Dunson, Sam
EDUCATION
2000 Savannah College of Art and Design, (Presidential Fellowship), MFA, Savannah, Ga.
1992 Tennessee State University, BS, Nashville, Tn.
1997 Adobe Illustrator 6.0-7.0, CE, Nashville Technical Institute
INVITATIONAL EXHIBITIONS
2012 SUPERPOWER (August 2012), Rymer Gallery, Nashville, TN
2012 Coping Mechanisms, John C. Hutcheson Gallery, Nashville, TN
2011 Here and Now (January 2011), Thigpen Gallery, Nashville, TN
2009 Trading Stories, Estel Gallery, Nashville, Tn.
2008 Trivial Pursuit, Divinity Art Space Gallery, Vanderbilt, University, Nashville, Tn.
2008 Terra Firma, TAG Art Gallery, Nashville, TN
2007 Introducing, (October 2007), TAG Art Gallery, (Side Gallery) Nashville, TN
2006 ...Fear Itself, (August 2006), Brownlee Currey Jr. Gallery: Watkins College of Art and Design,
Nashville, Tn.
2006 MySpace, (May 2006), Thigpen Gallery: Volunteer State Community College, Gallatin, TN
2005 Appropriate Mythology, Arnold Gallery: Shorter College, Rome, GA
2005 My Heritage, Images from the Family Circus, Pearl Gallery: The Ohio State University,
Mansfield, OH
2004 Mother Goose and Other Revisionist Tales, In The Gallery, Nashville, TN
2003 The Watermelon Chronicles, The Arts Center, St. Petersburg, Fl.
2003 Presenting Samuel Dunson, Americas Arts Gallery, Gettysburg, Pa.
2002 Elevators and Icons, Thigpen Gallery, Shorter College, Rome, Ga.
2001 Artist’s As, The Arts Company, Nashville, Tn.
2000 New York or Bust, Residence Park, Dayton, Oh.
2000 A Day in the Life, Beach Institute, Savannah, Ga.
1999 Spiritual Destinies, In The Gallery, Nashville, Tn.
1998 Double DD, Susan Demay and Samuel Dunson, In The Gallery, Nashville, Tn.
1998 My Coming of Age, Tennessee Arts Commission Gallery, Nashville, Tn,
1997 African American History Jamboree, Warner Bros. Studio, Nashville, Tn.
1996 Jazznet Solo Artist, Nashville Convention Center,, Nashville, Tn.
1996 Dual Beginnings, Hiram Van Gordon Gallery, Tn. State University, Nashville, TN
1995 From Beginning to End, In The Gallery, Artrageous 1995, Nashville, Tn.
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2012 Creature, Vanderbilt Divinity School, Nashville, Tn.
2011 War and Peace, Gallery F, Nashville, Tn.
2011 Connecting Cultures, (Teaching Artist in connection with the Sudanese Community),
Frist Center for the Visual Arts, Nashville, TN
2011 In The Hands of African American Collectors: The Personal Treasures of Bernard and Shirley
Kinsey, Smithsonian Museum of American Culture, Washington D.C.
2010 Hands on Nashville, Rymer Gallery, Nashville, Tn.
2010 Lamentations, Vanderbilt Divinity School, Nashville, Tn.
2010 Art of Protest, Vanderbilt Divinity School, Nashville, Tn.
2008 HVG Biennial
2008 Hiram Van Gordon Gallery, Tennessee State University, Nashville, Tn.
2008 In The Hands of African American Collectors: The Personal Treasures of Bernard and Shirley
Kinsey, Turner Museum, West Palm Beach, Fl.
2008 Call and Response, Hiram Van Gordon Gallery, Nashville, Tn.
2007 In The Hands of African American Collectors: The Personal Treasures of Bernard and Shirley
Kinsey, California African American Museum, Los Angeles, CA : Sankofa Museum, Chicago
2007 Common Hope, Common Sorrow: Art of the African Diaspora, Cultural Arts Building Gallery,
University of North Carolina, Wilmington, NC
2006 Happenstance, Colour Purple Gallery, Dayton, Oh.
2005 Simply Red, In The Gallery, Nashville, Tn.
2005 Artquest: Frist Center for the Visual Arts, Artquest Artist Space, Nashville, Tn.
Work Exhibited: Loose Rope Walker
2003 Faculty Show, Hiram Van Gordon Gallery, Nashville, Tn.
2003 Real Illusions, Frist Center For the Arts, Nashville, Tn.
2002 African American Visions, Nashville International Airport, Nashville, Tn.
2001 Switchyard 2001, Zeitgeist Gallery, Nashville, Tn.
2001 An Evening with the Arts, Frist Center for the Arts, Nashville, Tn.
2000 For the Sake of Art,Watkins College of Art and Design, Nashville, Tn.
2000 Caring Artist’s of Tennessee, Art International Museum Gallery of Atlanta, Ga
2000 Black Heritage Festival, Art Invitational, Savannah Public Library, Savannah, Ga
2000 Matters of the Heart, Rapid Transit Gallery, SCAD, Savannah, Ga.
1999 From Africa to America: Honoring Our Ancestors, William King Regional Arts Center, Curated
in conjunction with the six hour series: “I’ll Make Me A World:
A century of African American Arts”, Abingdon, Va.
