Artist Dale Washington envelops the urban landscape in a wash of vibrant color and energetic swirls in a series of paintings and works on paper on view at the Hyde Park Art Center. The product of a longtime resident of Chicago’s South Shore neighborhood, Washington’s Sunrise abstractions provide an endearing and sensual view of the lakefront as the gradients of color move through the dark shapes of the city. This exhibition will showcase 30 of these awe-inspiring depictions of the natural phenomenon as seen from the shore of Lake Michigan. Acting as an alarm clock, Washington’s dramatic sunrises awaken the apartment towers and industrial sections of the South Side to a new day. Bold black lines dance across his compositions. The dissonant patterns mirror improvisational streaks of sunlight while alluding to the hustle, bustle and hum of the city rushing to work.
Dale Washington is a teaching artist at the Hyde Park Art Center. He received a BA from Columbia College and was the recipient of the 2003 Artist of the Year award from the Southside Cultural Center, where he has exhibited over the past ten years.