• CoCA Marathon & Auction

    Excited and honored to be a part of CoCA's 30th Marathon & Auction! While I couldn't be a marathon artist this year because of health issues, I've included a Viaduct painting in the Auction & Gala on September 17th. Please join me in supporting local contemporary art in our region-

    Tickets are available at cocaseattle.org

  • Pratt Open House & Jackson St. Jazz Walk

    Come to Pratt on September 10th for our annual Open House! See the studios and teaching artists in action as they demo their craft. Glass blowing, flame working, fusing, welding, blacksmithing, printmaking, jewelry, painting, sculpture and more.

    Food trucks and live music with the Jackson St. Jazz Walk
    www.pratt.org/open-house.php

    I'll be with some amazing folks in the Printmaking studio to answer the question, What is an Artist Book? and demo a few kinds of bookbinding. Hope to see you there!

  • Cities on Cities at '57 Biscayne

    Cities on Cities, a project I started during the pandemic, is in its final stages! The images of massive Seattle land projects that I have been working with for a decade have become all manner of encaustic, drawing and assemblage. Stop by in July for a salon style exhibition of the work.

    12 other studios at 110 Cherry Street will be open for our first event since 2020! Stop by, see art. See humans! Door code 0707#

    First Thursday Art Walk, July 7th, 5-8PM*

    *This event is brought to you with generous support from 4Culture of King County


  • 2022 Members Show at CoCA

    CoCA returns! First Thursday Art Walk in Pioneer Square

    June 2nd, 5-8PM
    July 7th, 5-8PM

    https://cocaseattle.org/2022-members-show

  • Common Thread at La Copa

    "Common Thread" was an impromptu idea to install small works by some of my favorite local women artists at my favorite local cafe. Their diverse styles and backgrounds made for a great show that all ties (see what I did there?) the work together in color, structure, composition and line. Please stop by La Copa Cafe (24th Ave NW and NW 80th St.) next time you are in Ballard! More images and info on my IG instagram.com/darafrances

  • Mapping the Grid at SAM Gallery

    Just delivered 2 new Viaduct (Waterfront in Layers) paintings to SAM Gallery. They're currently installed in October's show, Mapping the Grid.

    www.seattleartmuseum.org/visit/calendar…

  • 45th Anniversary Show at SAM Gallery

    Join SAM Gallery artists and collectors for a 45th Anniversary blow-out celebration.

    SAM Gallery started operating 45 years ago and over that time has mounted hundreds of shows including thousands of Northwest artists. Come and see some of the stellar lineup of Northwest artists that have made SAM Gallery a success.

    November 1st, 6PM - 7:30PM, and during museum hours through November

    www.seattleartmuseum.org/visit/calendar…

  • CoCA Creativity Persists

    Join Center on Contemporary Art (CoCA) as they share their members’ creativity in the 2018 CoCA Members’ Show, Creativity Persists. Juried by Jody Bento, Director of SAM Gallery, artists of all ages and media including 2D, 3D, multi-media, installation, literary, sound, and performance are invited to join CoCA for this annual show that celebrates the true depths of creativity and highlights top artists in the Pacific NW and across the globe.

    With Seattle’s rapid growth and radical changes, alongside the current backdrop of our country, the creative artist is essential to the health of society. For 36 years, CoCA has amplified contemporary artists’ voices through hundreds of exhibitions. Their annual members’ show welcomes creativity in all its forms and in multiple events as they gather together to celebrate the hard work of artists and creatives of all types.

    cocaseattle.org/past-events/2018/4/26/c…

  • Accreted Terrane Exhibition at the Museum of Northwest Art

    Accreted Terrane explores the metaphor of continent formation on the west coast, with an eye on artists moving into the Northwest from elsewhere and staying. As such, "accretion" implies a layering or stratification of depositional events. Conceptual approaches, notwithstanding the region's reputation for process, materials, and craft.

    October 4th - January 4th

    www.monamuseum.org/exhibition/accreted-…

  • In Technicolor at KAG and Who Are You? at CoCA

    Early and later works from the Regrade series at both galleries, as well as a new iteration of an installation-turned-sculpture by Savina Mason and myself. silvershoal.com

    October 16th, 5-9PM

    Seattle Design Center
    5701 Sixth Ave S
    Seattle, WA 98108

    katealkarnigallery.com

    coca.org

  • Northwest Fine Arts Competition, and Encaustic Workshop

    Phinney Center Gallery is hosting the NFAC, and the juror has selected 3 of my works for the October-November exhibition.

    Opening reception October 10th, 6-8PM

    Phinney Center Gallery
    6532 Phinney Ave N
    Seattle, WA 98103

    I'm also teaching a 2 part encaustic workshop on Ocober 18th & 25th. More information at
    hosted-p0.vresp.com/306395/6e2abbefc8/A…

  • New Work at Kate Alkarni Gallery

    Kate Alkarni Gallery
    5701 Sixth Ave S
    Seattle, WA 98108

    August 21st reception at the Seattle Design Center Art Walk

    katealkarnigallery.com

  • Silver Shoal in the Underground Arcade

    A collaborative installation with Savina Mason, Silver Shoal incorporates a reprint of the original 1771 Encyclopedia Britannica with encaustic and other disparate materials to create the form of a shoal in the underground of Pioneer Square.

