My work originates from the history that surrounds the image and lifestyles of the black female/male figure. An important part of my painting process lies between connecting historical content to contemporary spaces, and how that relationship coexists. I explore its connection through the beauty of the body navigating domestic living, objects, and overgrown lush environments produced traditionally with oil and mixed media making. My work tells a story that has presence, mystery, and relationship of color euphoria altogether. I challenge the memory of my work by manipulating transparency in the movement within the figure or objects as being seen or not seen that reflect and question identity. Currently, movement and memory have been a large inspiration for my figurative and portrait paintings. I'm inspired to create pieces that reflect daily how the body changes and adapts within elements of pleasure, growth, and bliss.
Biography
Dara Haskins (b.1992 Baltimore, MD) Has rooted her practice in Philadelphia working primarily in painting oil portraits and figurative oil and mixed media paintings. Addressing the ways the black body has been represented and looked at throughout history, she challenges the identity of being seen and unseen connecting historical content to contemporary spaces and how that relationship coexists. She is currently working on a series called “Havana time” expressively from her own photographs of people she spent time within Cuba.-Her large to small-scale paintings of objects, people, and places connect daily in domestic environments within the African diaspora. She is also working on a series called “ quraintin paintings” that reflects on dealing with isolation, time, and opportunity during the pandemic of COVID 19. Haskins received her BFA at The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in 2019. The J Henry Scheidt Memorial Travel Scholarship to Cuba in (2019). Recently Winning the Mural art fellowship for black artist 2021. Exhibiting solo exhibition at Rush Arts Philadelphia called; Navigating space) She currently lives and works in Philadelphia.
Education
2019
BFA, Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, Philadelphia, PA
Other Education
Anne Arundel County Community College
Awards & Honors
2021
Mural arts Philadelphia - Fellowship for black artist
2019
The J Henry Scheidt Memorial Travel Scholarship - Cuba
Jimmy C. Lueders Painting Prize
Edna Penny Packer Stauffer prize
Franklin C. Watkins Memorial Grant
2018
Violette De Mazia Memorial Scholarship
2017
Franklin C. Watkins Memorial Grant-Spring Prize Winner for talented painters
2016
Michael G Capuzzi, jr Memorial Endowment Grant Spring Prize Winner for motivated painters
Mary Graham Scholarship- Philadelphia Academy of fine arts
2015
Anne Arundel County grant for exceptional students
Publications
2021
20 BLACK ARTISTS TO WATCH - https://thephiladelphiacitizen.org/black-artists-philadelphia/
Mural arts Philadelphia - fellowship for black- artist
Philadelphia contemporary - Friday fave 5/6/21
Yale radio 5/5/21 interviewer-Brainard Carey https://museumofnonvisibleart.com/interviews/
Art blog Philadelphia - Sanctuary
Vox Populi
Tribes Magazine Black lives Matters issue
2019
Google Arts and Culture Hudson Guild Gallery -Transgressions Exhibition, New York, NY
Mari Elaine Lamp –“When art meets the world: In conversation with Student Dara Haskins” Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts Publications blog
2018
Marie Elaine Lamp- "Finding her place at a historic academy" Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts Publications Blog
Collections
Private
Linda Lee Alter
Danny Simmons
Mary Graham and Susan Campbell
Jim and Jennifer Nixon
Bill Hudgins
Public
Rush arts Philadelphia
Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts
Woodmere Museum of Art
Solo Exhibitions
2021
Navigating space - Rush Arts PhiladelphiaColored girls musem - installation exhibition one room school house
