HAPPENINGS EXOTICS
DANIEL RYAN
October 28-29 EC Gallery Forum Shops Las Vegas, NV
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”Worlds Of Wonder” Original Mixed Media, 24" x 30" D
aniel Ryan is not afraid to experiment, and he keeps a loose list of ideas in his studio.
When the time comes,
he selects an idea and unleashes another wild animal onto his wooden canvas. Yes, Ryan passes up conventional canvas and prefers to paint his images on wood. Much like a fine wood sculptor selecting a piece to chisel his next creation, Ryan searches a small San Diego wood supplier — visited mostly by contractors — to select unique wooden canvasses.
“I find them based on the aesthetics of the piece,” he said.
Similar to the wood sculptor, Ryan describes the selection process as if he sees animage in the knots and grain patterns within the wood, then frees it as he creates each piece. It’s as if the artist works in collaboration with the medium.
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He generally works with maple, but for his Las Vegas show he has sought a wider variety to use in combination with his creative theme of exotic animals. “I’m experimenting with exotic woods and veneers,” he said.
His new body of work, designed just for this show, consists of fauna imagery from regions such as Africa, South America, the Borneo forests, New Zealand and Australia. The first two pieces he created include a giraffe, and a slow loris — a small primate from Southeast Asia — hugging an ice cream cone. “The work has gotten more playful,” he said. “I might be adding more elements of a human twist: a little more animated and a little more illustrative … a little more fun, a little more funky.” Ryan’s technique is not nearly as simple as the artist describes. Normally, he masks
the pattern of the animal first. Then he applies the marquetry — veneer and inlays — to create backgrounds. He adds to his signature background patterns by using a series of hand cut masking and aerosol work, applying stain and sometimes adds some splattering, which creates a wonderful random element in contrast to his exact patterns. Finally, he details the image of his often whimsical animals, using pen and ink for stippling. Viewing a Daniel Ryan artwork is like receiving a two-for-one deal: First there is the intriguing image of an animal; and then the viewer is drawn in by the impossibly detailed background. Many times a third element arises like a free prize. A tiny animal or colorful flower might appear next to the main animal, adding another element to each visual tale.
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