A surreal painting of a woman with long black hair, partially nude, in a seated position surrounded by a tableau of skulls, a leopard, a skull, and a twisted tree, blending realistic and symbolic elements.

Danny Gordo

Contemporary Figurative Painter

About Danny

Danny Gordo is a contemporary figurative painter exploring the relationship between perception, symbolism, and the stories that shape human experience. Drawing from the symbolic tradition, his work unfolds gradually, rewarding sustained attention and leaving room for the viewer's own experience to complete the conversation.

Gordo's work has been exhibited at the San Francisco Art Fair, the Seattle Art Fair, and in solo and group exhibitions across the United States. He is a two-time recipient of the Robert B. McMillen Foundation MAC Award (2025, 2026), a finalist in the Allied Artists of America 112th Annual Exhibition, and has been featured in the Almenara Art Prize Online Exhibition.

Gordo holds a BFA in Illustration from Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design, graduating summa cum laude. He is the founder of The Copper Wolf Tattoo Studio and Art Gallery in Tumwater, Washington, where he maintains his studio practice while mentoring young artists.

Exhibition and acquisition inquiries are welcome.

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  • Awards & Recognition

    • 2026 Robert B. McMillen MAC Award Winner

    • 2025 Robert B. McMillen MAC Award Winner

    • 2026 SCA Open International Online Juried Exhibition, finalist

    • 2025 Almenara Art Prize, Online Exhibition

    • 2025 Allied Artists of America, 112th Online Annual Exhibition

    • 2025 15th Annual PleinAir Salon Art Competition, September finalist

  • Exhibitions

    • 2026 San Francisco Art Fair, Two-Person Exhibition, Fort Mason Pavilion, San Francisco, CA

    • 2026 Seattle Art Fair, Two-Person Exhibition, Lumen Field Event Center, Seattle, WA

    • 2026 SW WA Regional Juried Exhibition, Group Exhibition, Leonor Fuller Gallery, Olympia, WA

    • 2026 19th Annual Juried CVG Show, Group Exhibition, Collective Vision Gallery, Bremerton, WA

    • 2026 Curious Figure, Group Exhibition, The Star Store Gallery, New Bedford, MA

    • 2026 Go Figure!,  Group Exhibition, The Washington Center, Olympia, WA

    • 2025 Oracles, Solo Exhibition, Harlequin Theatre, Olympia, WA

    • 2025 The Unfolding, Two-Person Exhibition, Ossa Skinworks, Olympia, WA

    • 2025 Seattle Art Fair, Two-Person Exhibition, Lumen Field Event Center, Seattle, WA

    • 2025 SW WA Regional Juried Exhibition, Group Exhibition, Leonor Fuller Gallery, Olympia, WA

    • 2025 South Sound Studio Tour, Juried Group Exhibition, Childhood’s End Gallery, Olympia, WA

    • 2024 Impermanence, Two-Person Exhibition, Ossa Skinworks, Olympia, WA

    • 2023 Halos, Two Person Exhibition, Ossa Skinworks, Olympia, WA

    • 2022 Adorations, Two-Person Exhibition, Ossa Skinworks, Olympia, WA

    • 2021 Deep Forest, Group Exhibition, The Copper Wolf Art Gallery, Tumwater, WA, USA

    • 2020 Red Shoe, Group Exhibition, RMCAD, Denver, CO, USA

    • 2019 Pastels, Juried Group Exhibition, Carnegie Arts Center, Turlock, CA, USA

  • Education

    BFA Illustration

    Rocky Mountain Academy of Art & Design, Denver, CO

    January 2017 - August 2020

    Graduated Summa Cum Laude with a 4.0 GPA.

    Selected to show in the annual student exhibition for all 4 years.