Daniel Martin Diaz

PAINTINGS: Walnut Oil, Egg Tempera, Pine Resins, and Frankincense Painted on Wood Panels.

One of my earliest memories as a child was the way death and religion played an important role in my family's life. My parents were born in Mexico with traditional beliefs, and their beliefs made their way into my subconscious. The fact that many of those beliefs seemed to render no logical explanation has also influenced me. These unanswered questions find a home in my work, which evokes the mystery, fear and irony of those vivid memories of my past. I do not claim to understand these questions. I just paint and let them reveal themselves to me.

DRAWINGS: Silver Point, Graphite, India Ink, Wax, Carcoal on Wood Pulp Paper and Antique Paper.

I continue to be amazed and inspired by many artists both past and present, who have been successful in capturing the complexities of the human spirit. We run from those things that we cannot explain. These are the things that we must attempt to explain through art. All the beauty and tragedy that is life. The world between imagination and completion is an infinite one. It is a solitary journey, yet the many paths are full of wanderers who are also searching and eager to share their findings.

I am most influenced by the great amount of human suffering that has occurred throughout history and one's undying faith in the after life. Often times I am subconsciously influenced by world attitudes or stories and also by the people I am closest to. I prefer to keep an open mind and let the subject matter take on a life of its own.