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Dan May Art

American, b. 1955
Dan May is an American painter and printmaker born on March 11, 1955 in San Francisco, CA. Raised in aesthetic surroundings heavily influenced by his architect father, May grew up learning to view all things with an eye for design, color, and shape. At age 5, he remembers his father cutting up a book of drawings by Henri Matisse and hanging them on the walls of their home. The French master Matisse as well as Richard Diebenkorn and David Hockney are his favorite art influences. He began his first attempts at painting at age 15, and later began to experiment with printmaking, teaching himself various techniques such as woodblock printing, etching, silkscreen printing, and monoprinting. Monoprinting soon became May's medium of choice due to its wide range of expression and spontaneity that he felt other techniques lacked. May - "With monoprinting, you can only work a piece for as a long as the paint stays wet, so the resulting print has a feeling of movement and immediacy. I also like how monoprinting allows the brush strokes to transfer a transparent light quality to the print. For me, this is a technique that bridges drawing, painting, and emotions." The themes of May's prints borrow from his fantasies, memories, and the people and places he has seen in life's checkout lines and waiting rooms. "My work allows me to be a voyeur, to see through the walls into life's secrets, and unveil the hidden stories of everyday life," he says. Color and design are essential elements in May's work. Exploring and playing with color is a huge source of enjoyment and passion for May. "Working with color combinations, playing color against color to create an electric contrast, never ceases to excite me," he says. May finds working color with design elements and balancing compositions is challenging, frustrating, and supremely rewarding. Today, Dan May lives and works in Oakland, California. He has shown his paintings and prints in galleries predominantly throughout California and his work is in numerous private and corporate collections throughout the United States and the world.
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Reclining Nude (Blue) /// Contemporary Pop Street Art Figurative Screenprint
Reclining Nude (Blue) /// Contemporary Pop Street Art Figurative Screenprint

Reclining Nude (Blue) /// Contemporary Pop Street Art Figurative Screenprint

By Dan May

Located in Saint Augustine, FL

Artist: Dan May (American, 1955-) Title: "Reclining Nude (Blue)" Portfolio: Reclining Nudes *Signed and numbered by May in pencil lower left Year: 1983 Medium: Original Screenprint o...

Category

1980s Contemporary Dan May Art

Materials

Screen

Devil's Play /// Contemporary Funny Humor Monoprint Figurative Interior Art
Devil's Play /// Contemporary Funny Humor Monoprint Figurative Interior Art

Devil's Play /// Contemporary Funny Humor Monoprint Figurative Interior Art

By Dan May

Located in Saint Augustine, FL

Artist: Dan May (American, 1955-) Title: "Devil's Play" *Signed by May in pencil lower left Year: 1999 Medium: Original Monoprint on unbranded cream japon paper Limited edition: (1/1...

Category

1990s Contemporary Dan May Art

Materials

Paint, Monoprint, Oil

Energizer Bunny's Birthday /// Contemporary Funny Humor Figurative Monoprint
Energizer Bunny's Birthday /// Contemporary Funny Humor Figurative Monoprint

Energizer Bunny's Birthday /// Contemporary Funny Humor Figurative Monoprint

By Dan May

Located in Saint Augustine, FL

Artist: Dan May (American, 1955-) Title: "Energizer Bunny's Birthday" *Signed by May in pencil lower left Year: 1996 Medium: Original Monoprint on unbranded heavy white wove paper Li...

Category

1990s Contemporary Dan May Art

Materials

Paint, Monoprint, Oil

Nude with Dogs /// Contemporary Pop Art Screenprint Animal Pet Black and White
Nude with Dogs /// Contemporary Pop Art Screenprint Animal Pet Black and White

Nude with Dogs /// Contemporary Pop Art Screenprint Animal Pet Black and White

By Dan May

Located in Saint Augustine, FL

Artist: Dan May (American, 1955-) Title: "Nude with Dogs" *Signed and numbered by May in pencil lower left Year: 2005 Medium: Original Screenprint on unbranded white wove paper Limit...

Category

Early 2000s Contemporary Dan May Art

Materials

Screen

Berkeley Pedestrian /// Contemporary Monoprint Face Portrait Figurative Glasses
Berkeley Pedestrian /// Contemporary Monoprint Face Portrait Figurative Glasses

Berkeley Pedestrian /// Contemporary Monoprint Face Portrait Figurative Glasses

By Dan May

Located in Saint Augustine, FL

Artist: Dan May (American, 1955-) Title: "Berkeley Pedestrian" *Signed by May in pencil lower left Year: 2005 Medium: Original Monoprint on unbranded white cotton rag laid paper Limi...

