Dana Atchley

Dana Atchley (American, 1941-2000), also known as Ace and Ace Space Co., was an early correspondence artist, a media and performance artist recognized for pioneering the genre of digital storytelling. His work paired oral transmission of autobiographical narratives with moving images, music, theatre, and new media. Formally trained in printmaking and graphic design, Atchley received a BFA and MFA from Yale University in the 1960s. He held a brief teaching appointment as an Assistant Professor of Photography at the University of Victoria’s newly formed Faculty of Fine Arts from 1969 to 1971. Despite the short term, he made a significant impact, introducing experimental and participatory art practices. From the 1990s until his death from cancer in 2000, Atchley became very well-known for his Digital Storytelling genre, which modernized traditional oral storytelling with synchronized digital stills, moving images and musical soundtracks that he performed across the United States and as part of his Digital Storytelling Festival held in Colorado.