Gallery Bergelli 483 Magnolia Avenue Larkspur, CA 94939 415–945–9454 gallery@bergelli.com
www.bergelli.com
DANIEL TOUSIGNANT: Recent Paintings 2011
“Daniel Tousignant's scenes of perfectly clouded blue skies and topiary-type trees on lush beds of grass are dreamscapes that we want to hold onto. Detailed views of other "botanicals" draw us deeper into the elements that make up these compositions.” - Sabine for ArtMoCo
D A N I E L
T O U S I G N A N T
Raised on a dairy farm in Minnesota, Tousignant started painting at the age of five. The unique spirit and energy of every scene he paints captures the subtleties of color and light. Daniel's work never fails to bring delight and wonder to its viewers. "I love recalling collective memories of peaceful landscapes, creating environments with open, expansive, clear horizons - an old tree, a vista of pastureland, and the distant billowing clouds of my lazy youth." Daniel Tousignant His Botanicals refract light so beautifully that they become a natural medium for the luminous way that he sees and portrays his subjects. The pure, pigmented colors are layered and blended on custom-made black lacquered wood panels. In a review, Barcelona's Metropolitan Magazine described Tousignant's art as follows: "Looking at the work of San Francisco artist Daniel Tousignant is like staring at a freeze frame of the best dream you've ever had, and the effect is a sudden wash of chestclutching happiness. The beauty evoked by his landscape is so intense that it elevates them into the realm of abstraction, even though on the surface they're utterly representative. There is some living depth, all the more fascinating for its hiddenness, breathing behind every leafy branch. The artist says that trees reflect the beauty and vulnerability of all living things. Maybe this vulnerability is what we see just under the surface of his canvasses, and what elicits such a visceral reaction to his work." Mr. Tousignant attended the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis College of Art and Design, Chicago Art Institute, Central School of Art in London, and the Royal Academy in London, England. Tousignant has exhibited in galleries throughout the US and recently in Barcelona, Spain. The artist received the 2008 Spectrum Honoree Award by the Access Institute, a nonprofit organization that supports affordable mental health services. Recent San Francisco public exhibitions of his work include: Bank of America, Transamerica Building, Parkmerced. His work has been featured in numerous publications including Marin Magazine, San Francisco Bay Guardian and Papercity Magazine. The last four years Daniel Tousignant has donated artwork to the Heroes & Hearts program of The San Francisco General Hospital Foundation. The program auctions large, heart-shaped structures to generate funds for the Foundation. Tousignant donated a heart for the 2007 auction which raised $50,000 for the hospital Foundation. Originally on display in San Francisco's Union Square, it is now installed at the corporate headquarters of the Half Moon Bay company that purchased it. Previously, a 'table top' heart painted by Tousignant raised $25,000, and his 2011 heart raised an additional $75,000. The artist is most gratified that his artwork has made such a significant contribution to San Francisco General.
Show Catalogue: Birch Forest installation 72” x 312”
White Birch 1, oil on panel, 72” x 48” Price: 6,500.
White Birch 2, oil on panel 24” x 24” Price: 2,200.
White Birch 3, oil on panel, 24” x 24” Price: 2,200.
White Birch 4, oil on panel, 24” x 24” Price: 2,200.
White Birch 5, oil on panel, 36” x 36” Price: 3,500.
White Birch 6, oil on panel, 36” x 36” Price: 3,500.
White Birch 7, oil on panel, 48” x 48” Price: 5,000.
White Birch 8, oil on panel, 24” x 48” Price: 3,500.
White Birch 9, oil on panel, 24” x 72” Price: 4,500.
White Birch 10, oil on panel, 48” x 72” Price: 6,500.
White Birch 11, oil on panel, 72” x 12” Price: 2,800.
White Birch 12, oil on panel, 24” x 48” Price: 3,500.
White Birch 13, oil on panel, 48” x 48” Price: 5,000.
White Birch 14, oil on panel, 72� x 24 Price: 4,500.
Whitefield, oil on panel, 40” x 40” Price: 4,200.
Black Birch I, oil on panel, 36” x 36” Price: 3,500.
Black Birch II, oil on panel, 36” x 36” Price: 3,500.
Black Birch, III, oil on panel, 24” x 60” Price: 4,200.
Black Birch IV, oil on panel, 72” x 12” Price: 2,900.
Tree of Life I, oil on panel, 32” x 84” Price: 6,200.
Tree of Life II, oil on panel, 32” x 84” Price: 6,200.
Silhouette Trees, oil on canvas, 24” x 30” Price: 2,800.
Single Tree , oil on canvas, 30” x 40” Price: 3,500.
Double Tree, oil on canvas, 30” x 40” Price: 3,500.
Single Tree, oil on canvas, 40” x 60” Price: 6,200.
Gold Trees
Gold Trees , mix media, metallic leaf, oil on panel, 105” x 84” installed Price: 16,500.
