Tony DeLap

February 24, 2014

Mr. Mystic
,1983

Acrylic on canvas

Gift: Artist

Born in Oakland, California in 1927, artist Tony DeLap is a key pioneer in both the West Coast Minimalist and Op Art movements. Known for his illusionistic sculptures, DeLap has been a fixture in the Southern California art scene which he has helped shape.

From 1949 to 1950, DeLap attended the Claremont Graduate School and started working freelance as a color consultant, exhibition designer, interior designer and graphic designer. DeLap had his first exhibit at Gump’s Art Gallery in San Francisco in 1954 and continues to show his work in solo and group shows.

Since 1965, Tony DeLap has taught at the University of California at Irvine as an associate professor. Currently, the artist is living in Corona del Mar where he mentors local artists and continues his artistic pursuits.

Take a walk through Chapman¹s campus to view DeLalp’s sculptures that challenge the viewer’s perception of reality. Among the work in the Escalette Collection of Art at Chapman University are sculptural canvases and colossal exterior sculptures that transform the landscape of the University.