DAWN DEDEAUX ’70

Dawn DeDeaux: The Space Between Worlds, presented October 22nd, 2021 to January 23rd, 2022 at the New Orleans Museum of Art, offered visitors a retrospective of five decades of the artist’s critically acclaimed work. A group of Dominican alumnae, students and faculty who met on that last Saturday of the show had a guided tour by Dawn, who shared her inspirational sources. Dawn’s prophetic work addresses divisions in society, distances between humans and Earth, cultures and communities, social justice, and how to heal society’s divisions.

“I personally do not have the answers to our problems, but I wish to prompt continued dialogue in the pursuit of solution,” she said. “That is forefront in my work which aims to engage the public at large. We are at such an important crossroad, and it seems that I have had to be more forceful about certain issues –nudging neither with a hammer nor a glove. For me it’s more of lighting a candle to illuminate paths, as the future life on earth is precariously suspended and impacted by our personal and collective actions or lack of action. Every now and then I read a report that indicates we are making small strides in environmental stability, but the clock is ticking and there really is a narrow window of time to nurture the earth for future generations. It’s true that I find myself between pessimism and optimism, but I can’t say that place feels particularly ‘balanced.’ It’s like walking a tight rope without a net below. There is little time for error!”

Her 9th grade English teacher, Sr. Dominic M. Savio Estorge, O.P., has followed Dawn’s career and has a print of Study of a Pale Horse that Dawn signed, “To Sr. Savio, My Teacher of Veritas.”

“The most important lesson one can teach is the value of Veritas, Truth,” shared Dawn. “Sometimes the pursuit of truth goes against the fashion of the time, and sometimes you reveal things that are not so pleasant, but it is the best path, in measured pace with love. Beyond being an extraordinary teacher, Sr. Savio was a role model to me personally as she was virtuous, ethical, patient, thoughtful, and always kind. Certainly, I was not her best student, as I was very distracted by my other independent pursuits in art, even then. But she revealed the great depth within literature, planting a seed of interest that has continued to grow. I am forever grateful to her personally and professionally.”