. The Virginia native is particularly drawn to “found” materials, repurposing engine parts, old nails, wood from abandoned houses and the like to create art that is memorable, heavy on texture and yet still somewhat whimsical. The son of a watercolor artist and a farmer, Geiman grew up surrounded by nature and people who appreciated its beauty and urged him to take time to explore the environment around him. What he discovered was that anything could make art, even if at first it didn’t appear to hold any promise.
Today, Geiman lives in Chicago, where he considers himself “a spokesperson for the South.” He says, “When I first moved here, I was shocked and amazed by people’s misconceptions. So, I took it upon myself to ‘share the gospel’ about how awesome it is to be from the South. And, I feel like being in Chicago has allowed me to pull from memory and experience that I might not have pulled from as soon. Because I moved to Chicago when I did, I was able to really appreciate being from the South and understand what that meant.”
The subjects of Geiman’s artwork – rural scenes, barns, and woodland creatures – are only part of what makes it Southern. The materials he uses are most often found in the South, then carried back to his studio where he fills and labels boxes with their place of origin. When seeking inspiration, he returns to those boxes to weave an overarching story through the piece.
As Geiman continues to evolve as an artist, he senses a shift in the direction of sculpture and mixed media. “I am starting to feel I am more a sculptor by nature,” he says. “Growing up, everything was very hands-on. That experience has led me to be more tactile with my work, and now I feel like I’m battling technology – the loss of tactile objects like books, for example – with tactility.”
We particularly like Geiman’s American Souvenir, Made In The Shade Guitar Collection, Virginia Dens Collections, and Dirt Road Roosters, as well as his DG Minis – archival reproductions cast on poplar that make for distinctive gifts that won’t empty your wallet (a set of four farmhouse prints on wood sells for $200). If you can’t find something on Geiman’s website that you appreciate (though we doubt it), he also accepts commissions.
