Chris Daubert had a great attitude.
“Chris was exciting to be around,” says artist Jill Estroff, who met the late artist, educator and curator in Daubert’s art history survey class at Sacramento City College.
“His boundless enthusiasm for art infused his classes and everyday conversation with an energy that was catching and gave students courage to develop their skills and put their work out there.”
Over the decades, Daubert inspired countless students and fellow creatives. When he died of organ failure in May 2023, he left an impression on the local artistic landscape that continues today. He was 72.
“His best work was reliant on his manipulation of how we perceive the world and art,” says artist Fred Dalkey, a longtime Sac City colleague.
Daubert’s work included drawings, paintings and large-scale mixed-media installations. Estroff remembers one exhibition that involved an “environment of entangled branches that emitted almost musical and haunting sounds as you wandered. Another creation was activated by movement and sound. These experiences stayed with you.”
Several Daubert pieces were displayed in a memorial exhibition at Twisted Track Gallery on R Street in December, curated by Nisa Hayden, who adored the artist.
“Chris hadn’t had a solo show in Sacramento for some years and I felt it would be appreciated,” Hayden says. “He was such a beloved figure in the art community. I also hoped—and do hope—that some of the work sells and finds a home outside of his studio.”
While Daubert’s work has been celebrated, his gifts as a person and mentor stick most with people.
“In addition to being an artist whose work we both deeply admired, he was a wonderful person and so giving of his time and expertise to many,” says Victoria Dalkey, longtime art critic and wife of artist Fred Dalkey. “He was a superb artist and teacher and a mentor to many artists who were just starting out.”
Estroff recalls Daubert’s efforts to support colleagues and his community, including helping build a studio for a fellow artist and an entrance ramp for a friend injured in a fall.
He curated more than 100 exhibitions for educational institutions and galleries, including Beatnik Studios, Richard L. Nelson Gallery at UC Davis and Sac City’s Gregory Kondos Gallery where he served as curator for 12 years.
Daubert and his wife of 50 years, Dana, donated $1 million to establish the Christopher D. and Dana Daubert Endowment for Art Education to support the Gregory Kondos Gallery.
His death spurred remembrances and tales of the artist’s keen eye, honesty, generosity and creativity that still inspire.
“Mentor and dear friend, he nurtured so many people’s dreams for a creative life,” Estroff says. “His presence will long linger and influence those of us lucky enough to have known him.”
Jessica Laskey can be reached at jessrlaskey@gmail.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram: @insidesacramento.
