Photo Credit: Robbin Stratton-Upson
Dena Tollefson is an American artist whose bold contemporary paintings focus on joyful use of color, texture and movement.
Dena Tollefson (nee Dena Schaefer), born 1965, is a full-time, professional artist. Tollefson graduated from Iowa State University in 1988 and lived in Dallas Texas before returning to Iowa in 1991 where she developed her unique, highly textured painting style. She lives in Cedar Rapids, Iowa with her husband and family.
Tollefson is represented in galleries nationally in New Mexico, Texas, Iowa, Wisconsin and Illinois.
Her "Daubism" body of work is a unique process she developed, where "daubs" of individually mixed paint are applied with a palette knife. The largest daubs are applied with a serving spoon, allowing ridges of paint which catch the light and appear to dance and scintillate as the viewer moves past the painting. Tollefson’s work focuses on botanicals, ponds, skies, and her Corn Series of work, biographies where people are depicted as ears of corn. Her work is highly tactile.
Museum, Corporate & Selected Private Collections
Cedar Rapids Museum of Art, Cedar Rapids, IA.
Farm Credit Services Omaha, NE
Terso Solutions Corporation Madison, WI
Aegon N.V. CEO Alexander Wynaendts, the Netherlands
Iowa Department of Human Services, Cedar Rapids, IA
Genesis Hospital, Davenport, IA
Monsanto Corporation St Louis, MO
Ronald McDonald Facility/Unity Point Health Cedar Rapids, IA
Ruberry, Stalmack and Garvey Law Firm Chicago, IL
Marion Arts Council Marion, IA
Mercy Hospital Cedar Rapids, IA
PCI Cardiologists Inc., Cedar Rapids, Iowa
St Luke’s Hospice Cedar Rapids, IA
Dermatology Clinic of Iowa Cedar Rapids, IA
StarcomMediaVest CEO, Chicago, IL
St Luke’s Hospital, Cedar Rapids, IA.
United Fire and Casualty Owner, Cedar Rapids, IA
Mableton Bank, Mabelton, GA
Lil’ Drug Stores CEO, Scottsdale, AZ
Two of Dena Tollefson's paintings are in the permanent collection of the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art. Her work hangs publicly and in private collections throughout the world. She has exhibited in juried shows in Texas, New York, California and Georgia and has won awards at the national and local level, as addition to participating in 49 gallery group shows and numerous solo exhibitions.
Signature: Dena Tollefson's work is signed either D Tollefson or DENA, titles on reverse.
Curriculum Vitae for Dena Tollefson
Selected Solo and Group Exhibitions
2024-2025 “Beyond the Object: Women Working in Abstraction" Cedar Rapids Museum of Art, Cedar Rapids, IA Curated by Curator Julia Jessen
2024 “Ravenous: Food in Art”, group exhibit , Cedar Rapids Museum of Art, Cedar Rapids, IA Curated by Curator Julia Jessen
2024 “Land/Scape: Climate, the Environment, and Beyond, An All- Iowa Juried Exhibition" group exhibit, Cedar Rapids Museum of Art, Cedar Rapids, IA Curated by Curator Julia Jessen
2023 “Daubism Tollefson Solo Exhibit” Lowe Art Center Marion, IA
2023 Group exhibit Gallery Artists Broadway Contemporary Fine Art, Lubbock, TX
2023 Group exhibit Milward Farrell Fine Art Gallery Madison, WI
