Danny McCaw, b. 1978, CA, (United States)

Danny McCaw is the youngest son of American Expressionist Dan McCaw, and brother to abstract modern artist John McCaw. Danny began drawing and painting at an early age and in an atmosphere where materials and family encouragement were in abundance. His youthful drawings and paintings soon developed into mature individual statements. European buildings, street facades, cathedrals, cafe scenes and ballet dances combine to make up the latest work by Danny McCaw. "I like Europe with all of the beautiful facades and ancient buildings," says McCaw." I use a primarily muted palette which really causes a strong use of light," say McCaw. After McCaw lays out the basic composition, he lets a canvas rest for a brief time, then gets the look he is striving for by gently going back through the canvas and working the colors together. "I like to rub the work," explains the artist. "I also glaze a lot and find that this harmonizes the whole painting, helping me create a nice effect, working always for the light." McCaw also enjoys deconstructing a painting down and starting all over again. "I scrape right through them and basically ruin the work, and then come right back and rebuild. I love learning through this experience. This experimenting helps me to grow and take more risks. I believe it is paying off, as my work looks different than that of any other artist I know." McCaw is excited about this method of working, as it allows him to paint more "expressionistically". "I paint with an emotion, and the viewer sees this. My goal is to reach for the specific feeling of a place, rather than just what it looks like. This is why I spend so many hours working with mood and light, rather than detail." This process also allows McCaw to create these works in a more spontaneous manner, one that allows for a little more "give and take" in the painting process. "I always begin a work one way, but then it takes a wholly different direction at the end.

Danny's life is constantly immersed in a rich atmosphere of painters, poets, and photographers, where the atmosphere is one filled with creativity and imagination. To Danny, the search for his own individuality is of the utmost importance. His art is full of honesty and creativity, and it is constantly enriched by his inquisitive nature, his desire to find his own voice, and his effort to create lasting impressions.