Artist Warren Dykeman at Davidson Galleries
With bold paintings, a local artist finds beauty in imperfection
By Seattle Mag June 7, 2013
This article originally appeared in the July 2013 issue of Seattle magazine.
Warren Dykeman is looking for “the right kind of wrong.” A graphic designer by day, the Tri-Cities native and Seattle artist prizes an awkwardness in his mixed-media collages and paintings, which bring to mind graffiti, folk art, the oddly shaped humans of New Yorker cartoonist Saul Steinberg and blobby landscapes by 1960s poster artist Peter Max. “I’m interested in contour and rhythm within the composition,” Dykeman says. “I usually make one object, and then the next has to fit with the first, and the next has to fit with the two and so on.” His new show, I Might Exaggerate, features his signature elements: a bold palette, mysterious words and cartoonish figures in profile—many of which, Dykeman points out, have one leg shorter than the other. Why? “For some reason, this just looks better.” 7/5–7/27. (Opening reception 7/11, 6–9 p.m.) Times vary. Free. Davidson Galleries, 313 Occidental Ave. S; 206.624.7684; davidsongalleries.com
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