From Polish ancestry, artist Cherie Dacko has family roots in Chicago, but is a locally-grown native, having been raised on the west coast of Florida. She graduated from the University of South Florida with a degree in Fine Art. Following college, Cherie joined the El Sama artist co-op in Ybor City, Florida. She continued to paint and exhibit, but it was her "paycheck" job that allowed Cherie to perfect her style. With 25 plus years in commercial photographic and antique photo restoration, the artist developed award-winning skills for re-creating quality images of the human form. After a series of collaborative works with artist Michael Banks, Dacko began to experiment with "realism with a twist" and developed a unique style of portraiture: "Bent Realism."

Currently, the subjects in her paintings are somewhere between reality and invention. The artist incorporates physical objects (authentic period clothing, decorative items, textiles) to ground her subject to a particular moment in time. Intrigued by the psychological responses to facial expression and body language, she warps and exaggerates, celebrating the imperfect and challenging the viewer to bend their notion of physical beauty. From the age of 12, Dacko has received recognition and awards for her drawings and paintings. Her distinctive style has earned a loyal following (including Stephen Colbert, political satirist) and her works are in collections throughout the United States, Canada and France.

CONTACT INFORMATION: Email: cherieart@cfl.rr.com

Cell: 407 496-9524

Studio address: Gallery on First, Studio 8, 211 E. First St., Historic Downtown Sanford, Florida, 32771