Dan Fogel

Artist Statement:
My work is “perceptual” in that it is most always drawn from direct observation. The subject matter I choose is seen from a fixed point of view and I deal primarily with appearances from that angle of vision. It is an important tenet of my approach that my images be accessible and convincing to my viewers. I am a “sight-first” artist and I want my work to first engage the eye and then the mind. It is my hope that if a piece is visually interesting it will lead to further contemplation. Formal elements and the process of painting are my inspiration. Primarily I work in oils on canvas or wood panel. My contemporary realist work is grounded in the tradition of still life painting and observational drawing. I’m particular about composition and keep in mind the expressiveness inherent in mark and surface quality. Many of my boxes are open. To me, this suggests a state of awakening, openness and potential. The forms I paint serve as visual signifiers of the physical space occupied by thoughts, feelings, emotions and people. Often we hide boxes away and their contents can gain or lose significance. I see my boxes as a storage place for ideas and stories. My work reminds me to retrieve my aspirations from the box rather than putting them aside to gather dust. A cube provides completeness to the square, giving it depth and stability. For me it symbolizes wisdom, truth and perfection. Too solid a cube may evoke immobility therefore I have tried to use paint in a spontaneous way. Expression and visual poetry are my intention rather creating perfect form.