Daniel Merriam Vivid Dreams

October 22-23

EC Gallery Seaport Village San Diego, CA RSVP to

ecg.sv@ecgallery.com (800) 599-7111

F 10

antasy watercolorist Daniel Merriam briefly forgot the name of his fourth and upcoming book when we started talking. “It’s been so long since we started it, I forgot!” he said over the background voices of his son and

daughter, who were preparing for school. His wife, Yulia, chimed in to jog his memory. “Built on Dreams Alone,” he re- membered—which references his 2011 original piece of the same name and, perhaps, to the dream life of a successful artist with a legacy not just in his work, but in his family. “Art is leaving a legacy and leaving a mark—leaving an identity,” Daniel said.

And his family will inherit whatever he makes. “It’s their lega-

cy.” Part of that legacy is approaching his art in new ways, “like a new generation.” And some of those new ways are inspired by his children.

As Daniel worked on a piece featuring an elephant with fantastically curved tusks protruding from the ground, they suggested the piece would look better with straightened tusks. “A child’s sensibility of what things should look like is quite keen,” Daniel said, “so I listen.” He straightened the tusks. “They look a lot better.” Daniel doesn’t fear changing his work, even though it’s difficult to do so in watercolor. “If you’re painting with water- color, you’re staining white cotton paper,”

PG. 11 TOP:

“Changing Views” Acrylic on Canvas, 40” x 64”

Limited Edition

PG. 11 BOTTOM: “Honey Jar” Acrylic on Board, 24” x 36”

Limited Edition

PG. 10 RIGHT: “Precipice”

Acrylic on Board, 24” x 12”

Limited Edition & Original

OFF THE EASEL MAGAZINE – FALL 2016