Dan Devening
It’s hard to choose which title one should start with when introducing Dan Devening. He is an accomplished artist, owner of a successful gallery, and a dedicated professor at the School of the Art Institute. We caught him in between one of his many trips to Europe and visited him at his beautiful Humboldt Park home. Through the years he has amassed quite a collection of art, antique mid-century furniture and thrift store gems. All the elements come together to make a colorful and warm home that conveys his unique eye and personality. Christopher Wool, Judy Ledgerwood and Sarah Morris are some of the bold faced art names among many many others.
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- Welcome to Dan’s house.
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- Dan tends to his rooftop garden. A true Locavore.
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- Eclectic collection of vessels collected from flea markets in Germany and Austria.
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- beautiful
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- Painting by Kasarian Dane.
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- One of Dan’s many freitag bags.
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- Dan is friends with practically every important Chicago artist, like Judy Ledgerwood. Her piece to the right was shown at devening projects + editions.
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- A bit of Berlin here in Chicago. Pieces by Michael Pfisterer and Mark Booth.
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- Couch by Dutch designer Martin Visser. Originally without the red-orange pillow, now essential to the design.
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- The candelabra is by Cesar Stoffi for Nagel; the dining table chairs, called the “Executive” Chair, by Eero Saarinen.
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- Collected vessels and a screen print on mirrored steel by Adam Pendleton.
Q&A with DD
Favorite restaurant in Chicago and Berlin or Cologne?
Favorite Chicago restaurants: Avec, Rootstock and Belly Shack. I like Monsieur Vong in Berlin and Galestro in Cologne for pasta.
What do you like to frame your pieces in? How do you decide what to frames pieces in?
When I frame art work, especially works on paper, I like to use a very thin, white lacquered wood frame. I would rather that the frame not distract from the work, so for me, a white framed tends to disappear into the wall. If you don’t want to use white, a very light wood like maple or ash is also a good alternative. My guide has always been to look at how museums frame contemporary work. Usually those pieces are discreet, tasteful and draw attention to the art work rather than the frame.
What’s the most important tool in your life?
At the moment, my Apple Powerbook is probably my most important tool. After that, my sketchbook is a close second.
As a child did you prefer crayons or finger paints?
When I remember being actively involved in drawing, I mostly remember that I liked to use very sharp pencils.
What’s your favorite German food?
That’s a tough one but when I’m in Germany, it’s inevitable that the street vendors selling grilled bratwurst get a lot of my attention when I’m cruising around town.
Congrats to devening projects + editions! It was just named the best gallery in Chicago in August 2010 Chicago Magazine!