My works on paper reflect the shapes and patterns I take from my environment around me.  Color and texture also play a large role in my compositions, particularly those from fabrics and tapestries.  Although I have been working many years primarily in water based paint, I have recently added printmaking to my art practice and find that printed images are a wonderful basis for mixed media works on paper. 

The surprise and discovery of how art materials join together in either wet or dry application on paper keeps me going from one series to the next.  I don't repeat compositions; every one is new.

I'm interested in combining different materials and elements to create or change an image, to elevate it or diminish its glow and power. In this work, I am exploring the myth of celebrity and beauty, of what is classic or sacred, I use photographs by Annie Leibovitz, classic paintings by Da Vinci or Lautrec, cut out pages of W or Vanity Fair magazines, old record covers, or poetry books as my essential elements of expression. I see their beauty and power, and I want to reinterpret, to enhance, or metamorphosize these powerful images.

As a long-time practicing graphic designer, I have spent many years working with images and contemplating structures of composition with image and typography. The need to satisfy my creative side is expressed through photography and the images that I am both drawn to as a viewer as well as a maker tend to be the antithesis of the crisp, grid bound, modernist typographic, graphic design that I have spent many years making. In recent years, I have added linoleum block printing and bookmaking to my repetoires - mostly as a medium for extending my photography but also as straight printmaking.

Biography

Born in Venezuela but raised somewhere between Cumana, Shanghai, Hong Kong,

Beijing and San Francisco, Daniel Diaz-Tai has always defined himself as a Latino-Asian

male. His multiple homes have strongly influenced his chosen career as a visual artist.

While he began his career in the arts with my B.F.A. in Graphic Design from the

Academy of Art University in San Francisco, Daniel Diaz-Tai also earned my M.F.A in

Painting from the Academy of Art University of San Francisco. His work developed from

the need for him to find common ground between his journeys. By creating his own

language through painting and calligraphy, he discovered a process that allows him to

express himself. His studio is currently based at Arc Studios in San Francisco. Daniel

Diaz-Tai’s artwork has been shown throughout the United States, Venezuela and Asia.

He is currently represented by Cancio Contemporary in Miami and New York City as well

as by The Marina Cain Gallery in San Francisco.

Artist Statement

My artwork stems both aesthetically and conceptually from a lifetime of living in

Venezuela, China and the United States. My work serves as a continuous dialogue

surpassing the limits of my three native tongues Spanish, Mandarin and English. There

is an abstract interpretation that comes from these three languages and serves as an

expression of its own without the confines of any specific language.

My spontaneous brush strokes come from my subconscious expressing a new voice;

they echo the aesthetic of Chinese Calligraphy as well my obsession with text and

graphics. These brush strokes are intertwined with my own asemic writing to create a

powerful and seductive fluidity. Through a process of writing and washing, my work

speaks of a momentum and unique dialogue layer upon layer. The bold tones of black

and white and my intentionally limited color palette create a clear path through which I

can express my emotions clearly as well as intensely.

Over the past few years, I have been shifting between indoor and outside studios to build my sculptures. This transfer encouraged me to select a material that would withstand and interact with the environment. Combinations of copper, found metal, and wood have been the perfect solution. These constructions mimic shapes and patterns repeated in nature, becoming plant-animal hybrids.

They rely on natural elements such as wind, water, fire, urine and dirt for their patina. The latest assemblage of work focuses on longevity. Technically, they are never

For me to make art, I must be profoundly moved by an experience or thought. I share life stories through my work. My studio is my sanctuary to make art, free of outside influences and judgment of others. Being in a place that feels safe is important to me. My inner world is feminine; I select specific colors to evoke a feeling or luscious fabrics to create a veil, like a soft shield of protection. From that point, there is a pouring out of emotions where I expose my personal life’s journey. This vital process is the vehicle that helps to promote healing within and it is why I continue to make art.

Color, tone and hue predominate these works that exploit the inherent movement of oil paint. My process begins with color, building up layers opacity and translucense to explore the sublties and range of tone. The complexities and richness supersede the constrained pallette. These layered, atmospheric spaces flow through tonal shifts until they intersect. These juxtapositions further enhance the color dynamics and create ambiguous places.  The abstract enviroments created illustrate spaces that always captivate me; the places where man and nature, land and sky, and reality and perception intersect.

Monoprinting very readily lends itself to a spontaneous approach. The process itself involves alchemy. An image is created by applying ink to a plexi-glass plate. Dampened paper is laid over the plate. Together they are run through a press. At the moment of pressure a certain intangible thing happens over which you have no control. This is the beauty of it. It can be a meticulously planned, process-oriented technical experience, but it also completely lends it self to the beauty of spontaneity and emotion in art. I am not interested in technical processes. I am interested in art as a pure expression of emotion. I like to use color and form to that end. Bold form and bold colors are a language for me. Monoprinting has a beautiful element of surprise to it. I am never in complete control of my creations. I like that. It is a lot like life.

My work is a reflection of my love for life. It's about the color, adventure, exploration, spiritual jouneys, inquiry,whimsical, fantasy, all the while accompanied by a wonderful musical soundtrack. My art to me is always evolving from my creative passion which results in a tactile compostion for others to enjoy.