ARTIST BIO

Artist’s Statement

”Using paint and pencil I create full color narratives celebrating the common moments of humanity chronicled thru nostalgic black and white photography”.

Dane Tilghman has taken his artwork towards new dimensions, starting with realism and moving towards a style that showcases his own interpretations of surrealism, impressionism and primitive elongation. His figurative paintings reflect a stylistic reference to artists Modigliani and Thomas Hart Benton.

A professional painter for over 20 years, Tilghman has also developed a distinctive and creative approach to depict artistic images of the common man, woman and child. Dane’s images are inspired by African Americans depicted as “Everyday People” in and out of daily life, popular entertainment, and the world of sports. Over the years, his constant refinement and development of these images and styles of painting has helped to establish him as one of the premier painters of African American Golf Art and Negro League Baseball images. His mural commission paintings are readily visible at several professional sports stadiums throughout the country including Turner Stadium, Atlanta; Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia and Texas Stadium, Dallas.

Tilghman’s paintings have consistently been exhibited throughout the country at various venues including the Black Fine Art Show, New York; International Art Expo, New York; Embrace, Atlanta; Art on the Riverfront, Delaware to name a few. Other select fine art exhibitions include Longwood Gardens, Pennsylvania; the African American Museum Philadelphia; Howard University; Butler Institute of Fine Art, Ohio; University of Pennsylvania and West Chester University.

Dane’s paintings are found in both private and corporate collections. Select collectors include: Dave Winfield, Nelson Mandela, Bill Cosby, the estate of Ossie Davis, Nabisco Corporation, Merck, Astra-Zeneca, MBNA and Prudential. In 2004 Kutztown University commissioned him for a commemorative poster for the 50th Anniversary of Brown vs. Board of Education.

Dane’s creative philosophy is to bring the audience to his interpretative views of life on canvas. “For me, when I’m painting it’s like the highest form of reality. When you’re engaged in that artwork…this is it! You’re in your zone”.

EDUCATION: BFA Kutztown University, Kutztown, PA

- BACK TO TOP