Category

Early 2000s Contemporary Dan May Art

Materials

Paint, Monoprint, Oil

Dog Face (Purple) /// Contemporary Pop Art Screenprint Animal Face Pet Black
Dog Face (Purple) /// Contemporary Pop Art Screenprint Animal Face Pet Black

Dog Face (Purple) /// Contemporary Pop Art Screenprint Animal Face Pet Black

By Dan May

Located in Saint Augustine, FL

Artist: Dan May (American, 1955-) Title: "Dog Face (Purple)" *Signed and numbered by May in pencil lower left Year: 1986 Medium: Original Screenprint on unbranded white wove paper Li...

Category

1980s Contemporary Dan May Art

Materials

Screen

Dogs and Bones /// Contemporary Pop Art Animal Pet Funny Humor Screenprint
Dogs and Bones /// Contemporary Pop Art Animal Pet Funny Humor Screenprint

Dogs and Bones /// Contemporary Pop Art Animal Pet Funny Humor Screenprint

By Dan May

Located in Saint Augustine, FL

Artist: Dan May (American, 1955-) Title: "Dogs and Bones" *Signed and numbered by May in pencil lower left Year: 1986 Medium: Original Screenprint on unbranded white wove paper Limited edition: 15/25 Printer: the artist May himself, Oakland, CA Publisher: the artist May himself, Oakland, CA Sheet size: 34.13" x 29.88" Image size: 25.88" x 24" Condition: Some moderate edge wear around, and heavy wear with a repaired tear at lower right corner. In otherwise good condition with strong colors and clean paper. Will look great once framed and with its marginal imperfections covered Notes: Titled and dated by May in pencil lower right. Biography: Dan May is an American painter and printmaker born on March 11, 1955 in San Francisco, CA. Raised in aesthetic surroundings heavily influenced by his architect father, May grew up learning to view all things with an eye for design, color, and shape. At age 5, he remembers his father cutting up a book of drawings by Henri Matisse and hanging them on the walls of their home. The French master Matisse as well as Richard Diebenkorn and David Hockney are his favorite art influences. He began his first attempts at painting at age 15, and later began to experiment with printmaking, teaching himself various techniques such as woodblock printing, etching, silkscreen printing, and monoprinting. Monoprinting soon became May's medium of choice due to its wide range of expression and spontaneity that he felt other techniques lacked. May - "With monoprinting, you can only work a piece for as a long as the paint stays wet, so the resulting print has a feeling of movement and immediacy. I also like how monoprinting allows the brush strokes to transfer a transparent light quality to the print. For me, this is a technique that bridges drawing...

Category

1980s Contemporary Dan May Art

Materials

Screen

Tossing the Bone /// Contemporary Pop Art Nude Screenprint Dog Pet Animal Black
Tossing the Bone /// Contemporary Pop Art Nude Screenprint Dog Pet Animal Black

Tossing the Bone /// Contemporary Pop Art Nude Screenprint Dog Pet Animal Black

By Dan May

Located in Saint Augustine, FL

Artist: Dan May (American, 1955-) Title: "Tossing the Bone" *Signed and numbered by May in pencil lower left Year: 1999 Medium: Original Screenprint on unbranded black wove paper Lim...

Category

1990s Contemporary Dan May Art

Materials

Screen

Reclining Nude (Maroon) /// Contemporary Pop Art Screenprint Figurative Legs
Reclining Nude (Maroon) /// Contemporary Pop Art Screenprint Figurative Legs

Reclining Nude (Maroon) /// Contemporary Pop Art Screenprint Figurative Legs

By Dan May

Located in Saint Augustine, FL

Artist: Dan May (American, 1955-) Title: "Reclining Nude (Maroon)" Portfolio: Reclining Nudes *Signed and numbered by May in pencil lower left Year: 1983 Medium: Original Screenprint...

Category

1980s Contemporary Dan May Art

Materials

Screen

Man with Glasses /// Contemporary Pop Art Screenprint Head Face Portrait Black
Man with Glasses /// Contemporary Pop Art Screenprint Head Face Portrait Black

Man with Glasses /// Contemporary Pop Art Screenprint Head Face Portrait Black

By Dan May

Located in Saint Augustine, FL

Artist: Dan May (American, 1955-) Title: "Man with Glasses" *Signed and numbered by May in pencil lower left Year: 1988 Medium: Original Screenprint on unbranded white wove paper Lim...

Category

1980s Contemporary Dan May Art

Materials

Screen

'Bowling Angel', Post Impressionist, Portland Museum, Albright-Knox Gallery
'Bowling Angel', Post Impressionist, Portland Museum, Albright-Knox Gallery

'Bowling Angel', Post Impressionist, Portland Museum, Albright-Knox Gallery

By Dan May

Located in Santa Cruz, CA

Signed lower left, 'May' for Dan May (American, 1952-2019) with number and limitation, '1/50'. Titled, lower center, 'Bowling Angel' and dated, lower right, '2003'. Sheet dimensions:...

