MEET DAN

For a brief intro check out the SHORT FILMS link above, notably The Daniel Dominguez School of Drawing Manifesto!

Born 1971. Part of the North Shore Catholic tribe. Holy Family School, Lindfield. Move to Hunters Hill 1981. Commence high school 1983. Educated by Jesuits. Row across Lane Cove River to get to school. Leave school 1989. Model student. Bachelor of Arts, Sydney Uni., mastering in Fine Arts and Philosophy. Graduate with flying passes, 1992.

Pursue a career in the arts. Enrol in Julian Ashton Art School 1993. Learn to draw, very exciting revelation. Move to Fremantle, Perth, to escape Sydney and draw. Four months later (April 1994) return to Sydney seeking further instruction. Enrol in Tom Bass Sculpture School. Study for 4 years, full time. Assist Tom in commissions; complete a few of my own. Leave Tom Bass 1998. Travel Europe to discover my “dreamtime”, make the artistic grand tour, drawings and watercolour landscapes and architecture.

Return 1999. Very confused. Get studio. Follow curiosities, have two exhibitions of drawing, paintings and sculpture. Join local brass band and develop interest in military themes and explorers. Become a window cleaner, mastering two-handed method. Start making figures in plaster to celebrate the humanit’s. 2003. Still a little confused. Go back to uni (the intellectual mechanics workshop). Commence Master of Teaching, captivated with the idea that everyone can learn everything, especially in art. Teach Year 9 students. Discover new taste for drinking large amounts of whisky. Get married to beautiful Rebecca. She discovers new taste for drinking large amounts of gin. Bec becomes pregnant. We have baby girl. Realise the joys of marriage are the tip of the iceberg to joys of family. Continue trying to teach art to adolescents and adults. An ongoing battle. Decide to teach art to oneself. Victory. Learn how to finish works quicker. Confusion lessens. Life proceeds. Blessed with a baby son. Life gets even better. Build a studio at home. Things look pretty good. Exploration of sculpture continues enhanced with the re-introduction of working with live models. Love of civic monuments. New baby girl graces the scene. Falling in love all over again. Life gets harder but better. Another baby girl is born. Luckiest man in the world. Pack on the action. Voracious eater