2023 Group exhibit Fall Painting Event Canyon Road Contemporary Art, Santa Fe, NM
2022 Group exhibit Broadway Contemporary Fine Art, Lubbock, TX
2022 Group exhibit Milward Farrell Fine Art Gallery Madison, WI
2022 Group exhibit Fall PaintOut Canyon Road Contemporary Art, Santa Fe, NM
2021-2022 “Abstract Ideas” group exhibit, Cedar Rapids Museum of Art, Cedar Rapids, IA Curated by Kate Kunau, Cedar Rapids Museum of Art Curator
2021 "Tollefson: Divine Energy" solo exhibit, Canyon Road Contemporary Art, Santa Fe, NM
2021 Group exhibit Broadway Contemporary Fine Art, Lubbock, TX
2019 "Lens to Brush" group exhibit, Adelman Fine Art, San Diego, CA
2019 “Out of the Blue: Iowa Artists Juried”, group exhibit, Cedar Rapids Museum of Art, Cedar Rapids, IA Curated by Associate Curator Kate Kunau
2019 Canyon Road Paint and Sculpt Out, group exhibit, Canyon Road Contemporary Art, Santa Fe, NM
2019 Fresh Paint group exhibit, Catiri's Art Oasis, Amana, Iowa
2019 “Texture” group exhibit, Adelman Fine Art, San Diego, CA
2019 “Dena Tollefson Solo” solo exhibit, Catiri’s Art Oasis Amana, Iowa
2019 "Music as Muse" group exhibit, Adelman Fine Art, San Diego, CA
2018 “Art You EnJoy” Annual Winter Exhibition, group exhibit, Adelman Fine Art, San Diego, CA
2018 "Springtime Divine: Impressionist Paintings by Dena Tollefson", solo exhibit, Canyon Road Contemporary Art, Santa Fe, NM
2017-2018 “Beyond the Prairie: Midwestern Art From the Collection”, Cedar Rapids Museum of Art, Cedar Rapids, IA Curated by Associate Curator Kate Kunau
2018 "Love Connections" group exhibit, Artist's Showplace Gallery Dallas, TX
2018 “Fall Gallery Walk” group exhibit, Milward Farrell Fine Art, Madison, WI
2018 “Christmas Show” group exhibit, Canyon Road Contemporary Art, Santa Fe, NM
2017 “Postivity: Kari Rives + Dena Tollefson Expressive Sculpure + Exuberant Paintings”, 2 person exhibit, Canyon Road Contemporary Santa Fe, New Mexico
2017 “Cornography: Corn Portraits from Biblical Times to Present”, solo exhibit, Luther College Decorah, IA
2016 “Beyond the Prairie: Midwestern Art From the Collection”, Cedar Rapids Museum of Art, Cedar Rapids, IA Curated by Associate Curator Kate Kunau
2016 Holiday Show Featuring Glass Artist Lydia Piper and Painter Dena Tollefson, Canyon Road Contemporary, Santa Fe, NM
2016 Spring Art Paintout and Gallery Artist Group Exhibition Canyon Road Contemporary, Santa Fe, NM
2016 Dena Tollefson 2016 Paintings Solo Exhibit Nuance Galleries, Tampa, FL
2016 Contemporary Artists in the Spotlight, May Gallery, Scottsdale, AZ
2016 Color & Light: Painters Ryan & Tollefson's Approach to the Landscape, Gallery CM, Dubuque, IA
2016 (ongoing)“Beyond the Prairie: Midwestern Art From the Collection”, Cedar Rapids Museum of Art, Cedar Rapids, IA Curated by Associate Curator Kate Kunau
2015 Tollefson Solo Exhibit, CornerHouse Gallery, Cedar Rapids, IA
2015 Regional Juried Exhibit, Freport Art Museum, Freeport, IL
2015 Small Works Show Chait Galleries Downtown, Iowa City, IA
2015 Fall Gallery Show, Milward Farrell Fine Art, Madison, WI
2015 Dena Tollefson Solo Exhibit, Nuance Galleries, Tampa, FL
2014 Dena Tollefson and Peter Pettegrew 2 Person Exhibit, Nuance Galleries, Tampa, FL
