Curiosity, Wonder and Joy
August 2026
This solo exhibition, presented by local artist and educator Brian L. Dunning, features a variety of mixed media works made through experimentation and creative play.
Reception
Friday, September 4, 2026 | 5 — 8 PM
Artist Talk | 6 PM
Small bites and refreshments will be provided. This event is free and open to the public.
Greeley Creative Arts Center
702 13th Street, Greeley, CO
Artist Statement
“Play is the portal to curiosity, wonder and joy! I’ve never been able to stop making art — it’s how I process the world and find my way back to what matters.”
Training in the Montessori method taught me to nourish my inner child, something I've carried into my teaching and creative practice. The spirit of play shapes everything about how I work. My practice is the discipline of non-discipline — trusting the unknown, allowing space for organic flow, and embracing spontaneity as a guiding principle in itself. Active play removes inhibitions, allowing me to discover my authentic voice and feel alive.
My focus shifted when I started letting go. I kept painting over things, whether I liked them or not, because I wanted to stay in motion. By using different tools, it forced things to change and then my responses changed.
Standing in front of my work, I hope you feel that same aliveness. You may be surprised and pleasantly intrigued by what you see — excited by the color, textures, and layers that open a doorway, an invitation to play, to live in the moment, and to truly be yourself. I hope you experience joy and wonder through the energy and playfulness that is infused in the artwork.
My art heroes — Jasper Johns, Frank Stella, and Robert Rauschenberg — have long influenced my sensibility.
About the Artist
Brian L. Dunning is a professional artist and educator who works with a variety of media and who has has taught graphic arts in higher education for 30 years. He studied at Cornish Institute in the 80’s (now Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle) under Charles Stokes, Norie Sato, Bill Hoppe, and David Nechak. Brian’s artwork has been published in several books on collage including Creative Collage by Nita Leland, Collage Techniques by Gerald F. Brommer, and Artists' Artsembles by Color Q. In 2018 he was awarded an NGAE Fellowship in which he studied encaustic monotypes with Paula Roland in Sante Fe, NM. Brian also teaches encaustic workshops at John C. Campbell Folk School in NC, where students explore painting with wax. Today, he is currently building a sustainable professional studio practice rooted in the same spirit that started it all — joy!
Follow Brian on Facebook and Instagram to see more of his work.