1998 Nashville International Airport, Arts in the Airport Project, Nashville, Tn.
1997 Reflections of a People, Juried Arts Invitational, Nashville, Tn.
1997 Sistah Griot “Telling the Story”, Watkins Institute Gallery, Nashville, Tn.
(Scholarship Commemorating the life of Barbara Bullock)
1997 Visions of My People: A Historic Look at African American Art in Tennessee From the 1920’s
to the Present, Tennessee State Museum, Nashville, Tn.
1997 N4Art Invitational, Vanderbilt University Fine Arts Gallery, Nashville, Tn.
1997 Garments of Praise:Painted Clothing Exhibition, In The Gallery, Nashville, Tn.
1996 Ebony Showcase ‘96, Oak Ridge Arts Center, Oak Ridge, Tn.
1995 Black History Show and Sell, Woodmont Gallery, Woodmont, Tn.
1994 The Aces, Nashville Convention Center, Nashville, Tn
BIBLIOGRAPHY
2009 Will Ayers, “Estel Showcases Narrative Paintings...”, The Tennessean Newspaper: May 5, 2009
2008 Eric Brown, "Illustrating a Trivial Pursuit:" Spirituality and the Community", The Talented Tenth:
November 2008
2008 “Trivial Pursuit”, The Tennessean: October 30, 2008
2008 David Maddox, “Anything But Firm”, Nashville Scene: March 13, 2008
2004 Alan Bostick, "Rhymes, Riddles and Racism", The Tennessean Newspaper:
2003 Janel Stephens, "Immersed in Art 24 hours a Day",
St Petersburg Times: March 30, 2003
2003 “The Big Idea” video created for The Frist Center for the Arts, Nashville, Tn.
2003 Ruby Green gallery artist interview (Warhol Initiative), Nashville, Tn
2002 Alan Bostick, "Four Artists to Watch", The Tennessean Newspaper: Apr. 21, 2002
2002 "Elevators and Icons, Comes to Shorter", Rome News Tribune: Jan. 14 2002
2001 Participating artist in an Artist Documentary benefiting the Metro Arts Council, Nashville, Tn
PUBLICATIONS
2012 Nothing to Hide, The Genius of Samuel Dunson, Nashville Arts Magazine, June 2012
2009 A Finished Revolution, ZZ Packer, The Oxford American Magazine, Jan. 2009
2007 The Liberation of Samuel Dunson, Ned Andrew Solomon, Nashville Arts Magazine, December
2006 Creative Expressions, Bi-Annual Publication through Vanderbilt Children's Hospital
2005 Mother Goose and Other Revisionist Tales, Susan Knowles , reviews, Art Papers
2000 New American Paintings, Regional Competitions, MFA Annual
1999 State of Mind: The Artistry of Tennessee, 40th anniversary calendar for the Phillips
Printing Company
FELLOWSHIPS/AWARDS
2012 100 under 100: The New Superstars of Southern Art, Selected By Peers of Oxford
American Magazine
2000 Outstanding Achievement Award Recipient (Graduate Painting), Savannah College of Art and
Design, Savannah, Ga
2000 Artlink International Young Artist Auction, Sotheby's, New York City, NY
1999 Presidential Fellowship Recipient , Savannah College of Art and Design, Savannah, Ga
1996 Southern Arts Federation Grant Finalist
1990 John Arterberry Art Scholarship Recipient, Tennessee State University
1989 General Motors Honor Scholarship Recipient, Moraine, Oh.
COMMISSIONS
2004 Mural Commissioned for Dangure’s Cafeteria
2003 Painting Commissioned for the Vanderbilt Children's Hospital
1998 Book cover commissioned for “Over the Bridge” by author Brian Egeston
1997 Painting created for the “Let Freedom Ring” concert series: Commissioned by the Nashville
Symphony Orchestra
1997 Mural Commissioned by the Wharton Arts Magnet School, Nashville, Tn.
1997 Magazine cover illustration commissioned by the YMCA Youth Mentoring Program
1994 Jazz South Compilation CD cover Design Winner, Through the Southern Arts Federation