2014 Mary Zeran & Dena Tollefson 2 Person Exhibit, Simpson College, Indianola, IA
2014 Dena Tollefson and James Henry Walker 2 Person Exhibit, Galesburg Civic Art Center, IL
2014 Good Enough to Eat Juried Exhibition at Quad City Arts Rock Island, IL
2013 Featuring the Art of Dena Tollefson, May Gallery, Scottsdale, AZ
2013 Preview Exhibit, Nuance Galleries, Tampa, FL
2013 An Occasion for Art Starring Midwest Artists, CornerHouse Gallery, Cedar Rapids, IA
2013 Spring Gallery Show, Milward Farrell Fine Art, Madison, WI
2013 Small Works Show Chait Galleries Downtown. Iowa City, IA
2012 Collecting the Corridor, CR Museum of Art, Cedar Rapids, IA Sean Ulmer, Curator
2012 Still Life Show, CornerHouse Gallery, Cedar Rapids, IA
2012 Group Show, Wiederspan Gallery, Cedar Rapids, IA
2012 Small Works Show Chait Galleries Downtown. Iowa City, IA
2012 Dena Tollefson New Work, Solo Exhibit, Mary Greeley Hospital, Ames, IA
2012 Zeran and Tollefson 2 Person Exhibit, Lowe Center for the Arts, Marion, IA
2012 3 Person Exhibit: Art at the Airport Gallery, Quad Cities International Airport, Moline, IL
2011 Greta Songe, Lee Kimball, Dena Tollefson, CornerHouse Gallery, Cedar Rapids IA
2011 Zeran and Tollefson 2 Person Exhibit, Maquoketa Art Experience, Maquoketa, IA
2011 Fresh Paint 2011 Plein Air Paintings, Catiri’s Art Gallery Amana, IA
2011 Corn County, Solo Exhibit, Carl and Mary Koehler History Center Cedar Rapids, IA
2011 Drips and Daubs 2 Person Exhibit, Burlington Art Guild, Burlington, IA
2011 3rd Annual Small Works Show, Chait Galleries Downtown Iowa City, IA
2011 Spring Gallery Show Wiederspan Gallery, Cedar Rapids, IA
2010 Energy, Light and Color 3 Person Exhibit, Lowe Center for the Arts, Marion IA
2010 Spring Gallery Show, Wiederspan Gallery, Cedar Rapids IA
2010 Dena Tollefson Abstractions, Solo Exhibit, University of Iowa Hospitals, Iowa City, IA
2010 2nd Annual Small Works Show, Chait Galleries Downtown Iowa City, IA
2010 Tollefson’s Daubism, Solo Exhibit, Catiri’s Art Gallery Amana, IA
2009 Fresh Paintings Smith, Wegman, Tollefson,Chait Galleries Downtown Iowa City, IA
2009 Spring Gallery Show, Wiederspan Gallery, Cedar Rapids IA
2009 Small Works Show, Chait Galleries Downtown Iowa City, IA
2008 New Work, Wiederspan Gallery, Cedar Rapids IA
2007 New Work, Wiederspan Gallery, Cedar Rapids IA
2006 New Work, Wiederspan Gallery, Cedar Rapids IA
2005 New Work, Wiederspan Gallery, Cedar Rapids IA
2004 South Cobb Arts 17th National Juried Art Exhibition, Mableton, GA Juror: Gregor Turk
2002 Breckenridge Fine Arts Center 11th Annual Juried Show Breckenridge, TX. Juror: Ross
Merrill, National Gallery of Art Washington, D.C. Chief of Conservation.
2002 Mother Lode International 36th Annual 2002 Juried Art Contest, Placerville, CA. Juror:
Martha Saudek.
2002 Impact Artist's Gallery Fall 2002 National Exhibition Juried Show, Buffalo, NY
Juror: Nina Freudenheim
2002 Arts 2002 National Juried Art Exhibition Rockwall, TX Juror: Charles Wylie, Curator
Contemporary Art at Dallas Museum of Art
Museum, Corporate & Selected Private Collections
Cedar Rapids Museum of Art, Cedar Rapids, IA.
