BIOGRAPHY

Dana Holst (b.1972, Canada) is an Edmonton, Alberta based artist who received her B. A. in Fine Arts from the University of Waterloo in 1995. Working primarily in figurative painting and drawing, her work is an ongoing investigation into the human experience, focusing on the feminine self and it’s nebulous place within society. Holst creates theatrical and speculative narratives around the emotional lives of young women, who are depicted in the process of building their identities, discovering their sexuality and learning about the world. Using portraiture as a catalyst, Holst’s girls are caught in situations of import and fate, where dark social secrets are explored with ambiguous outcomes offering further opportunity to navigate from a place of innocence to deeper understanding.

Noteworthy public exhibits include the solo show She’s All That (2015) at the Art Gallery of Alberta, which was curated by Kristy Trinier and accompanied by a catalogue; Betwixt and Between (2014) a two person show with mixed media artist Jude Griebel at The Reach Museum in Abbotsford BC; and Artefact Artefiction (2013) a group exhibition curated by Dawn Owen at The Macdonald Stewart Art Gallery (now The Art Gallery of Guelph) in Guelph Ontario. In 2011 Holst was honored to be selected by Wajdi Mouawad, the director of the Théâtre Français of the National Arts Centre in Ottawa, to be Associate Visual Artist for the 2011-2012 season titled Nous Ne Sommes Pas Dangereux. Her work is included in numerous public and private collections including the Alberta Foundation for the Arts, The Agnes Etherington Art Centre of Queen’s University, the Art Bank Collection, the Colart Collection and the Glenbow Museum.

 

CV

Born
Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario 1972

Education
Honors B.A. Fine Arts University of Waterloo (1995 Graduate)

Solo Exhibitions

2017
Girls! Girls! Girls!, Christopher Cutts Gallery, Toronto, Ontario

2015
She's All That, Art Gallery of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta

2013
She Kisses Birds, Galerie St-Laurent + Hill, Ottawa, Ontario

2012
Lo and Behold, Katharine Mulherin Contemporary Art Projects, Toronto, Ontario

2011
Sometimes Rainbows Are Black, White Water Gallery, North Bay Ontario
Sometimes Rainbows Are Black, The Red Head Gallery, Toronto, Ontario
True Romance, Galerie St-Laurent + Hill, Ottawa, Ontario

2009
Prey, Latitude 53, Edmonton Alberta

2006
Woebegone Katharine Mulherin Contemporary Art Projects, Toronto Ontario
Pounding Galerie St-Laurent + Hill, Ottawa Ontario

2004
Dancing Girls, Act I Galerie St-Laurent + Hill, Ottawa Ontario
Dancing Girls, Act II Katharine Mulherin Contemporary Art Projects, Toronto Ontario

2003
Dolly Vanderleelie Gallery , Edmonton Alberta

2002
Baby Doll Project Katharine Mulherin Gallery, Toronto Ontario
Baby Doll Project Galerie St-Laurent + Hill, Ottawa Ontario

2000
Showdown Galerie St-Laurent + Hill, Ottawa Ontario

1999
Wrestle The Angell Gallery, Toronto Ontario
Boudoir OS Gallery (Open Studio), Toronto Ontario
Suite Ecstasy / Suite Bliss The Red Head Showcase, Toronto Ontario

Group Exhibitions

2017
Group Exhibition, Disruptor Gallery, Edmonton, Alberta

2014
Summer Group Exhibition, Christopher Cutts Gallery, Toronto, Ontario
Betwixt and Between, with Jude Griebel, The Reach Museum, Abbotsford BC

2013
Fresh Paint, University of Alberta Musuems, Edmonton, Alberta
Artefact Artefiction, Macdonald Stewart Art Centre, Guelph, Ontario
La Vie Fantastique, Travelling group show curated by Shane Golby AGA Trex

2010
Duo Exhibition, with Ufuk Gueray, Odd Gallery, Dawson City Yukon

2007
Beastie with Angela Grossmann, Galerie St-Laurent + Hill, Ottawa Ontario

2005
Spider Girls Katharine Mulherin Contemporary Art Projects, Toronto Ontario
Figures IV Galerie St-Laurent + Hill, Ottawa Ontario

2003
Group Exhibition Galerie St-Laurent + Hill Group Exhibition, Ottawa Ontario
Heat Katharine Mulherin Gallery, Toronto Ontario

