Today we’d like to introduce you to Isak Dove
Hi Isak, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’m a self-taught painter originally from Ann Arbor, Michigan. I knew I wanted to be an artist from the age of seven.
At 16 I held my first art show and raised enough money to go to Paris where I fell in love with pain au chocolate, found inspiration at the Musee D’Orsay and discovered a passion for travel. I’d hoped to attend art school for college but it didn’t work out despite some great scholarships. I moved around a lot over the next ten years, painting in whatever makeshift studio space I could come up with. I showed my work in London and Zurich while living in Europe. I didn’t settle in one place until coming to Savannah in 2009. I became involved in the local art scene and joined an artist’s collective, participated in group exhibitions, and curated an occasional pop-up event. I had a few solo shows around the Starland District over the years. But it wasn’t until 2021 that I took the big leap and quit my job in childcare to become a full time artist. I began painting in Forsyth Park alongside what was then just a few other local creatives. This is where you will find me most weekends and on an occasional weekday, now just one of many artists and crafters who set up there. Supporting myself off my art has been a dream come true. I truly love what I do.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The biggest challenge I have found is not taking the bad days personal. You just gotta roll with the punches. And be adaptable. But that’s true in both art and life. Also, as a self-taught artist, I often struggle with imposter syndrome, but I suppose I’m not alone in that. I’m sure people with degrees suffer from that, too. But honestly when challenges arise, and they always will, I just tell myself that’s the universe asking how bad I really want this.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
My work revolves around themes of cosmic nature, divine feminine, inter-connectedness and animism. I reference symbols and myths from around the world and from my own English and Slavic roots. My art is surreal and emotionally driven, so while it may not be for everyone, the folks who are drawn to it seem to find a lot of meaning in it. And it means a lot to me as an artist to make that personal connection with people. It feels good when those people come back for more, whether it’s a local who regularly checks in to see what new work I have, or a tourist who bought something a year ago and finds me in the park again, or seeks me out online to commission a piece.
I sell both originals and reproductions of my paintings, and have a pretty varied size and price range. I have an ongoing, rotating collection of original pieces at Alexander’s Bistro on the corner of Bull and Duffy in Savannah. I sell online through my website and an Etsy shop, Isak Dove Art. And I’m usually open for commissions.
My next exhibition in Savannah is opening in July at Gallery 2424 and it will feature the paintings of me and two other local artists, Adrienne Berkland and Maxx Feist, who I’m excited to work alongside.
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
I am extremely lucky to live in a city where my work is lucrative, between the tourists and the supportive locals. And I feel very lucky that I have something I’m so passionate about. If I didn’t love making art as much as I do, I certainly wouldn’t work so hard to keep doing it.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.isakdove.com
- Instagram: @Isak_Dove