Iowa Department of Human Services, Cedar Rapids, IA
Terso Solutions Corporation Madison, WI
Farm Credit Services Omaha, NE
Aegon N.V. CEO Alexander Wynaendts, the Netherlands
Marion Arts Council Marion, IA
Monsanto Corporation St Louis, MO
Ronald McDonald Facility/Unity Point Health Cedar Rapids, IA
Ruberry, Stalmack, and Garvey Law Firm Chicago, IL
Mercy Hospital Cedar Rapids, IA
St Luke’s Hospice Cedar Rapids, IA
StarcomMediaVest CEO, Chicago, IL
PCI Cardiologists, Inc., Cedar Rapids, IA
St Luke’s hospital, Cedar Rapids, IA.
United Fire and Casualty Owner, Cedar Rapids, IA
Mableton Bank, Mabelton, GA
Lil’ Drug Stores CEO, Scottsdale, AZ
Current Gallery Representation
Canyon Road Contemporary Santa Fe, NM
Milward Farrell Fine Art Madison, WI
Catiri's Art Oasis, Amana, Iowa
Quad City Arts, Rock Island, IL
Broadway Contemporary Fine Art Lubbock, TX
Honors and Awards
2019 Juror for Marion Arts Festival, Marion, IA
2015 Juror for Marion Arts Festival, Marion, IA
2011 Plein Air Award, Fresh Paint Plein Air, Catiri’s Gallery Amana, IA
2011 Juror for Marion Arts Festival, Marion, IA
2005 1st Place, CCofC Art Exhibit Cedar Rapids, IA
2004 Purchase Award, South Cobb Arts 17th National Juried Art Exhibition, Mableton, GA
Speaking Events, Demonstrations and Workshops
2024 (upcoming) Artist’s Talk Coe College, Cedar Rapids, IA
2024 (upcoming) Artist’s Talk Lowe Art Center Marion, IA
2023 (upcoming) Painting Demonstration at Canyon Road Contemporary Art Santa Fe, NM
2022 Painting Demonstration at Canyon Road Contemporary Art Santa Fe, NM
2021 Painting Demonstration at Canyon Road Contemporary Art Santa Fe, NM
2019 Painting Demonstration at Canyon Road Contemporary Art Santa Fe, NM
2019 Keynote speaker Marvin Cone Art Club at Cedar Rapids Museum of Art, Cedar Rapids, IA
2019 Painting Demonstration (May and August) at Catiri's Art Oasis Amana, Iowa
2018 Plein Air Painting Demonstration at Canyon Road Contemporary Santa Fe, NM
2017 Plein Air Painting Demonstration at Canyon Road Contemporary Santa Fe, NM
2016 Plein Air Painting Demonstration at Canyon Road Contemporary Santa Fe, NM
2016 Painting Demonstration at Nuance Galleries, St Petersburg, FL
2016 Painting Demonstation Cedar Rapids Museum of Art sponsored by Marvin Cone Art Club
2016 Artist's Talk/Gallery Talk at Gallery C Dubuque, IA
2014 Painting Demonstration at Nuance Galleries, St Petersburg, FL sponsored by the Tampa Bay Times
2012 Radio Interview, “Art Talks!” public radio 90.3FM Augustana College Airing June 1, 2012,
Podcast available online http://www.wvik.org/listings- arttalks.htm Rock Island, IL
2012 Art Bites: Dena Tollefson Cedar Rapids Museum of Art, Cedar Rapids, IA
2011 Guest Speaker, Creative Artists, Cedar Rapids, IA
2011 Art In Action Painting Demonstration, Catiri's Art Oasis Gallery, Amana, IA
2010 Certified Grumbacher Workshop Instructor, Representing Grumbacher Paints and brushes
2010 A Conversation with Artist Dena Tollefson, Guest Speaker, Carl and Mary Koehler History
Center, Cedar Rapids, IA
2010 Painting Demonstration and Art Talk Lowe Center for the Arts, Marion, IA
2010 Collector’s Circle Demonstration for Cedar Rapids Museum of Art Collector’s Circle