Gold Trees I mix media, metallic leaf, oil on panel, 32” x 84” Price: 6,200.
Gold Trees II mix media, metallic leaf, oil on panel, 32” x 84” Price: 6,200.
Gold Trees III mix media, metallic leaf, oil on panel, 32” x 84” Price: 6,200.
CLOUDSCAPE In Mr. Tousignant Cloudscape collection, there is no definition of foreground and therefore, no fixed perspective. By not telling us precisely where we are viewing from, it invites us to travel freely within the full dimensions of an ambiguous space. The power of this exhibit comes from this inherent presence, which demands our participation. Each of these paintings has the same attention to surface detail seen in the "Single Tree & Double Tree" paintings of Mr. Tousignant earlier work. As then, he uses color and his brush to move the paint around in strokes that do anything but follow the course of the forms. In other words, the marks are totally unexpected and, as in nature, they are not attached to the clouds. The surface is quite unusual for this reason but ultimately freshfeeling and a painterly surface without limits. His paintings are layered; a kind of soft flowing across every inch of the surface. Tousignant (who works from memory) says that he makes paintings basically from start to finish over a several month period (nights included. Tousignant captures a particular subject and moment in each piece. These paintings are isolating the image in the blue field as if the subject has been taken out of context, and are therefore necessarily abstract. What becomes intriguing is how Mr. Tousignant approaches the point where abstraction and representation meet and converge. In “Cloudscapes” Tousignant, broadly painted sweeps of blues ranging from cobalt, aqua marine, teal, cerulean, amber, eggshell and cream. Suggests clouds above a field or distant vista, but they also approach meditative color. Daniel completes the paintings with an aged several part and labor intensive varnish similar to an old master painter. Landscape painters have a responsibility to reveal the qualities of a scene they enjoyed and share their experience with viewers. Tousignant Scenes of Clouds offer an honest, straightforward sense of place. Discovering Tousignant cloudscape paintings is like discovering the sky itself - that pleasant sensation when you look to the sky and see the cloudscape open up before you. Each of us views the sky in both unique and universal ways. All of us can look at the same sky but each person’s preference affects his or her Appreciation of that sky.
Cloudscape I, oil on panel, 72” x 24” Price: 4,500.
Cloudscape II, oil on panel, 72” x 24” Price: 4,500.
ARTIST CV Education 1982 – 1984 1981 – 1982 1980 – 1981 1979 – 1980
Chicago Art Institute Royal Academy, London England Central School of Art and Design, London England University of Minnesota
Solo Exhibitions 2011 Recent Works, new works, Bergelli Gallery, Larkspur, CA 2010 American Landscape, 505 Sansome Lobby Miniature, new Miniature works, Geras Tousignant Gallery, San Francisco, CA 2009 Whitefield, Geras Tousignant Gallery, San Francisco, CA Whitefield, Copley Gallery, Boston, MA 2008 Landscape, Safia Gallery, Barcelona, Spain Bamboo, Geras Tousignant Gallery, San Francisco, CA Birch, Geras Tousignant Gallery, San Francisco, CA Sky, Geras Tousignant Gallery, San Francisco, CA 2007 Single Tree Double Tree, Geras Tousignant Gallery, San Francisco, CA Horizon, Geras Tousignant Gallery, San Francisco, CA Miniature, Geras Tousignant Gallery, San Francisco, CA 2006 Miniature, Geras Tousignant Gallery, San Francisco, CA Sky, Geras Tousignant Gallery, San Francisco, CA Birch, Geras Tousignant Gallery, San Francisco, CA Fresco, Geras Tousignant Gallery, San Francisco, CA 2005 English Landscape, Geras Tousignant Gallery, San Francisco, CA 2004 French Landscape, Geras Tousignant Gallery, San Francisco, CA 2001 New Glass works, Atelier Gallery, San Francisco, CA Botanical, Atelier Gallery, San Francisco, CA 2000 Fresco, Atelier 142 Gallery, San Francisco, CA Landscape, Atelier 142 Gallery, San Francisco, CA Selected Group Exhibitions 2010 Get Covered, Bergelli Gallery, Larkspur, CA 2009 New Members Show, Copley Gallery, Boston, MA The Grid, Group show, Geras Tousignant Gallery, San Francisco, CA Get Small, Group show, Geras Tousignant Gallery, San Francisco CA Group exhibition, Bergelli Gallery, Larkspur, CA 2008 Access Spectrum, San Francisco, CA Group Show 2008, Geras Tousignant Gallery, San Francisco, CA 2007 Access Spectrum, San Francisco, CA Where Mr. Tousignant received the highest Bid for the evening Oceana, Geras Tousignant Gallery, San Francisco, CA Group Show 2007, Geras Tousignant Gallery, San Francisco, CA Group Show, “One From Each”, Elder Gallery, Charlotte, NC Group Show, “Painters of New York and California”, Elder Gallery, Charlotte, NC 2006 Art + Auction II, Bonham & Butterfields, San Francisco, CA
