Daniel

I am Available for some commision work, but only for Expressionism.

STATEMENT:

Skateboarding and art, two of the many things I am passionate about, have always been about freedom and expression. So it makes perfect sense that art has always been a part of the skateboarding sub-culture. From the graphics underneath the boards to the Dogtown symbol being spray painted inside the empty pools of 1970’s southern California. Through Skateboarding we experience a freedom unknown to those not a part of it, it’s not just about landing the best trick it’s about expressing yourself freely, and so is art. Through the years the connection between these two sub-cultures has grown exponentially creating a new genre of art. In this new genre, skateboarders are artists; artists are skateboarders, some professional in one of the two some in both. The artwork of skateboarders/artists such as Chris Pastras and Jesse Hotchkiss have inspired me a great deal, others active in the skateboarding world such as Andy Warde, Andy Howell, and Chris Silva as well. Not to mention the great artists that have come to be known as household names, Picasso, Pollock, Van Gogh, Basquiat, Miro, just to name a few have all inspired me more than I can say. So, as a skateboarder and an artist, two ways of freely expressing one’s self, I hope to make my mark, as small as it may be, in fact I sometimes hope it stays small, humility is of the utmost importance to me, for I prefer to inspire a few for the right reasons than inspire many for the wrong reasons. Through this new genre of skateboarding/art I hope to prove that *“youth is not always wasted on the young.”*

Comic book art is another tool for inspiration of mine. The legends like Jack Kirby to the modern day greats like Frank Miller, so many to mention. Comics have helped me as I've grown and it is what initially drew me to art.

Through my art I hope to express not only my feelings about things going on inside of me, but my feelings about the world as well. My being a pacifist, a Catholic, and a nature lover influences my art a great deal as well. I strongly believe that through peace, love, and understanding we can all learn to live harmoniously with each other, only through these means can a solid foundation between humans be forged. I also believe that once humans learn to stop destroying themselves we can learn to live in unison with nature, if this happens, at least in the majority of the world, life will be brand new to all of us.

Well, I hope you’ve gotten to know a bit about me, I’ve never been quite good at describing myself with words so I hope this hasn’t come out too sloppily.

Namaste,
Daniel
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*"youth is not always wasted on the young"* phrase taken from New Image Art Gallery Intro