Category

Early 2000s Dan May Art

Materials

Paper, Woodcut

Cowboy /// Contemporary Pop Portrait Painting Funny Man Sheriff Dan May American
Cowboy /// Contemporary Pop Portrait Painting Funny Man Sheriff Dan May American

Cowboy /// Contemporary Pop Portrait Painting Funny Man Sheriff Dan May American

By Dan May

Located in Saint Augustine, FL

Artist: Dan May (American, 1955-) Title: "Cowboy" *Signed by May upper right Circa: 2020 Medium: Original Acrylic Painting on Board Framing: Framed in a contemporary black moulding F...

Category

2010s Contemporary Dan May Art

Materials

Paint, Acrylic, Wood Panel, Board, Panel

Party Pig /// Contemporary Animal Funny Portrait Monoprint Black and White Art
Party Pig /// Contemporary Animal Funny Portrait Monoprint Black and White Art

Party Pig /// Contemporary Animal Funny Portrait Monoprint Black and White Art

By Dan May

Located in Saint Augustine, FL

Artist: Dan May (American, 1955-) Title: "Party Pig" *Signed by May in pencil lower left Year: 1989 Medium: Original Monoprint on unbranded white cotton rag laid paper Limited editio...

Category

1980s Contemporary Dan May Art

Materials

Paint, Monoprint, Oil

Sun Therapy /// Contemporary Pop Art Nudes Swimming Pool Figurative Screenprint
Sun Therapy /// Contemporary Pop Art Nudes Swimming Pool Figurative Screenprint

Sun Therapy /// Contemporary Pop Art Nudes Swimming Pool Figurative Screenprint

By Dan May

Located in Saint Augustine, FL

Artist: Dan May (American, 1955-) Title: "Sun Therapy" *Signed and numbered by May in pencil lower left Year: 1982 Medium: Original Screenprint on unbranded white wove paper Limited edition: 1/150 Printer: the artist May himself, Oakland, CA Publisher: the artist May himself, Oakland, CA Sheet size: 30.88" x 29.13" Image size: 23.13" x 23.13" Condition: Minor wear to lower right corner. In excellent condition Notes: Titled and dated by May in pencil lower right. The paper is white wove, however the entire recto sheet is screenprinted with color. The margins are screenprinted in red which connect throughout the central image. Biography: Dan May is an American painter and printmaker born on March 11, 1955 in San Francisco, CA. Raised in aesthetic surroundings heavily influenced by his architect father, May grew up learning to view all things with an eye for design, color, and shape. At age 5, he remembers his father cutting up a book of drawings by Henri Matisse and hanging them on the walls of their home. The French master Matisse as well as Richard Diebenkorn and David Hockney are his favorite art influences. He began his first attempts at painting at age 15, and later began to experiment with printmaking, teaching himself various techniques such as woodblock printing, etching, silkscreen printing, and monoprinting. Monoprinting soon became May's medium of choice due to its wide range of expression and spontaneity that he felt other techniques lacked. May - "With monoprinting, you can only work a piece for as a long as the paint stays wet, so the resulting print has a feeling of movement and immediacy. I also like how monoprinting allows the brush strokes to transfer a transparent light quality to the print. For me, this is a technique that bridges drawing...

Category

1980s Contemporary Dan May Art

Materials

Screen

Baker /// Contemporary Pop Art Chef Cooking Kitchen Screenprint Black Figurative
Baker /// Contemporary Pop Art Chef Cooking Kitchen Screenprint Black Figurative

Baker /// Contemporary Pop Art Chef Cooking Kitchen Screenprint Black Figurative

By Dan May

Located in Saint Augustine, FL

Artist: Dan May (American, 1955-) Title: "Baker" *Signed and numbered by May in pencil lower left Year: 1994 Medium: Original Screenprint on unbranded white wove paper Limited editio...

Category

1990s Contemporary Dan May Art

Materials

Screen

Crazy Dog /// Contemporary Pop Art Funny Screenprint Animal Pet Black and Purple
Crazy Dog /// Contemporary Pop Art Funny Screenprint Animal Pet Black and Purple

Crazy Dog /// Contemporary Pop Art Funny Screenprint Animal Pet Black and Purple

By Dan May

Located in Saint Augustine, FL

Artist: Dan May (American, 1955-) Title: "Crazy Dog" *Signed and numbered by May in pencil lower left Year: 1996 Medium: Original Screenprint on unbranded white wove paper Limited ed...

Category

1990s Contemporary Dan May Art

Materials

Screen

Dan May art for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Dan May art available for sale on 1stDibs. If you’re browsing the collection of art to introduce a pop of color in a neutral corner of your living room or bedroom, you can find work that includes elements of purple, red, blue and other colors. You can also browse by medium to find art by Dan May in screen print, acrylic paint, paint and more. Much of the original work by this artist or collective was created during the 20th century and is mostly associated with the contemporary style. Not every interior allows for large Dan May art, so small editions measuring 8 inches across are available. Dan May art prices can differ depending upon medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $100 and tops out at $5,000, while the average work can sell for $600.