Virginia Dehn facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Virginia Dehn
Virginia Dehn in her studio in Santa Fe
Born	Virginia Engleman October 26, 1922 Nevada, Missouri, U.S.
Died	July 28, 2005 Santa Fe, New Mexico, U.S.
Nationality	American
Education	Stephens College,Traphagen School of Design, Art Students League
Known for	Painting, printmaking

Virginia Dehn (born Virginia Engleman) (October 26, 1922 – July 28, 2005) was an American artist. She was famous for her paintings and printmaking. Virginia often showed natural things in her art, but in a way that was almost abstract. Her art was displayed in many shows and galleries across the U.S. Many museums and public places own her paintings today.

Virginia Dehn's Life Story

Virginia Dehn was born in Nevada, Missouri, on October 26, 1922. She grew up in Hamden, Connecticut. Virginia studied art at Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri. Later, she moved to New York City.

While working at the Art Students League, she met another artist named Adolf Dehn. They got married in November 1947. Virginia and Adolf worked together for many years. They were part of a group of artists who helped shape American art in the 1900s. Their home in Chelsea was a popular meeting spot. Artists, writers, and thinkers often gathered there.

Starting Her Art Career

Virginia Dehn studied art at Stephens College in Missouri. She then continued her art education in New York City. She went to the Traphagen School of Design and the Art Students League.

In the mid-1940s, Virginia worked at the Associated American Artists gallery. There, she met Adolf Dehn, who was a famous lithographer and watercolorist. Adolf was older and already a successful artist. They married in 1947 at Virginia's parents' house.

Virginia and Adolf Dehn in the 1940s

The Dehns lived in a brownstone house in Chelsea, Manhattan. They worked side by side in their home studio. They often invited other important artists and thinkers to their house. Some of their close friends included sculptor Federico Castellón and artist Milton Avery.

Even with an active social life, Virginia and Adolf were very dedicated artists. They painted almost every day. On Saturdays, they would visit art galleries to see new works.

The Dehns traveled to France every year. They went to Paris to create lithographs at a place called Atelier Desjobert. Virginia used a special bamboo pen to draw directly onto the stone for her lithographs. Her prints often showed trees or still life scenes. The Dehns also traveled to places like Key West, Colorado, Mexico, Greece, Haiti, Afghanistan, and India.

Virginia's art style was very different from her husband's. A friend once said, "Adolf paints landscapes; Virginia paints inscapes." This means Virginia painted her inner feelings about a subject. She didn't just paint exactly what she saw. Many of her paintings had several layers, with older layers showing through.

Virginia found ideas in the Abstract Expressionism movement. This art style was popular in New York City and Paris in the 1950s. She admired artists like Adolf Gottileb and Mark Rothko.

Virginia Dehn often used bright, bold colors in large paintings. Her subjects were not always clear, but came from her feelings. She learned new lithography skills from her husband, Adolf. Texture was very important in her art.

Her art was influenced by many things. In the late 1960s, she saw photos of tiny life patterns under a microscope. These images changed how she painted some of her works. Virginia also found inspiration in old art from different cultures. This included Persian miniatures, illuminated manuscripts, and Asian art. She also liked art from ancient Egypt and works by artists like Giotto and Monet. Her husband was a constant source of inspiration until he passed away in 1968.

Later Art and Life

In the 1970s, Virginia Dehn started making large mixed media paintings. She added layers of clay and acrylic to her work. In 1985, she moved from New York City to Santa Fe. She loved the open space and calm feeling there.

After moving to New Mexico, some of her paintings started to look like sculptures. She began to use materials like clay and metallic substances in her art. The metallic colors showed her interest in how light and matter interact. She was also interested in the petroglyphs (ancient rock carvings) of the Southwest. Her study of old artifacts from Egypt and Asia also inspired her. Some of her works began to feature symbols that looked like hieroglyphics.

During her art career, Virginia Dehn received special awards. These included fellowships from Yaddo and MacDowell Colony. Her art was shown in galleries all over the country. Her paintings are part of many public art collections. A traveling show called "Layerists in Multi-media" included her works. In 1968, she won a prize from the National Academy of Design for a still life painting.

In her later years, Virginia continued to create art. She had many devoted friends and admirers. Even with health problems, she kept painting until she passed away. She died at her home in Santa Fe on July 26, 2005. Her art is still shown today by galleries like Thomas French Fine Art.

Virginia Dehn's Artworks

Art Series

Virginia Dehn created several series of artworks, including:

• Gardens and Galaxies Series
• Ancient Landscape Series
• Clay Pot Series
• Earth Memory Series
• Metaphysical Series
• The Gold Series
• The Oriental Series
• The Egyptian Series

Prints and Lithographs

Dehn learned how to make lithographs from her husband, Adolf Dehn. Her own lithographs often showed trees and still life scenes.

Paintings

Virginia Dehn once said, "Painting is my life. It has always been so." Her dedication to art and her creativity inspired many people.

Images for kids

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  Adolf and Virginia Dehn in the 1940s

Where to See Her Art

Some places that have Virginia Dehn's art in their permanent collections include:

• New York State Library
• State of Minnesota Historical Society
• Museum of Fine Art in Springfield, Massachusetts
• The University of California—Berkeley
• New Mexico Museum of Art
• Butler Institute of American Art in Youngstown, Ohio
• Portland, Oregon Art Museum

Past Exhibitions

Galleries that have shown Virginia Dehn's work include:

• Susan Teller Gallery (New York, NY)
• Harmon Meek Gallery (Naples, FL)
• Cline LewAllen Contemporary Gallery (Santa Fe, NM)
• Thomas French Fine Art (Fairlawn, OH)