DAWN ARROWSMITH
Dawn Arrowsmith’s practice explores the contemplative and experiential possibilities of color. Her paintings are often described as meditations—compositions that are distilled and restrained yet simultaneously lush and sensuous. Through deftly layered surfaces, subtle tonal shifts, and minimal formal structures, Arrowsmith creates works that invite quiet reflection and sustained visual engagement.
Over several decades, Arrowsmith has developed a distinctive body of work centered on the perceptual and emotional resonance of color.
Writing about her circle paintings, art critic Christopher Miles observed: “Looking at them, one experiences an afterglow, which I like to think of as a kind of perceptual afterburner, that over time bathes the periphery in a complementary tint that allows you to take the color of the painting with you on your eye, like a taste lingering on your tongue.” The circle paintings have long been a central aspect of Arrowsmith’s practice, emerging from her meditative process.
Influenced by Buddhist philosophy and by her travels throughout Asia, Arrowsmith approaches painting as an intuitive practice grounded in mindfulness and perception. Her work explores the tension between economy and richness: pared-down compositions that nevertheless convey depth, atmosphere, and emotional resonance. While primarily known for her paintings, her practice also includes sculpture and installation, extending her investigation of color, light, and spatial presence.
Arrowsmith has exhibited widely in the United States and internationally; selected venues include the Hammer Museum, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions (LACE), the Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery at Barnsdall Art Park, the Clark Humanities Museum Gallery in Claremont, the Riverside Art Museum, and presentations at the Eli Broad Foundation. International exhibitions include the Lidovy Gallery in Prague and Campo d’Osservazione in Gubbio, Italy.
Her work is represented in numerous public, corporate, and private collections, including the Eli Broad / SunAmerica Collection and the Capital Group Foundation.
Born in San Francisco, California, Arrowsmith received her MFA in Visual Arts from Claremont Graduate University. She lives and works in Los Angeles.
EXHIBITIONS
AllTogetherNow
MEDIA
INCONVERSATION - Dawn Arrowsmith
