Dale Sprague
Artist and Graphic Designer

As a young boy in Pleasantville, NY during the 1960s, Dale Sprague's family and teachers took keen notice of his precocious artistic talents and arranged for private art lessons. For seven years, from ages 7-14, Dale was tutored in charcoals, pastels, watercolors and oils. At 10, he had a painting hanging in The Hudson River Museum in Yonkers, NY. At 15, he was expressing himself through vivid, abstract oil paintings. Dale's love of art grew throughout high school and at 18 he headed off to Rochester Institute of Technology to pursue his artistic dreams.

 

After earning a BFA in Communications Design, Dale entered the world of graphic design, providing creative work for companies such as American Express, Black & Decker, Boston Red Sox, Inc. Magazine, Planet Hollywood, Price Pfister, Inc., and Rolodex Corporation.

 

For several years, Dale was Vice President of one of the largest outside creative resources utilized by The Walt Disney Co., directly responsible for much of the design, merchandising and marketing work, and management of staff artists and the creative team for many high-profile projects.

 

In 1996, Dale and wife Ann, founded Canyon Creative, a Las Vegas-based graphic design studio. The imaginative strategists at Canyon provide creative services to well-known clientele in the retail, gaming, restaurant, theme park, entertainment, convenience store, and corporate worlds. Services include graphic design, logo and brand development, advertising, marketing, environmental graphics, copywriting, retail/themed merchandise design, and licensed product design.

 

Dale plays a dual role as President and Sponsorship Director for the American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA) Las Vegas Chapter, is actively involved with the re-branding of 18b The Las Vegas Arts District, has judged graphic design awards competitions, mentored art students, and spoken about graphic design and the graphic design business to a variety of audiences.

 

Dale's early training instilled a "good eye" for proportion, color and design, not only for his fine art endeavors, but in the realm of graphic design as well. His creative work has garnered many awards over the years, including Gold, Best of Show and Judges Choice.

 

Though painting is now more of a luxury when Dale can find time, he still enjoys experimenting with oils in many diverse styles. "I've always loved how oil paint flows and blends, creating new colors. I can get lost for hours working on a canvas," he said.

 

Dale also finds inspiration in Ann's travel photographs, especially those taken in Florida, California, Wisconsin, and Martha's Vineyard. "There are so many beautiful places across America - from coast to coast. When we travel, Ann often takes photos with a future painting in mind," Dale commented.

"Cliffs of Aquinnah," "Newport Statue," and "Martha's Vineyard Home" are all derivatives of her photographs.

 

"Nic and Carter at Lake Michigan" was inspired by a photo of grandchildren on the beach taken by Ann's father Jim Johnson, another avid photographer. "There was something so incredibly carefree about the photo that I had to paint it," Dale said.

 

Dale especially appreciates German and abstract expressionism and has a deep admiration for the impressionists. The aesthetics of those styles are often reflected in his own work. At the moment, Dale is working on a series of abstract self-portrait paintings.

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