Feature Articles


September Issue 2000

Columbia Painter to Exhibit in Bassett Gallery

The Fine Arts Center of Kershaw County in Camden, SC, will exhibit the paintings of Dee Hansen September 6-29 in the Bassett Gallery.

The bulk of Hansen's show will include watercolors and acrylics ranging from traditional landscapes to a "funky" patterned style. The forty pieces in the show, in fact, are examples of her work over a thirty-year period. "I've covered the whole gamut of genre in my paintings over the years - this show has something from most of them," said Hansen.

Hansen looks at each canvas as a "space to be filled," whether the composition is a figure or a landscape. For landscapes, Hansen often works in acrylic and uses rich colors to produce bright flowers and wooded paths. Much of her early work consists of land and seascapes.

Her most recent work focuses on whimsical figures and colorful patterns. "I began to put patterned objects together against a patterned background to see what would happen," the artist recently stated. "In one sense it's like a theory of camouflage. Which objects would show up and which ones would be almost lost, and would I like the effect?"

The switch from more traditional compositions to patterns and shapes is an easy jump for Hansen. She is currently working in a number of different styles, including a series of paintings focusing on old family photographs.

Hansen, a native of Michigan and resident of Columbia, has been creating her artwork for nearly thirty years. "I have always considered myself an artist and had parents who encouraged my earliest endeavors," said Hansen. Hansen's husband, Harry, is also an artist, which has led to a number of dual exhibits.

Hansen studied art at the University of Illinois from 1961-64, where she developed her skills in basic drawing, design, architectural drawing, anatomy, and figure painting. It was there that she established her strong foundation for a career in visual arts. She later earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Art Studio from the University of South Carolina, where Harry Hansen is a professor.

Hansen has taught artistically gifted art students in Richland County. In addition, she has worked as an illustrator in the Geology and Medical Departments at the University of South Carolina.

In her years as a professional artist, she has studied a mix of media including ceramics, oils, watercolors, and gouache. In fact, she's best known for her watercolors, which have garnered her several awards and acclaim including the Robert Mills Award and numerous honors from the Trenholm Artists Guild.

Hansen's work has been shown at the McKissick Museum, the Verner Awards Exhibition, and the Sumter Gallery of Art. She has most recently exhibited in the South Carolina Watercolor Society Show, which travels around the state. In April, the exhibit, including Hansen's "Paper Dolls," made its way to the FAC as the final stop on the tour.

For further information check our SC Institutional Gallery listings or call the center at 803/425-7676.

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