2001
Girl’s Own Hamilton Artists' Inc., with Bonnie Lewis & Eliza Griffiths, Hamilton Ontario
Waiting for your Tongue James Baird Gallery, St. John's, NF
Interrupted Viewing University of Waterloo Art Gallery, with Darlene Cole curated by Carole Podedworny, Waterloo Ontario

2000
Loaded The Angell Gallery, Toronto Ontario
Intersections - Montreal/Toronto, curated by Francine Paul & Herb Sigman

1999
Gallery 96 Retrospective Gallery Stratford, curated by Sandra Margolian, Stratford Ontario
Works on Paper Third Avenue Gallery, Vancouver BC
Fresh The Angell Gallery, curated by Jessica Wyman, Paintings, Toronto Ontario
4 days at the white house 11 Jersey Avenue, curated by Eileen Sommerman, Toronto Ontario

1998
Lucky The Angell Gallery, with Chantal Rousseau, Paintings, Toronto Ontario
Social Secrets Gallery 96, Stratford Ontario
Social Secrets Meg Gallery, curated by Dana Holst and Judith Mullett, Toronto Ontario

Bibliography

2015
Edmonton Journal "Edmonton artist Dana Holst dissects the feminine self at the AGA", Fish Griwkowsky (October 24, 2015.  Section D, page 1.)

2009
Vue Weekly "Our precious formative years", Amy Fung (June 25 - July 1, 2009.)  Page 24
Galleries West "Prey", Jill Sawyer (Summer Issue, 2009.)

2008
Carte Blanche Vol. 2: Painting, published by Magenta Publishing, book launch November 15, 2008

2007
Canadian House and Home "Artist File"
Betty Ann Jordan, (June Issue, 2007. Page 58 & 60)

2006
The Globe and Mail "Pet project pays tribute to four-legged innocents"
Gary Michael Dault, (November 11, 2006. Weekend Review - R20)

Toronto Life "Dana Holst"
Kate Reagan, (November Issue, 2006. Arts and Entertainment Guide)

The Ottawa Citizen "Demented cats, demon dogs and zombie toddlers"
Paul Gessell, (May 11, 2006. Arts Section, F1)

2004
The Globe & Mail "Holst’s girl's are red hot"
Gary Michael Dault, (Saturday November 13, 2004. R12)

The Ottawa Citizen "Holst’s work a totally addictive acquired taste"
Paul Gessell, (Thursday May 27, 2004. Section G)

2002
The Globe & Mail "Holst’s infants are molten to the core"
Gary Michael Dault, (Saturday September 21, 2002. R7)

2001
The Hamilton Spectator "Girl’s Own chews up exploitive gender roles"
Regina Haggo, (November 3, 2001. Magazine Arts Section)

Canadian House and Home "Interview with John Schofield Manuel"
Lynda Reeves, (Ocober 2001. Page 48)

The Boomer Magazine (now defunct) "Dana Holst: The Lady in Reds"
Gary Michael Dault, (Volume 3, Issue 1, this issue was never printed)

2000
The Montreal Gazette "What the Bosses are Buying"
Henry Lehmann, (Saturday April 1, 2000. J1 & J2)

1999
The Globe & Mail "Dana Holst's unholy terrors"
Gary Michael Dault, (Saturday November 13, 1999. C14)

Now Magazine "Dana Holst Wrestles with sexual predators"
Deirdre Hanna, (November 4 - 10, 1999. Page 131)

Toronto Life "Nuclear Family"
Betty Ann Jordan, (November 1999)

Breakfast Television, City TV (Toronto) "Alysa-Beth Engel discussing the show Boudoir at
Open Studio", (Monday October 25, 1999, 7:30 - 9:00 am)

The Globe & Mail "Luscious paint, cast-off photos & enigmatic tableaus"
Gillian McKay, (Saturday June 19, 1999. C11)

The Globe & Mail "Dana Holst at Ace Bakery"
Gary Michael Dault, (Saturday March 27, 1999. C12)

Saturday Night Magazine "Skinned"
Gillian Burnett, (March 1999, Volume 114, Number 2, Pages 18 & 19)

1998
The Globe & Mail "Making a list of nifty gifties"
Gillian McKay & Gary Michael Dault, (Saturday December 5, 1998. C22)

