For his second solo show at A Sense of Place Gallery in Fresno, California, painter Daniel J. Keys features over a dozen paintings with still life subject matter that is a continuation of his interests. This includes gardening and items that Keys finds in antique stores. The show titled Oeuvre, casts aside the idea that an artist’s past works are “somehow stale or no longer as interesting,” and instead, celebrates and honors a larger body of work, past and present.
October Harvest, oil, 30 x 40"
“Some of the ideas behind these paintings aren’t new at all, but have been ruminating in my mind, or even explored through various paintings of mine for years now,” explains Keys. “I like to think of it as a continuation of exploring the concept I love now and have always loved—that beauty can exist in the ordinary. Yes, beauty can certainly be seen at the end of a treacherous sojourn halfway across the world in a remote location only accessed by a few, but it can also be found in your own home or the home of a loved one, or your garden, or the eyes of your pet—no matter how large or humble.”
Morning on the Farm, oil, 20 x 30"
Keys adds that he is most inspired by his small garden, and the things he finds and wishes to add to his home—“mostly secondhand things from antique stores,” he says. “Some are valuable and some are common, but they have patina and show age and tell a story about where they’ve been. I like to think of the purpose they might have served and the hands that handled them as I put them in various combinations, each time creating a unique arrangement for a painting.”
More recent developments in Keys work includes the use of texture and adding more layers of paint than he used to. The added texture ehances the quality of softness that “catches the light in a different way than a flatter surface can,” he says.
Forsythia Lilies and Tea, oil, 12 x 24"
Keys also finds inspiration for his work from his many travels. He started Forsythia Lilies and Tea while visiting an artist friend in Connecticut. “I had expressed my desire to paint some forsythia, which grows aplenty in that area and so we went scouting for some,” says the artist. “We fought the urge to take it right out of strangers’ yards, and finally came across some that didn’t seem to belong to anyone (I hope). I assembled it with other floral elements, and added a favorite teacup and plate, and spent the afternoon painting and enjoying my friend’s company.”
Summer Treasures, oil, 40 x 40"
Morning on the Farm depicts a quaint, yet breathtaking view from Keys' summer trip to Montana. “This scene outside of Bozeman had it all: old structures with interesting architecture, big cottonwood trees, a pasture and a herd of Hereford cows! I painted there several times during that trip, segmenting parts of the scene and painting small studies for each element—some of just the house or just the barn, and a study that focused solely on the cattle. Back in my studio, I combined all that I had painted in the studies to put together this larger version.”
Keys' lush new works will be on view at A Sense of Place Gallery beginning November 2 through November 16, with a reception on November 4 from 12 to 3 p.m. —
A Sense of Place Gallery 2003 N. Van Ness Boulevard • Fresno, CA 93704 • (559) 580-9616 • www.asenseofplacefineart.com
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