LUKE DOLLAR Biography of an Artist

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Born on December 23, 1978 in Portland, Oregon, Luke Dollar was submerged in art at a young age. Studying the works of his talented mother, Margaret Rose Dollar, he began painting from the time he was a child. He studied under the highly regarded eye of Claudia Halseth and world renowned artist Tom O'Day in the charming Northwest city of Spokane, Washington.

Upon graduation from Washington State University in 2001 with a BFA degree in painting and photography, Luke Dollar relocated to San Francisco. Although oil and acrylic paint served as convenient mediums for expressing his thoughts on canvas, he found himself looking for something different. Having studied photography extensively with a knack for rigid architectural compositions, he began to experiment with photography in his paintings. It became clear to him that his work must attempt to capture the boundless beauty of this place called the "Bay Area".

Luke Dollar's work often employs figurative elements in combination with strong architectural references. Other works are much more organic in nature. He is frequently working on a large scale, with panoramic representations of rooms and other public spaces. These serve as a portrait of an environment and its inhabitants. Mixed Media now plays a dominant role in his work as he uses various acrylic and oil based mediums along with an assortment of other materials in conjunction with actual photographs.

The artist's primary residence is now Oakland, California where he finds no shortage of culture, inspiration, beauty, and irony. He spends much of the year traveling and has drawn inspiration from diverse locations throughout the United States and Europe. His work can be found in collections of patrons throughout the world.

In June of 2005, Luke Dollar opened a studio in the heart of San Francisco's historic North Beach neighborhood. This space has ushered in a new chapter of growth and productivity in his artistic career. He gladly works with patrons and corporations to create commissioned works to satisfy a wide range of visionaries. Please contact Luke Dollar to schedule a studio visit of current works in progress, discuss a commissioned work, or to request a list of current works available for sale.

Thank you.