When The Art is Just Plain Fun! When The Art is Just Plain Fun!

Story and portrait by Dan Epstein

We’ve gotta wonder if when he was growing up in Montclair, people imagined the flights of fantasy that Dan Fenelon would take them on. Educated at both the Art Students League in New York, and the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, his Art career at first took a somewhat traditional corporate approach. He worked in the graphic design department of a large Pharmaceutical company, as an illustrator for a sports marketing concern, and then as an illustrator for Toys Are Us.

It was in 2010, answering a call for mural artists from Arts Unbound, that the volcano of magic erupted. Barbara Reuther from Morris Arts engaged Fenelon to do murals in schools, which led to Laura Urbanelli, the executive director of the Montclair Museum, to commission a large mural displayed for two years that put him prominently on the regional Art scene radar. Now, dividing his time between mural commissions, Art-centric corporate team-building projects in partnership with his wife Kadie Dempsey through their company Core Creative Placemaking, and exhibiting his work in galleries, his work is very visible and delighting viewers.

Bird In Hand, a 56x80 acrylic on canvas painting, which started as a doodle in his sketchbook, is currently on display in an exhibit in Gallery 491 in Montclair. Taking much of the symbolism from mythology, Fenelon likes to think of it as having a subconscious narrative, though, with no concrete story. In it, his illustration background comes into play, and the viewer’s eye can’t help following a path around the painting.

Fenelon loves to create three dimensional works, and here, an unusually large one, Supercat was constructed with the aid of sculptor Bob Richardson. A seven and a half foot tall piece made of construction material and acrylic paint, which echos Superman, and offers what Fenelon refers to as “Catitude”. It’s both imposing, and friendly. Fenelon likes when viewers are moved to touch it while experiencing the sculpture.

In a mural on the Luna Stage building in West Orange, Luna Moon, we are engaged in a tribute with many references. The open arms welcome the viewer to the community, which is sometimes called “Hat City” since it was formerly the home to the largest aggregation of hat-making factories in the US. The theatrical imagery, as well as the moon, of course reference the Luna Stage, housed in the building, and uses a color palette Fenelon believes is uplifting to the urban community. We are amused by how he has incorporated the lighting fixtures on the wall into the mural in the flowers.

More of Fenelon’s work can be seen at Gallery 491, until July 28, from 7am-7pm. Likewise at the FSA Gallery in Frenchtown, the last two weeks of July and the first two weeks of August where many small works and prints will be available, and of course online. Prepare to be delighted.

Dan Fenelon

www.instagram.com/danfenelon

Gallery 491, 491 Bloomfield Avenue, Montclair www.sfagallery.com