Artist Bio
Daniel Smith spent most of his childhood doing "Normal" child type things. His father was in the Air Force and he traveled and lived in many different places when growing up. Early on, Smith realized he had a love for art and explored anything "Art" he could get his hands on. As he grew, he lost his childlike fearlessness and persued a safer career in Graphic Design and Sign Production for over 25 years. In 2002 he came to visit a friend at Penland in Western North Carolina. Daniel was so taken by the beauty of the land, people and energy here that he moved a month later. After moving, the fear replaced itself with a insatiable desire to create art and make it his living. A self taught painter, Daniel Smith takes a childlike approach to creation. Knowing that the possibilities are endless. So he listens to the child and keeps the creation process new, fresh and fun. This creative energy opens the door to a level of communication that needs no words. Language, cultural and ethnic differences dissolve. His inspiration comes predominately from the physical, emotional and spiritual light that shines from everything around him and from within. "I Love bringing to the viewer a seemingly normal moment or object for scrutiny. I think it forces reflection on our own lives. It sure does mine. I wake up every day and thank the universe for letting me "SEE" with more than just my eyes." Artist StatementI suppose words like, "Fine," "Precious," "Fun" or even "Disturbing" come to mind when we think about art. What makes art fine? What makes art fun?... the people who view it. Many things spark me into painting a particular something. Surprising light and shadow, colors that appear from nowhere or some kind of magic unfolding before my eyes. Some seem to have lost their knack for seeing these moments when they happen. By turning the moment or emotion into a painting and hanging it on a wall, I make it very hard to ignore, hopefully engaging you in a surprising way? There is so much magic in these moments and I want to share that with the viewer. It is not my job to make anyone feel anything. I paint and this is what comes out of me. The reaction is a by product and can be very relative. All I am doing is communicating and having a real good time doing it.
