Contemporary artist and longtime supporter of HRA Dathan Kane (photo credit: Justin Parker)
Dathan Kane’s latest painting is not just a beautiful work of art. It is an embodiment of its creator’s unwavering commitment to his community—and especially to the students at Hampton Roads Academy.
“THEIR FUTURE” 2026, a striking black-and-white acrylic painting on canvas in a beautiful red mahogany wood stain frame, will feature among the many silent auction items offered at HRA’s upcoming Tidewater Table & Auction fundraiser, held on campus at 6:00 pm on Saturday, February 21.
The highly anticipated event, a tribute to regional flavors as well as the HRA community, marks the fourth time since 2015 that Kane has donated his work to support educational programs at HRA. With no prior connection to the Academy, as either an alumnus, parent, or faculty member, Kane has contributed to multiple school fundraisers out of a pure desire to help HRA continue to extend unparalleled opportunities to students in the classroom and beyond.
“I’m intentional about using my work to give back and support programs that champion the next generation,” Kane said. “I’m proud to stand behind HRA each year with that initiative.”
An Iconic Presence in the Local Community
A contemporary abstract artist based in Hampton Roads, Kane holds a BFA in art and design from Virginia State University. His work has been acquired by private collectors across the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, and France.
Many of his proudest contributions, though, have been to the local art world. Kane’s paintings can be seen in the collections of the Newport News city mayor, the Hampton Roads Biomedical Research Consortium, the Virginia Department of Health, the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, and many other institutions across the region. He has also exhibited his works at numerous area art festivals and at such prestigious local museums as the Chrysler Museum of Art and Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art, as well as the Sichuan Contemporary Institute in China. His documentary film CURATE (2022), produced by WHRO Public Media in Norfolk, has aired throughout southeastern Virginia, North Carolina, and the Boston area. He is currently a board member of the Hermitage Museum in Norfolk and the Contemporary Arts Network in Newport News.
Above all, Kane’s work has left a visible mark on the face of Hampton Roads.
Kane at work on “THEIR FUTURE” 2026 in his studio (photo credit: Dathan Kane)
“My work focuses on the constant dualities that define the human experience: order and chaos, presence and absence, choice and consequence,” he said. “I address these themes using bold, organic, black-and-white shapes to explore this complexity and present a sense of balance.”
Navigator parent Brynn Beal recalled that Kane’s distinctive style first caught her eye on the side of a building in downtown Newport News. “Dathan uses his gift to brighten landscapes and show people an entirely different perspective of beauty in his large building murals,” she said. “I love Dathan’s work because I see something different each time I look at it. It’s whimsical and happy.”
Along with her husband, current Chair of the HRA Board of Trustees Chris Beal, she was inspired to commission a piece for their home in which she continues to find just as much joy and opportunity for continual rediscovery as in the rest of Kane’s oeuvre. In the past decade, several other members of the HRA community have also acquired his works, including the Prillaman family, the Winfield family, and Director of Athletics Laura Stoner and her husband, varsity baseball Head Coach Tom Richardson.
“When I see his abstracts in friend’s homes, at local businesses, and on buildings and mural projects around Virginia, I think of him and what he represents,” said current trustee and HRA parent Marissa Lanier, who was instrumental in securing Kane’s donation for the Tidewater Table & Auction. “He is bright, generous, talented, and just so cool. He makes a huge and very sincere effort towards community and thoughtfully giving back.”
A Long-Running Relationship with HRA
For more than ten years now, Kane has given back to HRA—and invested in the future of its students—through his art.
He initially became involved with the Navigator community in 2015, when fellow painter and HRA alumnus Asa Jackson ’07 invited him to participate in the school’s annual fundraiser auction, held at the 670 Gallery in Hampton, cofounded and curated by Jackson himself.
“It was the very first auction of my career,” Kane said, affording him an early “opportunity to contribute to a great cause.”
Since then, Kane has shown his support through donations of original pieces for the school’s spring gala, fall Golf Classic, and teacher appreciation events. Sales of his generously donated works have helped the Academy maintain an unmatched standard of excellence in academics and athletics.
When Beal and Lanier reached out to him about the 2026 Tidewater Table & Auction, Kane said, “It was a full-circle moment,” allowing him to continue his long-running tradition of philanthropy and tangible impact on Navigators’ lives.
An Evening to Savor
Dathan Kane, “THEIR FUTURE” 2026 (acrylic on canvas, 36in. x 48in., framed)
At Tidewater Table, Kane’s latest HRA auction will represent the culmination of an evening that no one in the Navigator community will want to miss.
A celebration of everything that makes the Tidewater region feel like home, the night will blend coastal traditions with modern flavors. The fundraiser dinner will feature fresh local oysters, slow-smoked pork, plump shrimp, and hearty bowls of Brunswick stew and crab chowder, along with a selection of craft beers, crisp wines, and a signature bourbon cocktail. Afterward, guests will hit the dancefloor to the musical stylings of the Tidewater Drive Band and help raise critical dollars for HRA’s students by participating in an exciting auction.
In addition to Kane’s brand-new painting, donated auction offerings will include exciting travel experiences, an exclusive golf outing at the picturesque Kingsmill Resort, a hands-on cooking class with HRA’s own Executive Chef Uwe Schluszas, a curated collection of complex aged bourbon, the opportunity for a lucky bidder’s child to serve as Head of Lower School for a day, and so much more.
Kane’s work is a particularly fitting prize for the event, as it is not only visually stunning, but also a celebration of everything the evening stands for.
The aptly titled “THEIR FUTURE” 2026, the artist explained, “represents the support we give to the next generation to chase their goals and dreams. I wanted the composition to evoke movement.”
Thanks to the dedication of every member of the HRA community and generous friends like Kane, HRA will help students dream big and achieve more than they ever thought possible.
There is still time to register for the Tidewater Table & Auction. Buy tickets and explore sponsorship opportunities here, and start bidding in the silent auction today!