Access Spectrum, San Francisco, CA Group Show 2006, Geras Tousignant Gallery, San Francisco, CA “Art International a fine art fair.” Le Trianon Gallery, Barker Hanger, Santa Monica, CA Group Show, Emerging Artists 2006, Elder Gallery, Charlotte, NC 2005 Access Spectrum, San Francisco, CA The Best of Americana, Elder Gallery, Charlotte, NC New Leaf Spring Gala, Theatro Zinzani, San Francisco, CA Group show 2005, Geras Tousignant Gallery, San Francisco, CA 2004 Academy of friends Benefit, San Francisco, CA Elizabeth Taylor Aids Foundation, Los Angeles, CA New Leaf Spring Gala, Theatro Zinzani, San Francisco, CA Access Spectrum, San Francisco, CA Group show 2004, Geras Tousignant Gallery, San Francisco, CA 2003 Academy of friends Benefit, San Francisco, CA Group Show 2003, Atelier Gallery, San Francisco, CA Human Rights Campaign, Moscone Center, San Francisco, CA 2002 Group Show 2002, Atelier Gallery, San Francisco, CA Human Rights Campaign, Moscone Center, San Francisco, CA 2001 Group show 2001, Atelier Gallery, San Francisco, CA Art institute San Francisco European Landscape, Atelier Gallery San Francisco, CA Floral, Atelier Gallery, San Francisco, CA Recent Acquisitions, Atelier Gallery, San Francisco, CA 2000 Man, Atelier 142 Gallery, San Francisco, CA Get Small, Atelier 142 Gallery San Francisco, CA 1999 Group show, Atelier 142 Gallery, San Francisco, CA Fresco, Atelier 142 Gallery, San Francisco, CA Awards & Special Recognitions: 2009, The Board of Governors of the Copley Society of Art unanimously recognizes “Birch” by Daniel Tousignant as the recipient of Honorable Mention New Members, Show 2009 Spectrum 2008 Honoree Award for generosity and encouragement of artists to support the San Francisco community. Public Exhibitions 2011 Heroes & Hearts, Union Square, San Francisco, CA 2010 American Landscape, Transamerica building annex lobby, 505 Sansome Street Lobby 2009 Parkmerced Collection, Parkmerced penthouse floors, San Francisco, CA 2008 White Birch, 425 Market St. lobby, San Francisco, CA 2007 Heroes & Hearts, Macy’s windows, Union Square, San Francisco, CA 2007 Single Tree Double Tree, Myth, San Francisco, CA 2007 Two Gold Trees, Perbacco, San Francisco, CA 2007 Landscape, 50 California lobby, San Francisco, 2006 Single Tree Double Tree, Bank of America Building lobby, 555 California St. San Francisco, CA 2006 Heroes & Hearts, Union Square, San Francisco, CA San Francisco General Hospital Foundation, CA 2006 Heroes & Hearts, Macy’s windows, Union Square, San Francisco, CA 2006 Fresco, 49 Kearney Lobby, San Francisco, CA 2006 Three Gold Trees, Myth, San Francisco, CA nd 2006 Single Tree Double Tree, 45 2 St. Lobby, San Francisco, CA
2006 Heroes & Hearts, Union Square, San Francisco, CA San Francisco General Hospital Foundation 2005 Birch. Catch, San Francisco, CA 2005 Landscape, Catch, San Francisco, CA 2004 Two Gold Trees, Catch, San Francisco, CA 2002 landscape & Floral, 22/23, San Francisco, CA Publications 2010 “Get Covered” Marin Magazine, May Issue 2010 2006 New York Social Diary 2006 Paper city Magazine 2006 Alcove Books, American Art Collector Volume 3 2005 Paper city Magazine 2005 San Francisco Bay Guardian 2005 Crown Press, Unique Places in San Francisco 2005 Alcove Books, American Art Collector Volume 2 2004 Paper city Magazine 2003 Crown Press, Unique Places in San Francisco 2002 Crown Press, Unique Places in San Francisco 2001 Crown Press, Unique Places in San Francisco 1994 Viking Penguin Publications Out in America Public Collections Lifemark, Hayward, CA Union Square, San Francisco, CA Perbacco, San Francisco, CA Parkmerced, San Francisco, CA Barrique, San Francisco, CA Private collections Upon request Corporate collections Lifemark, Hayward, CA Parkmerced Investors LLC, San Francisco, CA Television Appearances / Interviews KRON, Channel 4, Liem Mclem, San Francisco, CA Q TV, Ron Fudge, San Francisco, CA KRON, Chanel 4, Jan Whal, San Francisco, CA Comcast, Out Spoken, San Francisco, CA Comcast, Out Spoken, San Francisco, CA