Breakfast Television, City TV (Toronto) "Lithography demo at Open Studio"
(Monday November 23, 1998, 7:30 - 9:00 am

The Globe & Mail "Dana Holst & Chantal Rousseau at the Angell Gallery"
Gillian McKay, (Saturday November 14, 1998. C4)

Lola "Social Secrets"
Andrea Fitzpatrick, (2nd Edition, July 1998, page 66)

The Globe & Mail "Freud for the young at heart"
Gillian McKay, (Saturday January 17, 1998. C13)

1996
The Globe & Mail "Christmas gifts for under $1000"
Betty Ann Jordan & Gillian MacKay, (Saturday December 14, 1996)

The Cambridge Reporter "Young artist cheeky"
Jonathon Harrison, (Tuesday October 8, 1996

Grants / Residencies

2017
Edmonton Arts Council, Travel Grant

2015
Alberta Foundation for the Arts, Project Grant

2012
Canada Council for the Arts, Project Grant

2011
Canada Council Travel Grant (Sometimes Rainbows are Black, North Bay)
Alberta Foundation for the Arts, Project Grant

2009
Alberta Creative Development Initiative, Canada Council and AFFA

2007
Alberta Foundation for the Arts, Project Grant

2005
Alberta Foundation for the Arts, Project Grant

2004
Alberta Foundation for the Arts, Project Grant

2001
Canada Council Travel Grant (Girl’s Own, Hamilton)
Ontario Arts Council Exhibition Assistance Grant (Hamilton Artists' Inc.)
Ontario Arts Council Visual Arts Grant (Emerging)
Toronto Arts Council Visual Arts Grant (Level 1)
Canada Council Visual Arts Grant (Emerging)

2000
Ontario Arts Council Exhibition Assistance Grant (Hamilton Artists' Inc.)

1999
Ontario Arts Council Exhibition Assistance Grant (VAO, Toronto)
Ontario Arts Council Exhibition Assistance Grant (Power Plant, Toronto)
Ontario Arts Council Visual Arts Grant (Emerging)
Sheila Hugh Mackay Foundation Rothesay, New Brunswick

1998
Ontario Arts Council Exhibition Assistance Grant (A Space, Toronto)
Ontario Arts Council Exhibition Assistance Grant (Hart House, Toronto)
Open Studio Nick Novack Scholarship (Lithography)
Sheila Hugh Mackay Foundation Rothesay, New Brunswick

1997
Ontario Arts Council Exhibition Assistance Grant (McMaster Museum of Art, Hamilton)

1996
Ontario Arts Council Exhibition Assistance Grant (The Library and Gallery, Cambridge)
Open Studio Don Phillips Scholarship (Lithography)

Awards
2000
Best in Show Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition, Toronto Click here to view image
Honorable Mention Ernst & Young, Great Canadian Printmaking Competition

1997
Print Award Blackwood Gallery, Paperbacked / Paperbound

1995
Runner Up Best of Show Cambridge: The Library and Gallery, Open Juried Exhibition
Toronto Sun Best Drawing Award Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition
Runner Up Best Student Award Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition
Peel Juror's Award for Best Drawing Peel Regional Art Gallery
Liquitex Painting Award Liquitex Student Competition
Works on Paper - Nancy Lou Patterson Award Drawing and Lithography
Purchase Award - University of Waterloo Lithography prints "Head" and "Feet"
University of Waterloo Federation of Students Acquisition 3 Lithography prints

1994
Guelph Creative Arts Award Wellington County Museum
Best of Show Modern Languages Gallery Out of Room 1235

Collections
Alberta Foundation for the Arts, Alberta
Anges Etherington Art Centre Kingston, Ontario
Art Bank, Canada Council, Ottawa, Ontario
Carleton University Art Gallery, Ottawa, Ontario
Colart Collection, Montreal, Quebec
The Donovan Collection, St. Michael's College / University of Toronto
Ernst & Young Toronto, Ontario
Glenbow Museum, Calgary Alberta
JK Hannaford Barristers Toronto, Ontario
Royal Conservatory of Music Toronto, Ontario
Sin-Forest Corporation Mississauga, Ontario
J.M. Schneiders Kitchener, Ontario
University of Waterloo Waterloo, Ontario

private collections in North America and Europe