Dan May Paintings
American, b. 1955
Dan May is an American painter and printmaker born on March 11, 1955 in San Francisco, CA. Raised in aesthetic surroundings heavily influenced by his architect father, May grew up learning to view all things with an eye for design, color, and shape. At age 5, he remembers his father cutting up a book of drawings by Henri Matisse and hanging them on the walls of their home. The French master Matisse as well as Richard Diebenkorn and David Hockney are his favorite art influences. He began his first attempts at painting at age 15, and later began to experiment with printmaking, teaching himself various techniques such as woodblock printing, etching, silkscreen printing, and monoprinting.
Monoprinting soon became May's medium of choice due to its wide range of expression and spontaneity that he felt other techniques lacked. May - "With monoprinting, you can only work a piece for as a long as the paint stays wet, so the resulting print has a feeling of movement and immediacy. I also like how monoprinting allows the brush strokes to transfer a transparent light quality to the print. For me, this is a technique that bridges drawing, painting, and emotions." The themes of May's prints borrow from his fantasies, memories, and the people and places he has seen in life's checkout lines and waiting rooms. "My work allows me to be a voyeur, to see through the walls into life's secrets, and unveil the hidden stories of everyday life," he says.
Color and design are essential elements in May's work. Exploring and playing with color is a huge source of enjoyment and passion for May. "Working with color combinations, playing color against color to create an electric contrast, never ceases to excite me," he says. May finds working color with design elements and balancing compositions is challenging, frustrating, and supremely rewarding.
Today, Dan May lives and works in Oakland, California. He has shown his paintings and prints in galleries predominantly throughout California and his work is in numerous private and corporate collections throughout the United States and the world.
to
3
2
2
1
Overall Width
to
Overall Height
to
1
7
1
7
4
3
1
7
5
3
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
8
8
8
5
5
83
780
712
712
687
1
8
Artist: Dan May
Lady with Bird and Cat II /// Contemporary Animal Figurative Modern Painting Art
By Dan May
Located in Saint Augustine, FL
Artist: Dan May (American, 1955-)
Title: "Lady with Bird and Cat II"
*Signed by May lower left. It is also signed and dated on verso
Year: 2020
Medium: ...
Category
2010s Contemporary Dan May Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Paint, Acrylic
Figural
, Post Impressionist, Portland Art Museum, Albright-Knox Gallery
By Dan May
Located in Santa Cruz, CA
Signed upper left, 'May' for Dan May (American, 1952-2019) and dated June, 2017.
After study with Larry Stobie at Oregon College of Education, Dan May exhibited in his galleries 'Th...
Category
2010s Dan May Paintings
Materials
Acrylic, Postcard
Cowboy /// Contemporary Pop Portrait Painting Funny Man Sheriff Dan May American
By Dan May
Located in Saint Augustine, FL
Artist: Dan May (American, 1955-)
Title: "Cowboy"
*Signed by May upper right
Circa: 2020
Medium: Original Acrylic Painting on Board
Framing: Framed in a contemporary black moulding
F...
Category
2010s Contemporary Dan May Paintings
Materials
Paint, Acrylic, Wood Panel, Board, Panel
Temptation
, Portland Art Museum, Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Salem, Oregon
By Dan May
Located in Santa Cruz, CA
Painted by Dan May (American, 1952-2019) circa 2010, and stamped, verso, with certification of authenticity.
After study with Larry Stobie at Oregon College of Education, Dan May e...
Category
2010s Contemporary Dan May Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Acrylic
Devil Painting his Models /// Contemporary Painting Figurative Nude Funny Art
By Dan May
Located in Saint Augustine, FL
Artist: Dan May (American, 1955-)
Title: "Devil Painting his Models"
*Signed and dated by May lower left
Year: 2001
Medium: Original Acrylic Painting on...
Category
Early 2000s Contemporary Dan May Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Paint, Acrylic
Criminal #23 /// Contemporary Pop Art Painting Jail Prisoner Funny Bandit Figure
By Dan May
Located in Saint Augustine, FL
Artist: Dan May (American, 1955-)
Title: "Criminal #23"
*Signed by May lower left. It is also signed on verso
Year: 2018
Medium: Original Acrylic Painting on C...
Category
2010s Contemporary Dan May Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Paint, Acrylic, Board
Devil Drive /// Contemporary Painting Canvas Funny Pop Street Art Car Driving
By Dan May
Located in Saint Augustine, FL
Artist: Dan May (American, 1955-)
Title: "Devil Drive"
*Signed and dated by May upper right
Year: 1998
Medium: Original Acrylic Painting on heavy wove paper
Sheet size: 28.13" x 21.6...
Category
1990s Contemporary Dan May Paintings
Materials
Paper, Acrylic, Paint
Lady with Bird and Cat /// Contemporary Pop Art Painting Wine Glass Interior
By Dan May
Located in Saint Augustine, FL
Artist: Dan May (American, 1955-)
Title: "Lady with Bird and Cat"
*Signed by May lower right. It is also signed and dated on verso
Year: 2020
Medium: Or...
Category
2010s Contemporary Dan May Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Paint, Acrylic
Related Items
Echoes of the Atelier XVII
Located in London, GB
Echoes of the Atelier XVII, acrylic on canvas mounted on board, Florentine School (circa 1980s-90s). This gallery has acquired a number of paintings through an intermediary of an age...
Category
1980s Modern Dan May Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Acrylic, Board
Echoes of the Atelier IV
Located in London, GB
Echoes of the Atelier IV, acrylic on canvas mounted on board, Florentine School (circa 1980s-90s). This gallery has acquired a number of paintings through an intermediary of an agein...