Hosted by Sean Ulmer, CR Museum of Art Curator
2010 Art In Action Painting Demonstration, Catiri's Art Oasis Gallery, Amana, IA
Selected Bibliography
2019 “Not Sad to See Blue: Cedar Rapids Museum of Art Exhibit”, Diana Nollen, The Gazette, June 6, 2017
2019 “Meet Dena Tollefson”, Crayola Corporate Instagram feature May 2019
2019 " Meet Dena Tollefson", VoyageDallas Editorial staff, VoyageDallas Magazine February 27, 2019
2018 "Springtime Divine: Impressionist Paintings by Dena Tollefson", LVS Editorial staff, Santa Fean Magazine Art Issue Cover Page April/May 2018 page 38
2018 “The Daubism of Dena Tollefson”, George Takei Presents 3 minute movie on popular Facebook Channel (over 550,000 views) Nov 11, 2018
2017 "Cornography: Corn Portraits from Biblical Times to Present " Julie Shockey Trytten, Luther Headlines, 23 Jan 2017
2017 “Positivity”, LVS Editorial staff, Santa Fean Magazine Art Issue June/July 2017 volume 45 number 3 page 73
2016 "Santa Fe Openings", Albuquerque Journal, 1 May 2016 page 11
2016"Gallery and Museum Events", Phoenix Home and Garden Magazine, Feb 2016 page 133
2016 News Feature article, Tollefson and Ryan, Telegraph Herald, July 28, 2016
2016 Art in America, Guide to Galleries, Museums, Artists 2016
2016 "Color and Light: Painters Ryan and Tollefson Approach Landscape" 365Ink, issue #270 p 16
2016 "Rolling Out Regional Artistry", Diana Nollen, Gazette Hoopla, Dec 21, 2016
2015 “Live Painting Exhibition: Dena Tollefson” TampaBay Times, Feb 19, 2015
2015 Marquis Who's Who in America, 70th Edition, Sept 2015
2015 Art in America Guide to Galleries, Museums, Artists 2015
2015“Culture Crawl” Jazz 88.3FM KCCK March 3, 2015
2014 "Dena Tollefson and Peter Pettegrew", Tampa Bay Times, Jan 28, 2014
2014 May Gallery Scottsdale Arizona Annual Catalog 2014 p 12
2013 "Gallery and Museum Events", Phoenix Home & Garden Magazine, Judy Harper, Oct 2013 p 158
2013 Art in America, Guide to Galleries, Museums, Artists 2013
2012 Art in America, Guide to Galleries, Museums, Artists 2012
2012 “Fresh Paint 2012”, Melinda Wichmann, The Pioneer- Republican, July 26, 2012
2012 “Marion Arts Council”, Sally Danaher Welsch, City Revealed Magazine Aug 2012
2012 “Lure of the Local: CR Museum of Art to Showcase Recent Works by Area Artists”
Diana Nollen, Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier Jan 29, 2012
2011 “Artist Duo at Gallery”, The Telegraph Herald, Sept 2011
2011 “Amana Colony News: Plein Air Painting”, Melinda Wichmann, The Pioneer-
Republican, Sept 15 2011
2011 “Art Guild Having a Busy Summer”, Bobby Wilson, The Hawkeye July 24 2011
2011 Amana Colonies 2011 Visitor’s Guide, Amana, IA
2011 “C. R. Artist to Give Painting Demonstration” Diana Nollen, Cedar Rapids Gazette, May 15
2010 “Out and About” Darren Tromblay Urbandale Living Magazine, Dec 2010
2010 “Corn is King” Angela Holmes, Cedar Rapids Gazette, Sept 4 2010
2009 “Chait Galleries Features Three Women” Nick Fetty, The Daily Iowan, Feb11 2009
2002 “Enter the Dragon” Breckenridge Fine Arts Center Exhibit Catalog, p12
Education and Background
Born December 23, 1965
Bachelor's degree from Iowa State University 1988
Graduate classes University of Iowa 1994