Christopher Daubert

1950 - 2023

Christopher Daubert
September 20, 1950 - May 22, 2023
Christopher "Chris" David Daubert lived a generous life. As a friend so aptly said: "He spread his mat, opened his arms, mind and heart wide and touched so many." Poetic to the end, he was granted his wish to die at home. He passed away on May 22, 2023 with his wife, Dana by his side. The cause of death was multiple organ failure.
He was a pillar of the community; an amazing example of discipline, persistence, creativity, knowledge and wisdom. He was a light, an energy, who always extended a helping hand. Wise were those who took his hand.
Chris, the second of three sons, was born in Oakland, California to the late Charles and Barbara Daubert. He was raised in Belmont, California, which according to him was Shangri-la. His childhood home was in a hilly wooded neighborhood full of boys who played together outdoors until their mothers called them in for dinner. Barbara encouraged his intellect, curiosity, creativity, and sense of humor. They played mind-challenging games, listened to music and went to the movies to see musicals. He memorized lyrics from their favorite musicals including songs from "The Pajama Game" and "Damn Yankees." Story has it that his musical talents nearly drove his aunt, uncle, and cousin Ann crazy during long drives to go camping at Dinkey Creek in the Sierra National Forest. He was proud of his family roots in Bishop, California and never tired of talking about his great uncle Jim who joined The Sierra Club in 1909 and knew John Muir.
Chris received both his B.A. and M.A. in art from California State University, San Jose and his M.F.A. from UC Davis where he was a teaching assistant to Wayne Thiebaud. As a student, Chris was gleefully defiant, a character trait that evidently was endearing to only three of his professors at CSU San Jose. Rather than being dismissed by those professors, Chris earned love, trust, and life-long friendships with artists Tony May and Jacqueline Thurston, and composer Lou Harrison.
Before fully realizing his dream of becoming a professional artist and educator, Chris was a designer and builder of fine hardwood furniture, a craft he perfected over a span of ten years, surprising for a man who couldn't hammer a nail when he and Dana were first married. Dana was a quick study and learned that one should never laugh at an angry man who's holding a hammer. His interest in making fine furniture began when he took a woodshop class at CSU San Jose. After earning his M.A., Chris became an apprentice to the master woodworker and furniture maker, Arthur "Espenet" Carpenter. Espenet said of Chris that he was "good as some, better than most." Chris remembered Espenet's words as a compliment.
Although Chris achieved success as a furniture maker, he was first and foremost an artist. He never made excuses for not drawing, planning his next project, or figuring out solutions to problems. His studio time started at 3 a.m., a schedule from which he never varied. Chris was happiest when working in his studio.
Shortly after earning his M.A. from CSU San Jose, Chris was hired as an instructor at the San Francisco Art Institute and later at CSU San Jose. His students loved him, but the ever-humble Chris said he had a lot more learning to do before he had something to teach. Chris's next quest was to become a teacher and his first step was to earn his M.F.A. After earning his degree, Chris taught at Sierra College in Rocklin; CSU Sacramento; the San Francisco Art Institute; UC Davis; and Sacramento City College, the place he would call home for the next twenty-three years. Concurrent with teaching, Chris served as curator of the Gregory Kondos Gallery for twelve years. He retired in 2017 as professor emeritus of the Art Department at Sacramento City College where he taught painting and new media. In 2018-19 Chris taught Contemporary Art History and served as interim director of the University Library Gallery at CSU Sacramento.
Chris exhibited his drawings, paintings and large multi-media installations locally and nationally for many years. Some of his recent one-person exhibitions were at Shasta College Art Gallery in Redding, Pence Gallery in Davis, and ArtSpace 1616 in Sacramento.
While teaching and exhibiting, Chris served as chairman of the exhibition committee at the Center for Contemporary Art, Sacramento and as curator of the Richard L. Nelson Gallery at UC Davis. He was one of the artist/founders of the Oakland non-profit gallery ProArts. During his career, he organized and curated over one hundred exhibitions in non-profit, college, and university art galleries. He authored and co-authored several books and exhibition catalogues. In 2014, he and collaborator Eve Aschheim, released the book Episodes with Wayne Thiebaud, a collection of interviews with the painter.
Chris felt that he'd won the jackpot when he was offered a tenured position at Sacramento City College. He loved the campus, the diverse student body, its programs and majors, and his colleagues. Dana was also struck by the campus's vitality when she took language, theatre arts, and science classes. Last year, Chris and Dana found themselves in the fortunate position to make a significant gift to a non-profit. Their choice was immediate and unanimous. In fall 2022, they made a $1 million gift to Sacramento City College to establish the Christopher D. and Dana Daubert Endowment for Art Education to support the management of the Gregory Kondos Gallery.
In addition to Dana, his wife of 50 years; his older brother Stephen,
Stephen's wife Catherine, and his nephews Kyle and Steven survive Chris. His younger brother, Peter, predeceased him. On Dana's side he leaves behind his sister-in-law Susan, her husband David, and his beloved niece and nephews: Mandy (Brian), Tyler (Amelia) and Jon. Chris once told Susan that he was "proud to be part of this family." It was music to Dana's ears, since she was never quite sure.
The story of Chris is rich and dense and his love of life had no bounds. He loved Dana; his little house; his collies; his friends; dinner parties; his studio and woodshop; anniversary martinis at Sam's Grill in San Francisco, and The Zebra Club in Sacramento where the late Johnny Hamm had their drinks made before he and Dana sat down. He loved Sacramento City College; his colleagues and students; teaching, and student critiques. He loved living his life and asked for nothing more than what he already had. He was fulfilled.
Chris donated his body to the Body Donation Program at the University of California, Davis School of Medicine. The Body Donation Program will scatter his ashes at sea.
A celebration of Chris's life will occur in July. Details will be announced in June.