Bio.

Dustin is from northern Illinois. He attended Illinois College where he received his B.A. (2012), earned his M.A. from Eastern Illinois University (2013), and obtained his M.F.A. from Washington State University (2019). Dustin primarily deems himself a painter and educator though he dabbles in various other creative outlets such as sculpting, woodworking, stained glass, new media, and considers himself a dedicated tinkerer who is passionately curious. He currently resides in central Washington.

Artist Statement.

Space is not stagnant. The movement of our planet through space as well as the movement of everyday objects continuously redefines space — a concept of which we are often unaware and take for granted. You are constantly in a space you have never occupied and never will visit again. The human spirit and our intrepid nature to explore our understanding of knowledge in relation to the vast unknown is vital for the development of society. My artwork focuses on the manipulation of light, space, and material to initiate emotional connections that arise when faced with the unknown and it’s potential. The fundamentals of design often employ the concept that the negative space within a composition is equally important as the positive shapes. My work expands on this idea by asserting that the same is true for the three-dimensional space around us as it gives context and purpose to familiar material. Working with everyday objects combined with imagery that focuses on our relationship with material, space, and time is a recurring theme in my work. Within my artwork, representational elements engender familiarity while abstract and nonrepresentational elements give context for the relationship between space and material. Through the marriage of these elements I aim to explore the root of intuition and our ever-receding line of knowledge in relation to the vast unknown. By provoking visceral and emotional responses, I seek to inspire viewers to reassess the space around them.

“The fact that the colors in the flower evolved in order to attract insects to pollinate it is interesting; it means that insects can see the color. It adds a question: does this aesthetic sense also exist in the lower forms? Why is it aesthetic? All kinds of interesting questions which the science knowledge only adds to the excitement, the mystery and the awe of a flower. It only adds. I don’t understand how it subtracts.”

-Richard Feynman

“Science strives for answers, but art is happy with a good question.”

-James Turrell