My name is Daniel Swain and I am an artist currently based in southern Delaware. I enjoy working in a variety of mediums, including ceramics, digital media, oil, and acrylic paints. I also have experience with charcoal, soft pastels, and design.
I enjoy drawing plants and fantasy maps in addition to still-lifes and scenery. As for ceramics, I specialize in wheel-thrown planters and similar vessels. --- If you have any questions, you can reach me on my Contact page or at my business email: swainartdesign@gmail.com Redbubble: Swainathan TikTok: Swainathan |
Artist Statement |
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I am fascinated with the natural history of our world; primarily prehistoric life and botany. I have a love of the natural world that I can attribute to growing up in the woods and spending time in nature as a Boy Scout. I am intrigued by the speculation and detective work of the field of paleontology, paleoimagery encapsulates that to the fullest extent; letting reality inform your creative decisions that can help inform popular culture about these creatures. Cartography has a different pull; looking at a map allows me to know where I am and what is around me, and often they are littered with historical references and information that really tickles my imagination.
As for materials, I primarily use acrylic and oil paint, digital software, and clay. I use these materials because of their ability to be corrected and reworked if you make a mistake or are unsatisfied with a piece. I make maps of imaginary worlds filled with all sorts of people and animals. Through drawing, painting, and building I create images and functional objects that do not as of yet exist in our world. Because I have aspirations and desires that I want to fulfill, my practice allows me to make those a reality when they otherwise would not. I reference scientific illustrations, publications, and other paleoimagery to aid in the accuracy of my natural history work. I gravitate to the way video games and sci-fi/fantasy stories such as Pokemon and the Legend of Zelda establish world-building elements, and lore while keeping some ties to reality. By depicting creatures of the past and of my imagination within their own ecosystems, I am able to cast these animals in such a way that they could be perceived as living, breathing creatures. I am fond of realism and respect all that it has to offer, yet I see nothing wrong with tweaking it slightly to achieve my desired style. As such, I desire to continue color experimentation as my artistic career progresses. In a similar way, I enjoy incorporating linear elements of drawing into pieces that are tonally rendered as it allows me to interpret reality in a way that can offer more character than by only replicating the subject as if I were a camera. To me, reality is a pool of resources and references that I the artist can use to create something that would not otherwise be naturally occurring. That is the greatest appeal of art for me and what I wish to harness in my work. |
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