Bio
I hold an MFA from the University of Pennsylvania School of Design, Philadelphia and a BFA from the Maryland Institute College of Art. I am a member of the NAPOLEON collective. My group exhibitions include Marginal Utility, as part of the 2013 CITYWIDE exhibition, Bridgette Mayer Gallery, The Galleries at Moore and the Painted Bride Art Center Café Gallery as well as galleries in New York and Los Angeles. I have exhibited a public installation at Pentimenti Gallery, Philadelphia, and on the University of Pennsylvania Campus.
I am a professor of Fine Art at Penn State University, Abington Campus and Drexel University. Additionally, I have worked as a Curatorial Assistant at the Galleries at Moore and I sit on the Exhibitions Committee at Allens Lane Art Center in Philadelphia.
CV
Education
2013
University of Pennsylvania, Weitzman School of Design
Master of Fine Arts
Certificate in Graphic Design
2001
Maryland Institute, College of Art
Bachelor of Fine Arts
Major: General Fine Arts, Minor: Literature
1999
Syracuse University, Florence, Italy
Solo Exhibitions
2019
Germantown Academy Arts Center Gallery, Fort Washington, PA, We Decide Who Belongs
2018
NAPOLEON Gallery, Philadelphia, PA, White Constructions
2011
Pentimenti Gallery, Shock Waves (A response to the Japanese nuclear crisis), Philadelphia, PA
2010
Ryan John Art Salon, Daniel Oliva: New Works, Philadelphia, PA
2007
Painted Bride Art Center Café Gallery, Nightscapes, Philadelphia, PA
Group Exhibitions
2019
Good Children Gallery, New Orleans, LA, Extra Parts
Mount Airy Contemporary, Philadelphia, PA, Your Plus One
Goggleworks Art Center, Reading, PA, At the Same Time
2017
NoBa Art Space, Bala Cynwyd, PA, The One You Know
NAPOLEON Gallery, Philadelphia, PA, float
Lore Degestein Gallery, Susquehanna University, Selingsgrove, PA,
Photography As Social Conscience: Impassioned Portrayals of Race in the U.S.
Coburn Gallery, Colorado College, Colorado Springs, CO, Amplify & Multiply
2016
Hamilton Street Gallery, Bound Brook, NJ, Heads of State
2015
Penn State University Abington Campus, Penn State Abington Faculty Exhibition
The Galleries at Moore, Philadelphia, PA, Do It,
Bridgette Mayer Gallery, Philadelphia, PA, Benefit Exhibition for BalletX
2013
Marginal Utility, Philadelphia, PA, North by Northwest, a CITYWIDE Exhibition curated by
Mount Airy Contemporary Artist Space
Bridgette Mayer Gallery, Philadelphia, PA, Benefit Exhibition for BalletX
Exhale Unlimited, Los Angeles, CA, University of Pennsylvania MFA Thesis Exhibition
2011
About Glamour Gallery, Artronomy, Brooklyn, NY
2010
Mount Airy Contemporary Artists Space, Northwest Artists Collective, Philadelphia, PA
Allens Lane Art Center, Northwest Artists Collective, Philadelphia, PA
2009
Sam Quinn Gallery, Silent Spaces, Philadelphia, PA
2008
Photo West Gallery, Live With It, Philadelphia, PA
2007
Sedgwick Cultural Center, Northwest Artists Collective, Philadelphia, PA
St. Asaph’s Gallery, Northwest Artists Collective, Bala Cynwyd, PA
2006
Gallery Siano, Group Exhibition, Philadelphia, PA
Center for Emerging Visual Artists, From the Studio III, Philadelphia, PA
Einstein Hospital, Regional Community Arts Program Exhibition, Philadelphia, PA
Main Line Art Center, Landscape Revisited, Haverford, PA
2002
Maryland Art Place, Tree Climb, Baltimore, MD
Teaching Experience
2019
Visiting Artist, Germantown Academy, Fort Washington, PA
Designed and implemented a socially engaged studio art project with students.
2014 - present
Adjunct Lecturer at Penn State Abington, Abington, PA
Classes include: Introduction to the Visual Arts, Beginning Painting, Advanced Painting, Figure Drawing, 2D Design,
Contemporary Art Seminar (senior capstone project), Ancient Through Gothic Art History, Renaissance Through
Modern Art History
2014 - 2015
Delaware County Community College, Media, PA and Downingtown, PA
Adjunct Professor, classes included Watercolor Painting, Photography, Drawing and 2D Design
2013-15
Instructor, Drawing, Allens Lane Art Center, Philadelphia, PA
2013
Instructor, Drawing 1, University of Pennsylvania, School of Design, Philadelphia, PA
2012
Teacher’s Assistant, Drawing 1, University of Pennsylvania, School of Design, Philadelphia, PA
2012
Teacher’s Assistant, Figure Drawing 1 and 2, University of Pennsylvania, School of Design,
Philadelphia, PA
2011
Teacher’s Assistant, Drawing 1, University of Pennsylvania, School of Design, Philadelphia, PA
Affiliations
2018
Visiting Artist, Germantown Academy, Fort Washington, PA
Co-Curator, Immigration Now, Penn State Abington Art Gallery, Abington, PA
Portfolio Reviewer, Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore, MD
2016
Member, NAPOLEON collective, Philadelphia, PA
2015
Contributing essayist for exhibition “Kay Healy: What is Real”, Napoleon Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
Click here to read “The Soft Inside Meets the Hard World: Kay Healy’s ‘What is Real’”
Co-Curator, Exquisite Form: A Fiber Invitational, Allens Lane Art Center, Philadelphia, PA
2010
Visiting artist/critic, Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore, MD
The Art Slam, Creator and organizer.
The Northwest Artists Collective, President (2006 – 2010)
2009
Guest Juror, Conshohocken Arts League, Annual Exhibition.
Exhibitions Committee Member, Allens Lane Art Center, Philadelphia, PA (ongoing)
Publications
2018
Andrea Kirsh, “Daniel Oliva’s Home Economics”, exhibition essay for White Constructions
To read essay online click here.
2010
WRTI, interview with Arts reporter Susan Lewis about the Art Slam.
2007
Philadelphia Citypaper,“First Friday Focus”. Reviewed by Lori Hill
Commissions
Untitled, private collection, 2016
New Orleans, private collection. 2011
Cascades West (Depoe Bay), private collection. 2009
His, Hers, Theirs, private collection. 2009
Professional Experience
2015
Curatorial Assistant, The Galleries at Moore, Philadelphia, PA (July – present)
2014
Project Assistant, The Galleries at Moore, Philadelphia, PA (January – July)
2013
Artist’s Assistant, Charles Burwell, Philadelphia, PA
2011-13
Object Photographer, Oceania Collection, University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology
and Anthropology, Philadelphia, PA
Professional Painting
2008 - 2014
The Artful Interior, Owner and lead artist
2003 - present
Residential decorative art, Colkett Painting, Philadelphia, PA
2003
Theater Scenic Artist, DC Jewish Community Center, Washington, DC
Theater Scenic Artist, Everyman Theater, Baltimore, MD
2002-2003
Residential decorative art, Molly Allen Studios, Washington, DC
Residential decorative art, Christine Nicole Productions, Baltimore, MD
2002
Baltimore Municipal Opera Company, Baltimore, MD
2001-2002
Theater Scenic Artist, Centerstage Theater, Baltimore, MD
Residential decorative art, Twin Diamond Studios, Baltimore, MD
1997
Theater Scenic Artist, Theater For A New Audience, New York, NY
