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Portrait of Dan Beard

Originally from the UK, Dan Beard has lived and worked as a professional artist in London and Los Angeles. He currently lives in Helsinki. He has exhibited in the UK, US and Nordic region.

Since 2020 he has been working on a series exploring the properties of tree bark. This is an in depth study that starts with drawing from life and continues with painting back in the studio.

The paintings included on this website are from this current series. They follow the general principles observed in bark structure but investigates further the inherent abstract qualities of it. The result is a study of surface, form, movement, ambiguous planes, complexity of connections and visual texture.

The handling of the content differs throughout the series, some graphic and gestural, others more representational. The same is true of the choice of painting technique. But as with all of his previous work, as much as the works are about a particular theme, they are first and foremost concerned with painting, with pushing it to see where it can go.

Solo Shows

2013 – The Savage Hills, Assembly Rooms, London

2010 – Exposure Gallery, London

2008 – Kulma Galleria, Helsinki, Finland

2008 – Galleria Rajatila, Tampere, Finland

2008 – Punavuoridesign Studiogalleria, Helsinki, Finland

2008 – Brinkkala Galleria, Turku, Finland

2007 – Galleria Taidepanimo, Lahti, Finland

2007 – Galleria Kanneltalo, Helsinki, Finland

2007 – Galleria Oma Huone, Helsinki, Finland

2003 – BRB Gallery, Camberwell, London (Camberwell Arts Festival)

Group Shows

Future

2025 – Uusikuva, Kotka

2025 – Haihara, Tampere

Previous

2024 – +-5, Asbestos, Helsinki

2017 – SPRUNG!, Hunter Shaw Fine Art, Los Angeles

2017 – Got It For Cheap, 00 Gallery LA & traveling exhibitions

2016 – Discerning Eye, Mall Galleries, London

2016 – Flash Salon, ASC Gallery, London

2016 – Correspond, Interview Room 11 Gallery, Edinburgh

2015 – Plymouth Contemporary Open, Peninsula Gallery, Plymouth

2014 – Teleology, Husk Gallery, London

2014 – Anthology, Charlie Smith Gallery, London

2014 – Royal Academy Summer Show, London

2013 – Crash Open, Charlie Dutton Gallery, London

2010 – Jacobsen Portrait Award (Nordic museum tour)

2009 – Turku Biennale, Aboa Vetus Ars Nova Museum, Turku

2009 – Hackney Wicked Festival, London

2007 – Tampere Artist’s Association, Finland

Awards

2014 – WW SOLO Award Selected Artist

2014 – Short List, Beers Contemporary Award

2009 – Matti Koivurinta Foundation

2008 – Tampere City Professional Artist’s Grant

Related Projects

2014 – Poster artwork for film "Blood Cells" (Venice Biennale Film Festival)

Public Collections

Aboa Vetus Ars Nova Museum, Finland

Publications

"Surface", Turku Biennale, Aboa Vetus Ars Nova Museum

Memberships

Helsinki Artists' Association

Finnish Painters' Union

Education

1996-1999 - University of Northumbria at Newcastle, Fine Art Painting

2012-2013 - Turps Art School, London