Dirk Wales

Photographer, Artist, Filmmaker, Author

Dirk Wales not only creates masterpieces, he is a masterpiece.  Living in Los Angeles when Hollywood was in it’s golden era, he studied filmaking and used his knowledge to create.  But, he didn’t just create films; he has created art, written books, and is a prolific photographer, using many in his books.

Beginning in 1992, Dirk has had the good fortune to have his work in galleries in Santa Fe, Chicago, New York, and China. Some highlights of his work are The Number Series, The Heaven and Hell Boxes, a second prize for his all-glass bird house, and photography in The Marble Series where the objects appear to be flowing in space- done without digital assistance.

The Number Series, which began as photographs of numbers which Wales discovered he had taken on various trips, with text and stories accompanying them, eventually became the book, The Secret Heart of Numbers, “a passionate work of fiction with accompanying photography that explores our relationship with numbers in a variety of ways–financial, emotional, sexual, cynical, in love, out of love, and often with as much humor as the situation will reasonably bear..” For more on The Numbers Series: Art Facts: Dirk Wales’s pictures of numbers 

With his love of children’s literature and animals he found the story of Owney, the U.S. Rail Mail Mascot, which became the subject of two children’s books, A Lucky Dog and The Further Adventures of A Lucky Dog.  For more information about Owney, his commemorative stamp, and his exhibit at the Smithsonian National Postal Museum, refer to this link:http://www.postalmuseum.si.edu/owney/.  “Owney’s story is touching and fascinating and Dirk Wales’ books about him are both entertaining and educational.”

Other children’s and young adult books include: Jack London’s Dog, Twice a Hero: The Stories Of Thaddeus Kosciuszko And Casimir Pulaski: Polish American Heroes of the American Revolution, Penny House, and The Happiness Road Trip: The Search for Wellness. 

The art of Dirk Wales takes many forms of mixed media. “A show may be a combination of years of creative stimulation…first by photography and then by adding things, it becomes mixed media. My artistic hero is Joseph Cornell, who was the American surrealist who created ‘box art’ that is, collage and assemblage in a box. I love this, and it has become my path,” says Wales.

Using his background in film making, Dirk Wales has been a screenwriter for much of his working career and has written more than 200 documentary, travel, children’s and other films and video.

He lives and works in Chicago and Santa Fe, New Mexico.

It’s all about letting your creative mind go and think, both inside and outside the Box.