Dan Devening

Dan Devening is an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Painting and Drawing at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC), a position he has held since 1988. He holds a BFA from the University of Nebraska, Omaha (1980) and an MFA from the University of Illinois at Chicago (1983). As an artist and curator, Devening’s work explores visuality, materiality, and narrative structures through painting and mixed-media installations. His practice emphasizes formal elements like color, surface, and spatial composition to engage audiences in interdependent relationships with his artworks.

Awards & Recognition

• NEA/Midwest Regional Fellowship
• Illinois Arts Council Fellowships
• Art Matters, Inc. Fellowship

Devening has exhibited extensively in the U.S. and internationally, including at the Terra Museum of American Art (Chicago), Kunstverein Recklinghausen (Germany), and Renate Schroeder Gallery (Cologne). His work is held in collections such as the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs, AT&T, and the State of Illinois Museum. He also directs devening projects + editions, a Chicago-based gallery showcasing emerging and established artists. His curatorial projects include Seers, Signs (New York) and Gravity Matters (Düsseldorf).