    Update! Silver Shoal has had a 2nd life at the Seattle Design Center, and 3rd life at Amazon with support from Shunpike. It's current home is at our studios, and the lobby at 110 Cherry Street.

    silvershoal.com

  • New work at Kate Alkarni Gallery

    All Woman
    featuring: Naoko Morisawa, Savina Mason, Dara Solliday, Ozden Odman, Julie Devine, Arara Wang

    Kate Alkarni Gallery
    5701 Sixth Ave S
    Seattle, WA 98108

    April 17st, 6-9pm
    (opening reception & Artwalk)
    May 15th, 6-9pm
    (Artwalk)
    June 19th, 6-9pm
    (closing reception & Artwalk)

    katealkarnigallery.com

  • Room 104 Gallery Salon Show & Open Studio

    Room 104 Gallery will sadly be closing it's doors later this summer, but not before going out with a bang! The artist's will be showing new work in a salon show, with guest artists for the month of June. See the show during Pioneer Square's 1st Thursday Art Walk, then head over to my studio at '57 Biscayne for our biannual open house for a visit with the resident artists, music, installation art, and all of our usual tricks—

    room104gallery.com
    57biscayne.com
    firstthursdayseattle.com

  • Installation by SOLLIDAY | MASON

    We're at it again! Savina Mason and I are currently designing the build for an installation in the gallery space behind Arundel Books. It will be open to the public for First Thursday Art Walk in May and June in Pioneer Square. More details soon...
    firstthursdayseattle.com

  • More Paintings About Buildings & Cars: Dara Solliday and Molly Magai

    September 20th - November 2nd, 2013

    Room 104 Gallery
    306 S. Washington St. #104
    Seattle, WA

    Reception October 3rd, 6-9pm

    room104gallery.com

  • Intro to Book Arts I Class at Pratt Fine Arts Center

    Wednesdays, 6-10pm, August 7th-28th
    Pratt Fine Arts Center

    Class description and enrollment at:
    www.pratt.org/class_listings/introducti…

  • Regrade at NW Encaustic

    A preview of new work from my Regrade series will be showing at Northwest Encaustic this March through April.

    Northwest Encaustic
    7150 44th Avenue SW
    Seattle, WA

    Reception April 11th, 6-9pm

    nwencaustic.com

  • Things to Come at Room 104 Gallery

    Room 104 Contemporary is opening it's doors in November with a group show of artists who will exhibit there throughout the next year. I'll have new work from the Regrade series installed, along with several other contemporary artists from the Pacific Northwest.

    Things to Come, November 1 - December 15
    Room 104 Contemporary
    306 S. Washington St. #104
    Seattle, WA

    Reception November 1st, 6 - 9pm

    firstthursdayseattle.com

  • Show Us Yours at CoCA

    Opening Friday, September, 28th, 6-9pm

    Show Us Yours, CoCA Members' Show
    September 28th - October 25th

    CoCA
    Seattle Design Center
    5701 6th Ave South Ste.258

    cocaseattle.org

  • '57 Biscayne Biannual

    Plans for our biannual in-house exhibition are underway! New works, a live brass band performing, more screen prints, letterpress, jewelry and photography in the hallway gallery. Come see what we've been up to these last six months and peruse a selection of artist books and hand-bound journals in Studio 2.

    June 2012, First Thursday Art Walk
    www.firstthursdayseattle.com/

  • First Thursday at '57 Biscayne

    I am ecstatic to announce that a group of us, the diaspora of 619 Western, have moved our studios to another building in Pioneer Square. Named after the "only (we think) pop song reference to eminent domain", '57 Biscayne was remodeled and fitted (and permitted by the city) in a record-breaking six weeks before the mandatory closing of 619.

    Please join us at 110 Cherry Street for a celebratory First Thursday Artwalk on December 1st, followed by a holiday open house on Sunday, December 4th.

    Art Lives!

    57biscayne.com

  • Electrolux: See Jane Draw

    A selection of drawings and prints from Pioneer Square's longest running figure drawing group will be available at Catherine Trapani's new space, Beloved. I have a couple of prints in the show from the "Hera" series, mixed method prints based on the domestic archetype.

    Opening November 3rd during First Thursday Artwalk with the artists, Catherine and more at belovedtheshop.com/Home.html

  • New Work at Phinney Center Gallery

    Weight, Water, Regrade
    Encaustic Mixed Media by Dara Solliday

    Phinney Center Gallery
    Seattle, WA

    Opening Reception:
    6-9PM, Friday, August 12
    artupgreenwood-phinney.blogspot.com/

  • A/NT Presents ENVIRONS, A Group Show Curated by Pun(c)tuation

    Pun(c)tuation Gallery has curated this show about environments, and it's great to be involved in my new city. Information about the show, and artist talks at www.antgallery.org/zexhibitions/curated…

  • Karass Creative

    The marmots at Karass Creative have installed some of my recent encaustic panels in their fantastic work space. See what they're about at karasscreative.com

  • Kobo at Higo

    Seattle/Artists for Japan

    100% of sales to benefit International Red Cross

    March 26-27th

    artistsforjapan.blogspot.com/