.
.. Dennis
is a Past-President of the San Diego Museum of Art Artists Guild and
a former trustee of the San Diego Museum of Art (2000-2002). As Guild
President he developed the first democratically juried art exhibition
for the organization at the Boehm
Gallery in Palomar College and by changing outdated policies,
helped grow the Guild membership from 140 to over 600 artists during
a two year period. During his tenure with SDMA he started a policy
of sharing with other institutions. The Guild joined the Oceanside
Museum of Art as a circle member and he worked with the
California
Center for the Arts, Escondido Museum on a strategic planning
committee to help reopen the museum after it was closed by the city.
He is also the author of "The
Living History of the Guild" and was the creator of
and contributor to a cutting-edge online magazine called the Artists
Ezine.
.
.. Now
a long-term resident of Carlsbad, California, he is the co-founder
and co-managing trustee of the Outdoor
Art Foundation. He serves on the board of the Synergy
Art Foundation and works with the committee of the San
Diego Visual Arts Network. He also served on the board
of COFAC
(Consejo Fronterizo de Arte y Cultura - Border Council of Arts &
Culture) and worked with the committee of the Oceanside Museum of
Art Artists Alliance. He is the founder and web-person for the San
Diego Visual Artists Guild, and aided in the creation of
a cooperative artist gallery in downtown San Diego (1098 9th Ave.)
called the SDVAG
Fine Art Gallery.
.
.. Dennis
is the founder and the executive director of a charitable organization
called, the Museum
Artists Foundation (MAF). As director of MAF, in accordance
with its policy of sharing with other organizations, he presented
an elegant fundraiser called "Façade"
in conjunction with the Small Opera of San Diego on May 21, 2005.
He helped create and designed a multi-phased curated Wildlife
Art Exhibition & Sale, which was open to all regional
artists, in the San Diego Natural History Museum, Balboa Park, dates
August 12, 2005 - January 1, 2006. Recently he assisted in the creation
of two Carlsbad
Masquerades, held on February 25, 2006 and February 24,
2007, to benefit the Outdoor Art Foundation's Outdoor Art Initiative.
He also partnered with Doctors Offering Charitable Services (DOCS)
to create "The
Unveiling" an Art and Opera fundraiser
held on May 19, 2007. He created and
keeps current a comprehensive database of over 2,900 regional visual
artists including 2,000 email addresses. This database has been shared
with several organizations looking for artists to donate work or enter
exhibitions. It is growing, kept current, and is made available on
request for museums and qualified art organizations.
.
.. In
January 2007 Dennis launched a new business venture called Virtual
Fine Art. He is the owner and President of the company,
which features a 3D Interactive Virtual Art Museum. Dennis was a member
of the executive steering committee for a local think tank, Imagine
Carlsbad. In May, 2007 Dennis was invited to join the San Diego Group
Leaders, a multi-organizational networking group of professionals
and leaders of various charitable organizations. He was then put on
the Campbell
Networks with his own events list, which provides information
on events for artists, fans of art and those who wish to support the
arts, primarily those with an interest in the visual arts.
.
.. Since
then, Dennis assisted Martin E. Petersen, curator emeritus of the
San Diego Museum of Art, to publish his manuscript called "Alice
Klauber" online. He was
also the curator of a new art gallery, part of the New
Village Arts Theater, in Carlsbad. Recently he created
the website for San Diego's Movers
& Shakers in the art world.
.
.. Dennis
was the artist/curator for
an exhibition in the Parker Gallery of the Oceanside
Museum of Art called Commesso:
Made in America "Gemstone Fine Art." The show ran from
March 2 - May 1, 2009. This is the first art museum exhibition of
commesso di pietre dure e tenere created by American artists. He talked
about the exhibition to a standing room only audience on April 25,
2009.
.
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