Category
1980s Modern Dan May Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Acrylic, Board
Echoes of the Atelier III (circa 1980s-90s)
Located in London, GB
Echoes of the Atelier III, acrylic on canvas mounted on board, Florentine School (circa 1980s-90s). This gallery has acquired a number of paintings through an intermediary of an agei...
Category
1980s Modern Dan May Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Acrylic, Board
My light. Original painting by Liudmila Shabazova
Located in Zofingen, AG
Portrait of a young woman with a baby.
Modern painting in the style of impressionism. Against a dark background, a warm light shines, the light of love and tenderness.As is typical ...
Category
2010s Impressionist Dan May Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Acrylic, Cardboard
$1,437
H 23.63 in W 19.69 in D 0.4 in
Yellow Emoji Acrylic and Spray Portrait with Ornate Yellow Metal Frame
By Natasha Lelenco
Located in FISTERRA, ES
This acrylic portrait reinterprets digital emotion through a yellow-toned face with emoji-like eyes.
Part of Natasha Lelenco’s You Are The One series, “Yellow Emoji” translates the ...
Category
2010s Pop Art Dan May Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Spray Paint, Acrylic, Board
$598
H 15.75 in W 11.82 in D 0.79 in
Hopi Kachina Dancer by Cliff Bahnimptewa
By Cliff Bahnimptewa
Located in Soquel, CA
Detailed and vibrant depiction of a kachina dancer by Cliff Bahnimptewa (Native American, 1937-1984). Signed and dated in the lower right corner. Pres...
Category
1970s Folk Art Dan May Paintings
Materials
Tempera, Postcard
Prisms of Identity: A Portrait Series V
Located in London, GB
'Prisms of Identity: A Portrait Series V', Florentine School (circa 1980s-90s). This new collection represents some of the most appealing works we have acquired to date from our Flor...
Category
1980s Modern Dan May Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Acrylic, Board
$1,199 Sale Price
20% Off
H 15.52 in W 12.37 in
Yellow Boy
Located in San Francisco, CA
Gabriel Mendoza
Niño amarillo (Yellow Boy), 2024
Acrylic and oil on canvas mounted on board
23.75 x 15.87 x 1 inches
This one-of-a-kind painting on canvas is mounted on board.
Year...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Dan May Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic, Board
Nude. Figurative and abstract acrylic painting, Body, Polish artist
By Michał Bajsarowicz
Located in Warsaw, PL
Contemporary acrylic on canvas painting depicting a nude by Polish artist Michal Bajsarowicz. The artwork is an artistic take on human body with abstract elements. Composition is ske...
Category
2010s Contemporary Dan May Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Acrylic
$2,994
H 70.87 in W 27.56 in
Portrait of a Woman in the Style of Modigliani in Acrylic (Red Background)
Located in Soquel, CA
Portrait of a Woman in the Style of Modigliani in Acrylic (Red Background)
Portrait of a woman in the style of Amedeo Modigliani by an unknown artist (20th century). The woman has d...
Category
Late 20th Century Modern Dan May Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Acrylic, Illustration Board
$440 Sale Price
20% Off
H 14 in W 11 in D 0.25 in
Nude. Figurative and abstract acrylic painting, Body, Polish artist
By Michał Bajsarowicz
Located in Warsaw, PL
Contemporary acrylic on canvas painting depicting a nude by Polish artist Michal Bajsarowicz. The artwork is an artistic take on human body with abstract elements. Composition is ske...
Category
2010s Contemporary Dan May Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Acrylic
$2,156
H 47.25 in W 31.5 in
Portrait of a Woman in the Style of Modigliani in Acrylic (Blue Background)
Located in Soquel, CA
Portrait of a Woman in the Style of Modigliani in Acrylic (Blue Background)
Portrait of a woman in the style of Amedeo Modigliani by an unknown artist (20th century). The woman has ...
Category
Late 20th Century Modern Dan May Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Acrylic, Illustration Board
$440 Sale Price
20% Off
H 14 in W 11 in D 0.25 in
Previously Available Items
Devil
s Play
By Dan May
Located in Saint Augustine, FL
Artist: Dan May (American, 1955-)
Title: "Devil's Play"
*Issued unsigned
Circa: 2010
Medium: Original Acrylic Painting on heavy wove paper
Sheet size: 22.5" x ...
Category
2010s Contemporary Dan May Paintings
Materials
Paint, Paper, Acrylic
Nude (Orange)
By Dan May
Located in Saint Augustine, FL
Artist: Dan May (American, 1955-)
Title: "Nude (Orange)"
*Hand Inscribed by May lower left
Circa: 2000
Medium: Original Acrylic Painting on Plexiglass
Framing: Framed in a contempora...
Category
Early 2000s Contemporary Dan May Paintings
Materials
Plexiglass, Paint, Acrylic, Monoprint
Nude (Green)
By Dan May
Located in Saint Augustine, FL
Artist: Dan May (American, 1955-)
Title: "Nude (Green)"
*Hand Inscribed by May lower right
Circa: 2000
Medium: Original Acrylic Painting on Plexiglass
Framing: Framed in a contempora...
Category
Early 2000s Contemporary Dan May Paintings
Materials
Plexiglass, Paint, Acrylic, Monoprint
Dan May paintings for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a wide variety of authentic Dan May paintings available for sale on 1stDibs. If you’re browsing the collection of paintings to introduce a pop of color in a neutral corner of your living room or bedroom, you can find work that includes elements of purple, red and other colors. You can also browse by medium to find art by Dan May in acrylic paint, paint, synthetic resin paint and more. Much of the original work by this artist or collective was created during the 21st century and contemporary and is mostly associated with the contemporary style. Not every interior allows for large Dan May paintings, so small editions measuring 10 inches across are available. Dan May paintings prices can differ depending upon medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $400 and tops out at $5,000, while the average work can sell for $1,400.








