Dawn Okoro, a painter and University of Texas alum, is pursuing her craft while as she's enrolled as a third-year law student at Texas Southern University in Houston - and yet she's become something of an accidental celebrity consort and a portrait artist to the stars.

So far she's teamed up with Erykah Badu to raise awareness for the singer's nonprofit organization, and has had Shaun Robinson of "Access Hollywood" and Victoria's Secret model Nichole both commission portraits. She's shown artwork in London, and even sent a painting to a show in Australia whose organizer turned out to have appeared in a recent "Star Wars" flick. Okoro's art has recently graced the pages of Paris-based "CLAM" magazine. With minimal self-promotion Okoro has managed to sell several dozen paintings and has developed cadres of collectors in Dallas, New York and Los Angeles. While she spends her school years in Houston, she plans to make her home base New York City.
Source: Jenny Miller- Austin American Statesman


EDUCATION

2009   Thurgood Marshall School of Law, J.D. - Focusing on Art Law

2002   University of Texas at Austin, B.A. - Studied Fashion Design and Psychology

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2007   December 13, 2007 DAWN OKORO: RFB&D Recording Studio; 1314 W. 45th St, Austin, Texas. Benefiting Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic.

2006   May 5, 2006 DAWN OKORO: CREATION at Gachet Gallery, 1804 Lower Greenville Ave; Dallas,Texas. Benefiting B.L.I.N.D. (Beautiful Love Incorporated Nonprofit Development). Presented by Erykah Badu. Click Here for press release

2006   March 18, 2006 DAWN OKORO: AT RISK at Topaz Salon, 1509 S. Lamar; Austin, Texas. Benefiting B.L.I.N.D. (Beautiful Love Incorporated Nonprofit Development). Presented by Badu World and Topaz Salon. Click Here for press release

2005   August 27, 2005 DAWN OKORO: MUSE at Iron Gate Studios, 2205 W 5th St, Austin, Texas. Benefiting Thoughtful House Center for Children. Click Here for press release

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2009   Mar 6 - Apr, 11 2009, Texas Biennial, Austin, TX.

2009   Jan 2 - Jan, 29 2009, Pineal Portraits, London, UK.

2008   Nov 1, 2008, ARTcetera Biennial, Boston Center for the Arts, Boston, MA.

2008   Nov 7 - Nov 29 2008, Pineal Portraits, W Hotel (Chicago City Center), 172 West Adams Street, Chicago, IL.

2008   Sept 5, 2008, Red September, Fundraiser for ROAR, Sydney, Australia.

2008   Sept 12 - Sept 29, 2008, Pineal Portraits, Wilshire Gallery, 6130 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA.

2008   April 12 - 19, 2008, Visual Collaborative, The Undercurrent Arts, Miami, FL.

2008   March 6, 2008, CulinART, University of Texas Alumni Center, Austin, TX.

2007   November 3, 2007, So Live! Arts Movement, Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, NY.

2007   November 17, 2007, Dray Walk Gallery, London, UK.

2007   September 15, 2007, Art and Fashion Fund Raiser for ROAR, at Establishment, 252 George Street, Sydney, Australia.

2007   June 15, 2007, Picture Progress: An Art Auction and Benefit, Red Ink Studios, 91035 Market Street, San Francisco, CA.

2007   Saks Fifth Avenue, Premier Altier, 9722 Great Hills Trail, Austin, TX.

2006   November 2006, Healing Arts Exhibition and Auction, The Wright House Wellness center, 4301-B N IH 35 in Austin, TX.

2006   July 1 – July 22, 2006, FIX / ESCAPE at ADM Project Gallery , 6015 Santa Monica Blvd., 2nd floor, Hollywood, CA.
Presented by The Pandemonium Collective .

2006   April 8, 2006, Fundraiser for the documentary, "Texas Redistricting," from directors Allegra McCoy and Shaune Kolber. Art Palace, 2109 Cesar Chavez, Austin, Texas.

2004   April 11, 2004, Art Show, at Gallery Lombardi, 910 W 3rd, Austin, Texas. Artists include Tim Doyle and Matthew Rodriguez.

2004   March 12 – March 16, 2004, South by South West (SXSW) at the Hideout 617 Congress Avenue, Austin, Texas. Presented by Austin Sketch Group.

2002   April, 2002, Off Broadway play, THE VAGINA MONOLOGUES, at the University of Texas. Art displayed at the show.

2001   April, 2001, ART AND FASHION, at the Frank Erwin Center, 1701 Red River, Austin Texas.

1999   March, 1999, CELEBRATION OF ART, at Austin Music Hall, 208 Nueces St, Austin, Texas.

1998   Spring, 1998, Texas State Capitol Building, Austin, Texas.

1998   January 1998, SCHOLASTIC ART AWARDS, New York City.