I came across Daniel’s work about four years ago when I was visiting his friend, the artist Dan Parry-Jones, in Bristol. I was immediately drawn to his unusual, l almost Scandi-feeling work. His mother is Norwegian and, as a child, he spent many years travelling around that part of the world and this has imbued his work, often of wooded and lake filled landscapes, with a markedly different feel.
Daniel works on wood panel that has been prepared with a layer of gesso plaster. This gives him a very different surface to work on and, into this, he is able draw fine lines by scratching into the gesso. Then he will brush a wash of pigment over the panel that then settles into these finely drawn channels. He is able to add layer upon layer of oil glazes, the pigment sinking into the plaster giving a heightened intensity of colour. His light brushwork brings out tiny details, such as the glowing embers lifting from a fire, or the stars in the dark night sky. It is always rewarding to find an artist who uses their media in a totally original way.
When Daniel observes the landscape, he does not set out to record a likeness of a particular location, but rather seeks to engage with the profound effect it has on us human beings. His paintings depict partly-imagined places, and half remembered landscapes, captured mostly from his travel experiences and childhood.
“I am particularly drawn to Daniel’s work, it has a calmness about it, and a purity, at the same time as being excellently executed. Each piece full of delicate detail, but not laboured, these magical scenes transport one into a dream-like world.”