Bio
Dennis Worrel is a painter and printmaker. He currently lives and work on the northern Oregon Coast. His interests include traveling, hiking, reading, and gardening. He is a founding member of Arts Accelerated, a local non profit organization promoting arts exhibitions and education. Dennis received his MFA from the San Francisco Art Institute.
Statement
Art making for me is an ongoing exploration of the magical world around us. I am a schooled artist drawn to the works of funk and visionary artists. I grew up in Northern California in the 1960s and was first inspired by the works of several Bay Area Figurative and "Funk" artists for their offbeat and irreverence visions and their self-deprecating sense of humor.
Through art, I make visible histories and memories that have long disappeared into the shadows. Like an archaeologist, I dig-up broken fragments and from the past, and piece them together. Like a storyteller, I chew up the old and retell them into a new version, similar to the old, but now with new layers of expression and insights.
I work in the medium of drawing, painting and printmaking. I prefer to work back and forth from memory, without any preliminary preparation. But sometimes, the work develops from sketches or photos. The work often goes through multiple starts, stops, and restarts. The subject matter varies widely from common day objects to exotic animals in dream like settings to childhood memories. Most recently the subjects have been local historic figures and Roman travels.
At the end of the day, my intent is to make work that is direct, accessible, and intriguing that can be enjoyed in quiet moments of the day.