Dean O’Callaghan is an Australian artist and art educator who works from his studio in Moora, Western Australia. Since retiring as a visual arts lecturer in 2017, Dean has focused on developing his own creative work.
As a contemporary artist, Dean’s experimentation of different methodologies has led to a distinctive style. For many years, Dean has been inspired by nature and contemporary architecture. “My recent works are inspired by my experiences of sunsets on Santorini and Darwin. I was not only captivated by the incredible colour shifts that were appearing in front of me but how the glow seemed to fall upon objects around me”.
Dean has also been captivated by the reflected qualities of glass facades in contemporary architecture, particularly after visiting New York and Singapore. “At times, the reflections of clouds and sky appeared to merge with the actual background sky, making the edge of the building appear less defined. In developing my designs, I use an iPad and Mac to develop the concept of merging these two inspirational elements. When completed, I print the design off and begin working on my canvas using masking and acrylic spray techniques".
In addition to being inspired by sunsets, Dean has extended his interest to other natural phenomena such as auroras and a pursuit of colour and tonal relationships. His paintings are represented in private and corporate collection in Australia, United States, and England. In 2025, two of his paintings were acquired by the Lands Capella Sydney Art Collection. He is currently working on a series of paintings for a solo exhibition in February-March 2027.