Altamira Fine Art in Scottsdale, AZ is pleased to present an exhibition of new work by David Dornan and Ben Steele, February 3-14, 2026.
Please join us for the Artist Reception on Thursday, February 5 from 6-8pm.
David Dornan & Ben Steele | Lineage
“Knowing I’d be exhibiting alongside David was extra motivating, due to the level of impact his work has had on my entire art career and life. It’s exciting to be showcasing all the ways we are similar and different with our student/teacher history.” -Ben Steele
"We are all products of the thoughtful and eager passage of technique, wisdom and quality. How lucky I am to love what I do so much that I can’t help but pass it on and be catalyst to the “aha moment” in someone’s art career.” – David Dornan
Ben Steele and David Dornan’s duo show explores the quiet but powerful transmission of artistic vision, how one generation of painters shapes the next through mentorship, shared philosophy, and a reverence for craft. With a twenty-three-year history, these two extraordinary artists come together to present new work that demonstrates the lineage they share and the inspiration they draw from one another. “My relationship with David Dornan started as a student-teacher relationship. He had just retired from teaching before I arrived at the University of Utah and another professor suggested I seek out The Helper Workshops – an art immersion program that he and his wife Marilou had created. Once I experienced their art program and saw the way he went about his own career, I was hooked.”, says Steele.
David Dornan is a painter of profound visual rigor whose work transforms everyday objects such as brushes, paint tubes, cans, flowers into compelling explorations of color, form, and light. Rather than arranging still-life subjects from the natural world, Dornan builds imagery from paint itself, allowing shapes and compositions to emerge through an instinctive process that pushes between abstraction and representation. His expressive still life paintings elevate the ordinary into charged visual encounters where texture, gesture, and surface dynamics animate familiar objects with monumentality and energy.
Ben Steele emerged from this foundation with a distinct contemporary perspective. While grounded in representational trompe l’oeil, Steele’s work pushes into more imaginative territory, combining art history references with modern iconography. His paintings carry a cinematic sensibility bridging classical Western subject matter with a fresh visual language. Steele’s evolution reflects the natural progression of lineage: honoring the past while forging new paths forward.
Together, these works reveal the continuity and transformation at the heart of the New West. Their lineal relationship is not about imitation, it is about influence, growth, and creative inheritance. “It is incredibly gratifying to see a student grab hold of what is offered and launch a new and unique artistic vision and life.”, Dornan says. “Our relationship has developed over the years into one of respected peers with the sharing of ideas and experiences in the studio and over campfires and family dinners.”
By presenting mentor and protégé side by side, this exhibition invites viewers to witness the dialogue between generations, where tradition becomes innovation, and shared roots give rise to distinct artistic voices.
Pre-sales are available. Contact the gallery for details, 480-949-1256/ az@altamiraart.com.
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