Yvonne Dagger

Yvonne Dagger’s works are defined by poignant details and everyday objects that at first glance appear to be inconsequential. A black and white painting that transports you back in time is turned on its head by a one single dot of color. Tiny boxes, which on their own are meaningless, are brought together to create a larger story. A simple pair of running shoes is elevated to a work of art. Dagger’s works demonstrate how the smallest elements and most banal things, often at first ignored; can have a larger and unexpected impact on how we view life.

A Long Island native, Yvonne has always been driven by her own undeniable creativity and insatiable curiosity. However, it wasn’t until after her children were raised that she decided to follow her life long dream of becoming a professional artist. While pursuing her degree in Fine Arts at Hofstra University, she rediscovered her passion for painting. Shortly thereafter she had her first solo show and later that year won the prestigious Art of the Northeast—Prudential Wheeler Award.

Yvonne’s oil and acrylic paintings and drawings can be found in many personal collections nationally. She has shown in numerous venues all over the northeast including: Hecksher Museum in Huntington, NY; Nadejda Gallery in Newport, Rhode Island; Michael Perez Gallery in Great Neck, NY; Silvermine Museum in New Canaan, CT; Guild Hall Gallery in East Hampton, NY and Chrysalis Gallery in Southhampton, NY.

Yvonne’s success in the art world has helped her gain local and national exposure. “Hope” an oil on canvas painting was showcased on a CD-ROM used for The Carol Baldwin Breast Cancer Research Center on Long Island. “Ellen Squared,” a multi-media work was featured on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show”. Dagger’s painting “Gridlocked” was shown and used for a children’s activity book at Hecksher Museum in Huntington, NY. In addition, “Scion tC,” an acrylic on canvas piece can be seen hanging in Toyota Headquarters in Torrence, California. To add to Yvonne’s success, Dan’s Papers has used Dagger’s paintings for three of their covers: December 2007, March 2008 and October 2008.

Currently working with A Voice for Animals ( www.avoiceforanimals.org ) ,Yvonne’s portraits of Shelter dogs and cats proves how diverse her work is. Dagger’s vision is to see that each shelter animal has been elevated to “High Fine Art.” Dedicated to this cause, each portrait will be included in a new book Dagger is working on with the founder of A Voice for Animals, Sharon Hubbard.


Artist Statement:

Evolving is one of life’s great mysteries. I know that my artistic ability has evolved throughout the years. Do I question this evolution? I do but, do I have a right to? Should I trust that I am moving in a direction I am meant to be heading towards? If you ask me to tell you when I began this journey…I honestly couldn’t tell you the exact time or moment. Perhaps, it was a happenstance or maybe it was always there ready to manifest itself at the right moment in time. Fifty-eight years ago, I entered into an evolving world, finding and seeking who I am and what purpose I had in it. My art is an expression of who I feel I am. It is at times a contrived plan. A plan that is slow and steady; taking me where I feel I should go; a controllable reality of sorts; whereas each pattern and juxtaposed hue has a clear and projected place. And then there are those times that my creative prowess is a transcendental occurrence. I find myself then emerged in and unaware of my surroundings relying purely on the presence in and out of me. Often, this presence takes me to places that frees up thoughts and allows me to see life as an uncontrollable reality. I have come to realize that both are intrinsically a part of my life as an artist. The controlled and the uncontrolled have always had a paramount place in my evolving creative world. I trust, therefore, knowing that it is a part of life, but also a metaphor for how life should be for me: with every work of art a new and exciting frontier waiting to be explored and shared.

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